01 February,2026 11:40 AM IST | Mumbai | Debjani Paul
There’s ample space to play with your pets. Seeking calm? There are reading nooks too. Pics/Paromita Mitra
Love vacationing with your dog but are stymied by the hunt for pet-friendly places to stay? We've been there. Even places that claim to welcome pets sometimes do so grudgingly, with extra charges and no consideration for the pooch - no provision of food for the pet, or no access to the lift. Some restrictions are near impossible to enforce; how are you going to explain to your dog that the couch at home is fine, but the hotel sofa is off limits? It's not a holiday if you constantly have to worry about all this.
What we love about Jungle Brooke in Kolad is the way we and our dogs are immediately put at ease on arriving there. As soon as we get out of the car, we're told to let the dogs run free. The words are music to our ears - life in Mumbai, packed into matchbox apartments, is hard for everyone, but especially so for our canine companions. At the resort, there's nothing but sky and greenery around us. Our dogs dash off like bullets when we take their leashes off, and already, our day is made.
The resort is located deep in the wilderness of rural Kolad in Raigad district, about three-and-a-half hours by road from Mumbai. It's so secluded that at night, there's nothing but pitch darkness outside the resort's limits. Will safety be an issue for the pets, we ask? The staff assures us that all the gates have been shut so the pets can run freely inside without straying into the woods.
Mobile signal is, at best, spotty. The property does have WiFi, but we'd recommend keeping Internet usage to a minimum; it's actually amazing to be out of the reach of telemarketers, and hear nothing but birdsong and crickets.
The rooms are designed to soothe both body and mind; the walls are adorned with nothing but art and sculpture. There's no TV, but you won't miss it because there's plenty to do with your furry friends, from barbecue nights, to treks, to swims (yes, with pets!), or just lying on the ground and staring up at the stars that shine so much brighter without Mumbai's poor AQI and light pollution.
There's no dog bed either, but that's because Jungle Brooke's owner already knows your pet would much rather sleep by your side. Your stay is designed around your pet's comfort, owner Ganesh Nayak tells us, so that they enjoy the vacation as much as you do.
It's the first place we've been where the primary guest is the pet, and they are loved rather than being tolerated. One of our dogs - a labrador retriever, so you know he has a bottomless stomach - keeps sneaking to the restaurant to flash his puppy eyes at the staff. It isn't until we catch him scoring a chapati from them that we realise he's been extorting snacks from different staff members. It warms our hearts that they choose to dote on him rather than shooing him away.
Guests are put up in rooms at villas across the property
When we get there in late January, the afternoons are sunny and hot and perfect for pool parties with your pooch, while the nights are a crisp 15°C to 20°C - cue the bonfire and barbecue! Walking around and playing with our dogs leaves us famished, and we enjoy the homestyle meals they serve, with lots of options for vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Our favourites are the fish - the most mouthwatering fried pomfret we've had in months, and a fish curry made from fresh sasa (Greater Amberjack) - and the simple sabzis. The menu for dogs is fixed: chicken and rice, or curd rice.
What we don't love is how difficult it can be to find the place, with even Google Maps getting turned around in the poor-network area. We'd like a little more signage on the roads to help visitors get there easier.
At the adjoining animal shelter, we interact with baby bunnies that are smaller than a fist
What we do love, though, is that the resort is situated less than a kilometre from the Animals Matter To Me (AMTM) shelter, which is also run by Nayak. Part of the proceeds from every booking at Jungle Brooke go to sustain operations at the shelter which houses over 350 dogs, apart from 30 cats, two pigs, and several goats, rabbits, and fish. Guests are welcome to visit the shelter, but be warned, you'll be tempted to leave with more pets than you arrived with!
From vegetarian and non-vegetarian thaalis, to crispy bhajias at tea time, we enjoyed food at the resort
>> Please clean up after your dogs whether it is indoors or outdoors; nothing worse than stepping on dog poop left by an irresponsible pet parent
>> Please check with the staff before taking your pet off the leash, since there may be other pets on the property as well
>> Off-leash pets must always be monitored by the pet parent
>> Pro-tip: Since the dogs do get to spend a fair amount of time exploring off-leash, we took an extra king-size bedsheet to place over the resort's sheets so we didn't have to worry about our pets getting grass or dust on the bed. If the dogs got muddy, we cleaned them before letting them on the furniture
>> Check what is on the menu for pets; if it doesn't align with your dog's diet, please carry an alternative for them
>> The resort staff sends location details for the resort. We recommend downloading the route on Google Maps so you can access it offline, as cellular network is very poor in the area
>> Jio SIM cards are the only ones that work there. The resort does have WiFi, though
>> The resort is located in the wilderness of Raigad district, so it's best to take precautions for tick and flea prevention
>> There are no ATMs nearby, so keep some cash on hand
Swim with your pooch
This is among a handful of resorts that has a pool where guests can swim with their dogs. We especially appreciate that the resort has kept dog life jackets ready for dogs, who may be new to swimming or not completely confident at it. It can accommodate about two people and two dogs, but be warned there are no steps or ramp; you'll have to lower your pet into the pool.
Bonfire with your best bud
Winter temperatures dip to about 14°C at night, and you can request the staff to build you a fire for an extra charge of R1180. The fire pit is built in a way that allows you to enjoy its warmth along with your pet - they can safely sit on the bench without you without being hurt or scared of the flames.
Shelter tour
The 11-acre property also houses the Animals Matter To Me shelter for injured or old animals that need rehabilitation. We enjoyed meeting the 300+ dogs there, as well as scores of cats. There are pigs named Seeta and Geeta, the cutest rabbits, goats and even fish and geese that you can feed.
This is one meal/activity we strongly recommend paying an extra R1003 for, especially on chilly nights. We enjoyed perfectly spiced and grilled chicken, as well as baby corn and mushroom under the starlight, while listening to crickets and frogs send their mating calls into the air. You can also ask for unspiced meat to be grilled for pets.
Room tariffs begin at Rs 12,180 (with GST) for two adults, a child and a pet. Each additional pet will invoke a charge of Rs 2000. Four meals (breakfast, lunch, high tea, and dinner) are included.
