Mountain ruggedness meets natural splendour meets quirky décor and you have one of the cosiest non-hotel hotels ever! One look at the property and you will be taken – the grounds undulate to many levels, and have a barbecue hut, a stream with a rickety bridge, psychedelic flowers and dense, mountain greenery. Fruit trees abound and during season, you can pluck the fruits right off the trees! Spindly gravel pathways meander in and out of the wilderness and vines cover the concrete house.

Enter and you will be charmed. Rough white walls are lovingly draped with colourful cloths and cushions in every possible hue lie in abandon. Comfy couches compete with floor cushions for your attention and as you pad across the wooden floor your feet sink in colourful carpets. Folk artwork and funky lamps are scattered about. Attention to detail is everywhere whether it is the copper urns in the washrooms or the way pieces of wood have been used to create art. This is indeed a labour of love and it shows. The owner’s son, who is a professional chef, whips up world cuisine in the open kitchen. This resort is a slice of heaven.

USP: Complete mountain retreat.

Located a little off the state highway connecting Nainital and Bhimtal, Nighlaat lies at a distance of 15 km from both the towns and just 4.7 km from Bhowali. It lies approximately 325 kms away from Delhi and is easily accessible by road.

Air: The nearest airport is Pantnagar, 72 km away, but flights are not operational at present.

Rail: Nearest railhead is Kathgodam, 23 km away from where you can hire a taxi to reach Nighlaat.

Road: Take a bus to Nainital which is well connected by road with all important destinations, but remember to get off at Bhowali from where you can hire a taxi. Regular buses ply from Delhi (304 km) and Kathgodam. If driving from Delhi, please note that the drive takes about ten and a half hours so it’s advisable to leave at dawn. The route is via Noida, Hapur, Muradabad, Rudrapur, Haldwani and Kathgoadam, which is the last stopover in the ‘plains’. From Kathgodam, turn right to go to Nighlaat via Bhimtal. Go onwards to Bhowali and then take the highway towards Almora/Ranikhet.

Go for languid walks or challenging treks, lounge in the natural ponds the stream forms, enjoy your dinner beneath the stars at the barbecue area and gorge on world cuisine prepared with veggies grown in the resort’s greenhouse. Or simply sit beneath a tree and catch up with that book you’ve been planning to read for months. The Nighlaat village has two ponies as well but riding them is a strict no-no. As is littering the stream or fishing. The resort encourages eco tourism and practices what it preaches.