Shimla is a very popular hill station in India and earlier this month, I was lucky enough to visit it amidst
snowfall. Even though it offers beautiful views of snow-capped Himalayan peaks, it is overrun with tourists and I'm glad I discovered the real gem - an amazing property known as Royal Tulip Kufri which is just 16 kms away from the hustle bustle of Shimla.
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| We reached Shimla and Kufri on a heavily snow laden day |
We took the toy train from Kalka station to Shimla from where the hotel sent taxis for us to be picked up. In spite of roads blocked due to heavy snowfall, the hotel went out of its way to ensure that me and my family reached the property safely. We were greeted by the management with a warm welcome and a much needed warm drink.
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| Sitting pretty in the hotel lobby |
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| Snow everywhere outside! |
The hotel's wooden interiors are beautifully done up with stunning views of the snow clad Himalayas spread over vast expanses of Cedar forests. Whether it's their restaurant, bar, coffee shop or spa, every area offers a spectacular sight of the mountains and valley outside.
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| Enjoying a cup of coffee from the in-house coffee shop |
I stayed in the presidential suite which is a plush suite consisting of two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a humongous hall and dining area along with a massive balcony which connects the hall and master bedroom.
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| The living room area of the suite |
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| Couldn't get enough of the view from my balcony |
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| Cheers! |
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| What a beautiful place! |
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| The master bedroom |
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| The second bedroom |
As it was snowing quite a bit, my family and I spent our first day in the hotel and were delighted to discover that there's much to do indoors even if the weather doesn't permit you to go out.
To start with food, their all day dining restaurant, Cafe Promenade, offers an array of delectable Indian, Continental and Oriental delicacies with the highlights being Himanchali food which I had never eaten before and absolute loved!
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| Winter wonderland while we dined! |
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| The chef and his team whipped up mouthwatering Himanchali dishes for us |
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| The desserts looked as good as they tasted |
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| Dinner with my mom and aunts at Promenade |
I spent my evening their their luxurious spa on the top floor which offers a breathtaking view of snow clad mountains while I got a very relaxing massage by their well trained masseuse.
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| A spa in the Himalayas |
They also have a well stocked reading room with the same view where my dad enjoyed his afternoon over their thoughtful selection of books that would appeal to every reader.
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| The library boasts of a great selection of books |
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| What a lovely place to sit and read! |
Later in the evening, my mom and aunts spent their time unwinding at their bar - Cedar, which is perfect for a get together with friends over drinks.
For those of you with young children, they have a games center for kids that make it a perfect family holiday destination as there's something for everyone. The property also has a spacious banquet venue which is ideal for destination weddings and corporate events. As it had snowed quite a bit, their rooftop restaurant and heated indoor swimming pool were closed for maintenance but they looked amazing.
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| Mom and me outside their rooftop restaurant called Peaks |
Thankfully for us, our second day in Kufri was a sunny one, and the hotel arranged horses for us to visit all tourist spots behind the hotel and we spent our second day out in the snow enjoying the beauty of the cedar forests and nature.
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| Horse taxi! |
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| The view from the top floor of the hotel |
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| Cutest yak ever! |
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| Eeek I want this fluffy bunny! |
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| My mom is super fond of snow and became a total child once we went outdoors! |
A special thanks to the GM Mr Arvind and his attentive and caring team Anoop, Trilochan, Abhishek, Ishan and Pooja who ensured that we had a fantastic stay there. Overall, I absolutely loved my stay at Royal Tulip Kufri and feel it's the perfect destination hotel for leisure travelers and family holidays. If you're planning a hilly getaway in India, I totally recommend this beautiful place over the hustle bustle of Shimla which is overcrowded with tourists.
