We stayed at Gir Birding Lodge for around 5 days in the Jan 2011 and to put in simple words, the stay has been excellent in all respects. RIght from the time we arrived at the hotel on 21st Jan till we left on 26th afternoon, each and every aspect of our stay was well taken care of. The hotel staff were ever smiling, nice to interact with and they treat you like a king.

The location of hotel is very good, quiet with scenic surroundings. Having the gate 2 very next to it is another advantage for an extended safari time. The rooms are spacious, clean and well maintained. The cusine at the restaurant was vewry good to cater to both Foreigners and locals alike. The safaris arranged by the hotel were executed with perfection.

Overall, we found real good value for the money that we had spent on our trip and looking forward to our next trip to Gir at the same location.

Pranay, the manager here is surly and we found his manner offensive and rude. He cited a long list of their rules, what is not included, his immediate demand for cash and passports for a safari, but refused to say when he would give us back our passports or issue a receipt for our cash payment. The staff noticed the expression on our faces and once out-of-sight of the manager, were polite and helpful.

The cottages are set in a mango orchard and are private and clean for India, They are somewhat rustic in a pleasant setting. The bathrooms were drafty and cold. Bring your own toileteries. IThere were mainly non-Gujarati Indians when we were there, not any non-Indians or NRIs that we could see. The food was Punjabi-style and it was really mediocre. Soups were reconstituted Maggi packet soups. The table linen and mats were always the same soiled ones.

They overcharge for safaris and the safari guide did not stop money-grubbing for a generous trip for the entire 21/12 hours. We did see three lionesses and tip the guide and driver generously but, of course, the dour attitude remained. It really was a turn-off at 6 am in the biting cold. Also the guide was a look-click-move on kind. It was nothing like an African safari where the guide is still, quiet, observant before an animal and we are allowed to simply be with the animal for some time. We felt a lack of dignity and respect for the animal life or for the people on the safari. It was not personal, it is just their way.

We have been told that we should have looked into Amidhara or Tent City for a better choice. It is also a matter of how much and where one has travelled, the comparisons, and the expectations. For a discerning, experienced traveler, it is better to look at other choices.

I went to Gir Birding lodge with my husband and father in law for a weekend trip in Nov.
First for the positives- this is a nice newish hotel situated in the midst of a mango orchard . Rooms are large, spacious and well furnished with jungle wood furniture (we stayed in a superior room). Bathrooms were clean and housekeeping was good in general. The property iself is quite interesting as the lunch room has very pretty views over the orchards and mountains and plenty of lion/ wildlife books and information. The staff in general were friendly. Food was excellent, although it was a set meal with few Continental choices which may not cater to a foreign tourist's palate. But the Indian food itself was well made and good.

Negatives- the hotel manager was extremely rude. We got there around 12.30 and asked when lunch would be ready. He said 1 pm, but could be delayed to 1.30pm. When we said this was quite late, he was rude enough to say that 'whatever time it takes food to cook it will take, if you want i can serve you whatever 's done so far raw". We thought it was not an unreasonable request and the response was plain rude. the junior staff was really nice though.

They were supposed to have fixed up our wildlife trips but had done nothing despite my husband sending all his papers in advance.turned out to be a blessing in disguise as they quoted INR 1600 to us while Sneh Sadan, the govt agency organizing the trips did the IDENTICAL trip for INR 800. So, avoid their trips

All in all, we decided not to be put off and the Gir park itself was spectacular. We sighted 5 lions (including a mating pair)- will try and add pictures. But the attitude of the hotel left much to be desired .

I stayed at the Gir Birding Lodge in October 2010. The cottages (the deluxe ones) are big in size and comfortable to live in. That there was no TV was a HUGE plus. They've built the cottages quite nicely - most of the area is farmed with Mango trees (Kesari mango). We had a reservation in the Standard cottage but they upgraded us to the Deluxe one for free since they had an empty Deluxe cottage when we arrived. The whole lodge looks quite nice at night with the lights on and silence all around. Also, the staff is quite friendly. My dad wanted his meals cooked as per some dietary requirements (no spices etc.) and they gladly obliged. Definitely recommend this place to fellow travelers.