Varsity by Daily Stays

Varsity by Daily Stays is a budget-friendly stay in Matheran, Mumbai — a no-frills base for seeing central Matheran and the rest of the area affordably.

About Matheran: India's only vehicle-free hill station, 800 m up the Sahyadris — red earth paths, thirty-odd viewpoints and no engines at all. All hotels in Matheran →

What it is

The surrounding Matheran district is one of the most convenient parts of Mumbai to stay in, with restaurants, cafés and transport links close by.

Rates shift with the season and with demand, so the live price on the booking page is always the one to trust — tap through for tonight's or your dates' real availability.

Where it sits

Varsity by Daily Stays is in Matheran, at Linking Rd Shastri Nagar, Mumbai. Straight-line, that is about 3 km from Terminal 2, 16 km from CSMT and the Fort offices, and 4 km from the Bandra Kurla Complex.

Road times in Mumbai are not a function of distance. Modelled at the city-wide average of about 17 km/h, that is roughly 12 minutes to the airport, 58 minutes to Fort and 15 minutes to BKC — add half again in the evening peak, and take the train instead wherever the route allows. These are modelled figures, not measured ones.

What is included

The property lists 2 facilities. The ones that decide a booking are grouped below; anything unusual — early check-in, a late departure, a desk that takes a laptop — is worth confirming when you book, because listings and reality drift.

Staying in Matheran

Stay on or just off MG Road if you want to walk to food and the market — mid-range hotels there run ₹3,500 to ₹6,500 a night in season, most with mandatory meal plans that are actually good value. The heritage bungalows are scattered along the Charlotte Lake and Louisa Point directions: bigger rooms, wood floors, verandahs, ₹8,000 to ₹18,000, and a 15 to 25 minute walk in from Dasturi Naka that you should factor into arrival planning. Budget lodges near the railway station are ₹1,800 to ₹2,800 and often noisy with tour groups. Two things to avoid: any property that describes itself as five minutes from the station without specifying whether that is walking or on horseback, and weekend rates in April–May and Diwali, when the same room can double. Book porters through your hotel in advance; freelance rates at the car park are negotiable but the negotiation happens while you stand in the…

More on the neighbourhood, including how to move around it and what is worth walking to, is on the Matheran page.

What it costs

We do not hold a live rate for Varsity by Daily Stays at the moment; hotels in Matheran on our list start at about ₹10,600 a night. Check the live price before you plan around a number — Mumbai rates move with the trade-fair and wedding calendars, and a room can double in the week of a large event.

November to February is the expensive season and the comfortable one. June to September — the monsoon — is the cheapest, and the rain is less of an obstacle than people expect if you plan around the mornings.

Questions travellers ask