Romance In Karma Kumao

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THE NAINI RETREAT

City: Nainital

Once the home of the Maharaja of Pilibhit, The Naini Retreat has although converted into a hotel, retains an old world charm and a regal aura from the era gone by. The lobby of the hotel has been furnished with characteristic Italian furniture surrounding an old fireplace while the corridors are decorated with antique full-length mirrors and petal-strewn water bowls.

Room Facilities
The 33 rooms at the hotel are equally regal with tasteful furnishings and the latest in modern amenities. It has 2 Suites, 7 Duplex, 3 Lake Facing, 8 Garden Facing and 14 Deluxe rooms that are all equipped with a television, telephone, night lamps, laundry bags and bathroom amenities like soap, shampoo and moisturiser. The Suites have an added advantage of a sitting area, a dining table, study table and two bathrooms with shower areas and a range of bathroom amenities.

Dining
The hotel has a range of dining facilities to offer. The Maharaja Restaurant with its wood interiors offers a variety of Indian, Mughlai, Chinese and Continental delicacies besides specialities of the Kumaon region while the Garden Cafe & Bar serves sumptuous delights from the tandoor besides organising barbeque evenings. The Bar, besides serving the best in local as well as international liquor, also offers a quiet, peaceful and charming environment where one can enjoy a tranquil evening. The decor of the restaurant as well as the bar is very regal and reminds one that royalty once roamed these halls.

Hotel Facilities
Recreational facilities include spa services, health club, massage room, numerous board games, table tennis and billiards/snooker table. While a game of table tennis is complimentary, guests need to pay Rs.100 for a half hour use of the billiards/snooker table. The hotel also organises nature walks, horse riding, trekking, boating, sailing, day excursions and picnics on request.

For business travellers, the hotel has a well-equipped conference hall that can accommodate upto 125 guests while other facilities include pick and drop service, a car rental service, spacious parking, laundry service and room service.

Don't miss
The Spa! A one of its kind in Nainital, the Spa offers all sorts of Ayurvedic treatments and has facilities for head massage, body massage and steam.

Location
Located on the picturesque Ayarpatta Slopes, the hotel offers a breathtaking view of the Naini Lake. It lies at a distance of 1.5 kilometres from the lake and the main market and just 3 kilometres from the main bus stand.

SUN N SNOW INN

City: Kausani

Perched on one of the bifurcating lanes of Kausani, The Sun n Snow Inn is a small but aesthetically beautiful hotel. You will see an amalgamation of all sorts here. From Rajasthani ?'harokhas' with a lamp decor in the lobby to ancient Victorian style paintings on the walls and British Raj furniture in the rooms and restaurant, this quaint place has a charisma of its own.

Rooms
The Sun n Snow has 13 Executive modern rooms, neatly done with wooden floors, sofa chairs and window couch, dressing table, satellite television, a blower, luggage rack, cupboard and bright linen. The bathroom has a shower cubicle, extremely clean with amenities such as soap, towels and a geyser.

Dining
The restaurant is beautiful too with rich woodwork all over the place. The furniture, ceiling, floor all stand in perfect harmony with the paintings, curtains, fireplace and cutlery exhibiting a colonial grandeur. Indian, Chinese and Kumaoni (on request) are some of the excellent cuisines that you might sample here.

Facilities
Apart from a huge table tennis table, you can engage yourself playing carom or badminton or sip delicious Uttaranchal tea in the beautiful alfresco seating area facing the valleys. But then again, who wants to be caged inside the hotel when visiting Kausani?

Location
The Sun n Snow is located on Bageshwar Road near the Anashakti Ashram raised in Gandhiji's memorial. The nearest railway station is at Kathgodam about 140 kms away, while the bus stand and the market is just a kilometer away.

CORBETT RIVER VIEW RETREAT

City: Corbett

Planning a trip to Corbett? Find a home away from home at the Corbett River View Retreat, a conglomeration of 2 and 3 bedroom cottages with a drawing room, dining room and a kitchen. With a paved pathway lined with pretty shrubs and young bamboo trees, the Corbett River View Retreat provides a homely retreat in the most beautiful surroundings.

Rooms
The cottages are a lavish modern establishment with beautiful interiors and user friendly facilities. Each bedroom in both the cottages ensures utter privacy, yet maintaining the joys of togetherness. All the bedrooms are complete with a master bed, satellite television, telephone, air conditioner, wardrobe, chairs and table and extra seating by the window. The walls are adorned with paintings of all sorts and full length mirrors. The attached bathrooms with every bedroom are compact and modern with moisturizer, soap, body gel and towels. The drawing room is pleasant with lots of cushions neatly arranged in an expanse of sofas and couches (big enough to accommodate a large group). An antique looking fireplace matched with a rocking chair and cane blinds add to the charm. The drawing room is an elevated space with sofas and designer chairs. The kitchen adjoining the dining room is modern too, with a refrigerator, gas stove, cabinets and utensils. If needed, the retreat also arranges for cooks at an added charge. Both the 2 Bedroom and 3 Bedroom cottages have all theses facilities, except the fact that the 2 bedroom cottage has 1 bedroom at the top floor and 1 on the ground floor, whereas the 3 Bedroom cottages have 2 bedrooms on the top floor and one at the ground. A small verandah stands prim with each cottage and the small lawn just adds to the homely atmosphere.

Dining
The hotel has the Gol Ghar Restaurant (for 40 people) somewhere in the centre of the property and serves Indian, Chinese, Continental and special South Indian cuisines. The room service throughout the hotel is rather a little too sharp, but I guess it makes up for the beautiful view inside the hotel. The hotel does not have a bar, but guests are free to get their on own alcohol for consumption.

Facilities
Like its rooms, the retreat lives up to its reputation when it comes to services. Apart from the daily housekeeping and laundry service, the retreat also offers car rental facilities, books railway tickets and organizes safari into the Corbett Tiger Forest Reserve at Dhikala, Bijrani and Jhirna at the rate of Rs. 502 per person. The retreat also organizes many river activities as well like river crossing, rappelling, trekking and paragliding in association with professional groups. Indoor games include a pool table, carom and volleyball.

Location
The Corbett River View Retreat is located on Garjia Road, some 11 kms away from Ramnagar, the nearest town. The railway station is also located here, about 11 kms away. The entrance to the forest in Bijrani is 7 kms away and Jhirna about 35 kms away.

The Naini Boat Club at Naini Lake