The atmosphere is not one of smothering luxury; sure, the hotel is intent on pampering its guests, but the real charm is when the well-pressed doormen open up the grand double doors, unwrapping a landscape traversed by the likes of the Dalai Lama, whose letter to the hotel is proudly framed in the lobby. As you go exploring under the deodars, you’ll hear the babble of a Himalayan-fed stream playing melody against the chants of the hotel’s resident monks; the property melds itself to its environs, not the other way around, a comfort that is almost as refreshing as the air.
SPOILT FOR CHOICE
No matter which tier of lodging you choose—the hotel has about 80 rooms of varying comforts—each offers nods to elegant Himachali motifs: be they carved in the woodwork or weaved in the curtains. In the lobby, over complimentary high tea at McLeod & Co. Bakery—best taken in the library nook full of Kipling and atlases—you’ll see honeymooners, family vacationers, solo explorers, and students of Buddhism, all eager for recommendations from the staff. Just as the hotel bends to meet its environment, the staff, from the waiters to the managers, are remarkably well-versed in all there is to do inside and outside of the resort, a trait that guests openly recognise and appreciate.
ROAD TO RELAXATION
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