Rosewood Dhanachuli Retreat: Luxury In The Himalayas

Rosewood Dhanachuli Retreat, located in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, has been rightly labelled as a home away from home as it is exactly that… and a lot more!

After a 1.5 hour ride from Lal Kuan railway station, we arrived in a tiny village of Dhanachuli, located at an elevation of 8,000 feet above sea level, just a few kilometres away from Mukteshwar.

Rosewood Dhanachuli Retreat is positioned amid verdant vistas of the majestic Himalayas and a series of terraced mountain slopes, and just 26 kms. from Bhimtal.

After a tiring train journey from Mumbai, I was super excited to reach the hotel and plonk myself in my new home away from home.

Rosewood Dhanachuli Retreat – First Impressions.

First things first – our hands and luggage were properly sanitized by the staff members immediately on arrival which made us feel safe with Rosewood as we were travelling in times of the COVID-19 pandemic.

After sanitization, before going into my room, I turned around to see the view behind and what I saw left me spellbound. The soaring Himalayan peaks were clearly visible in the distance. This was my first sighting of the snow clad ranges in almost 8 years. I breathed deep into my lungs as I gaped in awe at the beauty. As it turned out, the peaks were to then go into hiding behind the foggy curtains for the next two days we stayed there.

But that did not for once take the charm away from the place – Rosewood Dahanchuli retreat surely offered many other reasons which made us fall in love with the place.

From the moment we arrived, we felt a surreal peace putting at rest the buzzing of the city life far behind us.

Set amidst a landscape of stunning Himalayan peaks, deep valleys, coniferous trees and terraced mountains, what struck almost instantly was the connect we felt to this luxurious Himalayan hideaway even as we settled in.

Rosewood Dhanachuli Retreat is one of the finest properties under Rosewood Apartment Hotels, North India’s first organised Serviced Apartment Hotel Chain. Staying at this Retreat was a fabulous way to kickstart our journey in the mountains and it raised our barometer of anticipation and excitement to a new level altogether.

Let me explain all the reasons in detail!

OUR ROOM AT ROSEWOOD DHANACHULI RETREAT.

Our room was comfortable, clean, contemporary and neatly designed, not unnecessarily fancy, but aesthetic with a touch of wood in a Kumaoni fashion, and loaded with all the amenities within the room.

Hot water kettle, milk, tea and coffee sachets, heater and an extra one on request (a real blessing!), and carefully made eco friendly handmade soaps and toiletries were among the facilities provided in the room.

The ambiance and style was one of a kind and the way it was built – one could see how the room had knit together the location, culture, history and geography of the location in the basic framework of the hotel.

The grounds of the hotel are spacious and well maintained with an unadulterated view of the Himalayas – imagine opening your eyes to an undisturbed mountainous stretch with sunshine gently kissing the sleepy sky and lighting up the snow clad peaks first thing in the morning!

The gift of the morning for those who dare to wake up early in temperatures hovering around 0 degree Celsius - A magical sunrise that arouses the heart and dazzles the eye.

Our room came with a deck where we made the most of the dramatic views while having our morning breakfast, chatting up with the kind property manager, soaking up some afternoon sun for some much needed heat and warmth or just doing nothing!

BREAKFAST / LUNCH AND DINNER AT ROSEWOOD DHANACHULI RETREAT.

The menu at Rosewood Dhanachuli Retreat included a variety of seasonal veggies and pahari cuisine which had us spoilt for choices. We were offered a lavish spread for breakfast including Poha, Vermicelli Upma, Sandwiches and Pararthas along with hot tea and coffee.

There was an array of choices for the main course as well but what we most delighted in was the pahari cuisine – The Chef’s authentic Kumaoni bhatt ki chukarni dal and rice which looks like black beans curry. It was lip-smackingly tasty – we learnt from the Chef that the curry is cooked in onions, garlic gravy with wheat flour added in along with a host of other local spices which lends the dish its unique flavour. We absolutely loved it and had it for most of the days we were there.

The restaurant juts out over the valley with transparent windows to make the most of the views with homelike food.

The best part about the food at Rosewood Dhanachuli was its simplicity and focus on hygiene which is how people like to keep it in the hilly region – I couldn’t say if the meal was prepared and served at a hotel or at home.

ARE YOU ON A VACATION OR A WORKATION?

Rosewood Dhanachuli Retreat is designed by keeping the modern day traveller in mind and caters to the traveller who seeks peace while also working on their laptops on the go.

It has all the comforts of a new age home like internet access with a super hospitable staff on their toes and an ambiance that comes with unparalleled pristine beauty.

Owing to some maintenance work going on with the Wifi internet access, our access to the internet was a bit weak on the first day.

It was good in a way, since it helped me defocus from my cellphone and savour to my hearts content the mountain views which I had craved for so long.

The connectivity improved in the following days which really helped since hubby was working on vacation and a good wifi made it possible for him to send forth his emails and communicate with his clients. And me to upload some stories on my feed and share them with my followers.

The hotel has ample of spaces where you can set your table up and double it up as a workspace. It has all the conveniences which blend work and play in a perfect balance for the tech savvy traveller.

REAL LUXURY IN THE LAP OF THE HIMALAYS AT ROSEWOOD DHANACHULI RETREAT.

Time stops still once you fix your gaze at the towering peaks visible from almost everywhere at Rosewood Retreat in Dhanachuli. Wandering peacefully on the deck, as I woke up first thing in the morning, unhurried, unworried to complete the next task on hand, the joy of doing nothing, just being, with the cacophony of birds to take delight in, with the warmth of the sunrise to bask in, was a real luxury worth cherishing indeed.

Summary about Rosewood Dhanachuli Retreat.

• Stunning views of the Himalayan peaks and you may even see snow fall in the winter months (of course, if nature is in the mood!)

• Staff is extremely helpful, thoughtful and service is always with a smile.

• Lot of open spaces and good internet access to double up your vacation as a workation and work from the mountains.

• Incredibly peaceful that you can hear the birds sing in the morning. 

• Food is homelike – simply AWESOME!

INTERESTED IN BOOKING A STAY WITH ROSEWOOD DHANACHULI RETREAT?

Website: Rosewood Dhanachuli Retreat

Email:  gmggn@rosewoodhospitality.com / dhanachuli@rosewoodhospitality.com

Phone Number: +91-95998 89934.

Note* Our 2 night stay at Rosewood Dhanachuli Retreat was sponsored, but everything I mention in this article is based on my personal experience voicing my own thoughts and opinions. Some of the pictures are sourced from their official website.

If you’re planning to visit the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, be sure to check out my upcoming blog posts for lots more useful information (coming soon).