Just back from a "hill station" called Saputara. We had driven from Mumbai all the way to Saputara for around 6 hrs one way (we had kids with us, so a lot of "pee" stops) on 29th May 2010 . We took the Mumbai-Nashik Expressway since that’s the only way to reach Saputara via Nashik. The roads were pretty ok, though sometimes it makes me laugh when they use such grand words as "Expressway" for a single lane, dividerless stretch of a tar line. Though some parts of the road are 4 laned.
Anyway, we were already informed by our friends earlier that it’s not really a hill station but it pretends to be one. So, as expected, we were greated by a sight typical of a hill station...horses, camels and lotsa tourist vehicles. From the confines of our AC car it really did look appealing. But alas, we had to step out once we reached our hotel. The climate was only marginally better than Mumbai. I would say accept for the humidity it was almost as bad as Mumbai. We immediately knew that we were at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Sight seeing can virtually be completed in 3-4 hrs...it’s the usual boating, tacky rides for kids on rickety merry-go-rounds, and shops selling stuff you get in any super market in Mumbai (and cheaper too). The only place worth it’s value is the rope way. It’s a 10 min ride from one hill to another. My friends said that the view is breath taking (I can’t confirm that really, since I was sh*t scared due to my fear of heights :))
Also, be aware that you will not get any non-veg food here. Infact, the hotels actually have a green square with the green dot (the type we have on veg food packets) prominently pasted on their entrances. I am not much of a veggie and had prepared myself for it thinking that atleast the veg food might be tasty. However, I was quite disappointed on the food front as well. Of course carrying booze can get you arrested cause it’s in Gujarat. Strangely, I found even the local people to be un-friendly. As someone has already mentioned in an earlier review, even the hotel managers would not have a smile on them. I guess, they are all saddled with this feeling of guilt for selling Saputara as a hill station :)
All in all, the only time that you should visit this place is during the monsoons or maybe during the actual winter months. If you wanna beat the summer heat, Saputara is a complete waste of time and money. Especially if you are gonna drive from Mumbai.