Windamere darjeeling

Darjeeling: Where would you go if you wanted a whiff of the old “Raj air”, where evenings are spent playing ageless tunes on the piano in front of a crackling fireplace, and where dinner is one big family affair? If you want to step back in time and live the Victorian life, there is no better place to be than the Windamere Hotel in Darjeeling. Situated on the Observatory Hill, the hotel overlooks the town’s main promenade and is surrounded by pine trees and white picket fences. The Windamere started as a cosy Victorian boarding house for English tea planters in 1889, and was transformed into a hotel in 1939. It has preserved its old-world charms resisting the march of modern standardisation which ensures that a hotel room in Dakar looks identical to another in Delhi. Ms Subhana Rai, manager of the hotel, says that it has maintained the British air “without its stiffness". And that is what draws guests from all over the world, year after year. The hotel has no room service, television, kiosks or central heating system. But it does have the clanking pull-chain toilets, hot water bottles, log fire in every room, a well-stocked library, the Daisy’s Music Room and the Bear Park Parlour. It isn’t surprising then, that most guests prefer to stay back in the evenings in the warm cosy ambience of the Parlour, flipping through the century-old photographs or just browsing through the memorabilia at ‘The Snuggery’ which houses the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Club. The service is an u...

There is a big confusion between High Tea and Afternoon Tea. They are not the same. High Tea is typically served in the evening around 6:30pm along with hot snacks. The afternoon tea as I mentioned is an old British tradition and is served in the afternoon. It is usually accompanied by finger sandwiches, cookies, Danish, scones etc. At the Windamere hotel, Afternoon Tea has been a long tradition for well over 50 years. It is served at the Ada Villa in the ground floor in a narrow passage area. These days they usually serve Castleton Tea of Goodricke tea estate or Makaibari Tea from Kurseong. The tea is usually accompanied by sandwiches, cakes, cones, homemade cookies etc. The place where the afternoon tea is served, you can see photographs of the old colonial days and that of the property during that time. There are signatures from special visitors to the property that includes King of Sweden, King of Thailand, Chogyal of Sikkim and more. You can spend hours as you read through the stories. There is an adjacent lounge known as the Daisy's Music Room where one can go and enjoy the tea and snacks. There are sofas with low wooden tables, a fireplace that keeps the room warm and a cabinet full of books that the guests can read. This is one way guests get to know each other over tea and feel at home while away from home. However, one of the other great places to enjoy the tea while soaking in the magnificent views of the mountains is at the open terrace area in front of Ada Vil...

Overview Home to Scottish tea planters during the 19th century, the Windamere Hotel is one of the best heritage hotels in Darjeeling. Synonymous with colonial heritage, luxury and class, this property is a much-favored choice of discerning travelers, be it for leisure or business. The hotel has well-furnished, well-equipped elegant villas, rooms and suites as accommodation. The views that one can enjoy are wonderful. The dining room is spacious. The chefs prepare lip-smacking dishes of Indian and Continental cuisines. The hotel also has a wellness center, a well-stocked library, and a boutique. The property was built in the 19 th century as boarding house for bachelor English and Scottish tea planters. Before the starting of the World War II, it was converted into a hotel. With its exquisite charm and wonderful ambiance, the hotel is the preferred stay option for discerning travelers from across the globe. The hotel also won an award for outstanding hotels in India during the first National Awards, in the category of Heritage Hotel of India. Ada Villa This wing is a reminder of the royal lifestyle of the past. It has the following options: • Ada Villa The cottages and suites at Ada Villa are from the colonial times. This part is on the Observatory Hill. 4 out of the 6 colonial suites come with a second bedroom. The names of the suites are after the people who stayed there. • Knebworth Placed within the main house in the Ada Villa, the beautiful Knebworth features twin/doub...

Location within India General information Location 27°02′45″N 88°16′04″E / 27.04583°N 88.26778°E / 27.04583; 88.26778 Opening 1841 Other information Number of rooms 46 Rooms Website Windamere Hotel, built as 'Ada Villa' in 1841 and then turned into a boarding house for tea planters and other Raj types, on contract, in the late 1880s. In 1939, it became 'Windamere Hotel', a colonial hotel situated on History [ ] The hotel started out as boarding house for bachelor In 1959, The hotel is also known for its views of the tea plantations below and of Mount [ citation needed] References [ ]

We started off as 'Ada Villa' – the oldest and most traditional English Boarding House of its kind in the region. The "lady of the house" looked after all of the needs of Raj types coming up from what was called 'Calcutta' in those days. Kings, Queens, Aristocrats, top Raj diplomats and lastly, Tea Planters, all stayed here and were waited on hand and foot. In 1939, a group of local businessmen decided to acquire Ada Villa and turn it into a Private Limited Company hotel. One of the shareholders was a Mrs. Gertrude Bearpark, who hailed from Windermere in the NW region of England, called 'The Lake District'. There was a Windermere Hotel there, set in Windermere Village, by Lake Windermere. Her associates loved the name, but she protested that using it would make it all very complicated, so refused to go along. Then, the "er" was taken out of "Windermere" and was replaced by an "a". Windamere Hotel was born! Even until today, the way we run our hotel is very similar to the old English Boarding House days – our guests are really our friends - just staying for a few days. Individual care and attention is prevalent at our hotel. We have never renovated, but most definitely have updated and restored the place. We bought 'The Snuggery' in 1958. It was right next door to us and previously owned by HH The Maharajah of Cooch Behar. The only old building is the bungalow, which was also built in 1841. Finally, Windamere sits on what is a very holy hill, going right back to the days wh...