Stay at the Soulitude in Gagar, Uttarakhand

The 3-day blissful stay at the Grand Oak Manor (Read review: Stay at the Grand Oak Manor) had probably set the tone, or was it the distress over the fact that our holiday was coming to an end? Both, I think. And so, when we reached our hotel in Gagar, a boutique one at that, we were quite sure, we’d make the most of the remaining two days and two nights doing, NOTHING. The Manager told us that we could go for a couple of treks here and there, but no, we didn’t want to step out. We simply wanted to while away the remaining days, hours savouring the lovely place, loitering around the garden, parking ourselves here or there with a book or a chat, making a list of who all to meet and what all to buy while at the one-day stopover at Delhi on our way back to Mumbai.

Plus Soulitude gave us every reason to stay put – their’s is a boutique hotel from the word go! The entire house, the annexxe, the gardens have been done up extremely thoughtfully and stylishly. Not without reason do they call it Soulitude. For when here, you shun the outside world, and revel in the enclosure of the hills, the sun-washed decks that look out into the hills, the charming garden where every flower and every accessory is a discovery and a joy, where the endless cups of tea simply add to your sense of contentment, where you will find yourself claiming corners of the house and their inviting chairs be it with a book or, once again, a cup of chai or coffee.

On our first day at the Soulitude, we were the only guests. And so, upon our request, the Manager showed us every room, every suite. The detailing that has gone into making every room, be it the elegant upholstery or the pretty knick-knacks, or the scenic view from the rooms, simply bowled us over.  The little dining space, the big living room, and the study too were extremely delightful. Although they have a nice little bar corner too, they do not have license to operate it. Pity. For this is exactly that sort of a stylish place where you’d love a drink or two before dinner. The little library is reasonably well stacked, although, we simply floated around the house without doing much..neither read, nor wrote…

Food is reasonably good at the Soulitude. It’s mostly an Indian fare, or else, the regular pasta, chowmein when they have more guests. The evening we were alone, the chef tried impressing us with a couple of local fare such as their Mawa Malpua and a couple of Kumouni curries. Internet connectivity is reasonably good here. Your phone will connect to the network, plus there is wifi in every room.

Stay at Soulitude if you like style, quiet and beauty……..

For the complete Uttarakhand itinerary, where to stay, what to see and what to buy, read — An Uttarakhand Roadtrip This Summer