A Boutique Homestay in Almora | The Himalayan Bungalow by BluSalz

In all honesty, boutique hotels and homestays have my heart because of all the heart that goes in the making of it. And I am so glad, The Himalayan Bungalow, the first design led boutique luxury homestay nestled in a quaint village near Almora, Uttarakhand overlooking Kasardevi, Syahidevi, Sitlakhet and the Himalayan range, did not disappoint.

The Himalayan Bungalow Homestay by BluSalz

Our stay for a night at The Himalayan Bungalow was arranged by Blu Salz and the moment we entered the property, we completely fell in love with the place!

Here’s why:

THE WARM WELCOME.

A hotel becomes a homestay because of the people who build it, nurture it, share their warmth and treat their guests as family. The Himalayan Bungalow by BluSalz offered us all this and so much more.

The first design-led boutique homestay in Almora

Mr. Kamal Kapoor (Uncle) greeted us warmly, from the moment we arrived and showed us around the place. It was hard to miss the twinkle in his eyes and the spunk in his voice as he pointed out the various features which he himself had meticulously crafted with a lot of thought and consideration.

Everything at THB is given personal attention to detail 

What truly amazed me was that the design of the building not only reflected attention to detail but also weaved in its fabric the roots - the local culture and the traditional ethnicity that makes the small town of Almora what it is.

Right at the entrance is the Sanskrit mantra from Skanda Purana --

कौशिकी शाल्मली मध्ये पुण्यः काषाय पर्वतः।

'तस्य पश्चिम भागे वै क्षेत्र विष्णो प्रतिष्ठितम्‌॥

Kamal uncle kindly translated the mantra for us which basically extolled the religious, historical and geographical importance of Almora since ancient times in a really interesting way.

THEMATIC ROOMS WITH AN AUTHENTIC KUMAONI EXPERIENCE.

This authentic Kumaoni experience in the exterior carried on the theme through its rooms: the two large suites Aipan and Rangavalli on the top floor with attics and the two rooms Himalaya and Sanskriti with gardens on the ground floor. Each of the suites came with their own quirks and charms lending them their unique character, all tastefully done in such a manner that they were low on clutter and big on style and elegance. Like the room ‘Aipan’ is dedicated to the traditional folk artform Aipan specifically made by women as a symbol of fortune and prosperity while 'Rangwali' celebrates the prominent traditional ethnic attire Rangwali Pichora which is worn by married women during their weddings.

'Aipan' suite dedicated to the folk art Aipan

'Rangwali' Suite - a tribute to the traditional ethnic attire worn by women.

Attic in the suites on the first floor - A nice place to star gaze (in bed)

Twinkling Almora town

We checked in our room ‘Himalaya’ on the ground floor which true to its name reflected the abode of the Gods by affording a gorgeous sweeping view of the Almora town and the Himalayan Range right outside our window, opposite to the bed.

Our spacious room 'Himalaya' with a king size bed comfy bed

Sweeping view of the Himalayas during sunrise

The room was high on cleanliness, and used a lot of natural elements like stone, cowdung and wood making it not only customer friendly but very much eco friendly as well.

The room had an incredibly comfortable king sized bed and owing to the cold, we were also provided with a bed warmer, something we really appreciated in such lower temperatures.

Ample dressing space in our room

The bathroom was spacious too and had ample of hot water but with an earnest request to conserve water and save the drying rivers.

All in all, the room was not only cozy but also quiet and serene, taking us very far away from the hustle and bustle making it the ideal home away from home.

FRESH, ORGANIC, FLAVORFUL, HOMELY FOOD.

Food was pure vegetarian, fresh, flavorful, wholesome and homely, served with much warmth and love.

Food that is farm to table

By the time we settled in our rooms, it was late evening and we were fast running into dinner time yet Kamal uncle along with his son Jai Kapoor insisted we have some hot tea and light snacks which really chased our fatigue away.

Dinner was green vegetable subzi, rich creamy kofta, rajma, basmati rice, salad and roti while morning breakfast was veg paratha, pohe, milk, tea and cornflakes.

A flavorful dinner which we relished with great delight!

Breakfast cnsisting of pohe and parathas.

All the items were served in good quantities and what really excited me was that all of it was organic and sourced locally - we relished everything with great delight!

GARDEN OF MEDITATION ON THE TERRACE.

Cleanse your mind and soul at the Garden of Meditation

One of the most unique hallmark of the homestay is the meditation zone on the terrace in the midst of sacred and tall deodhar trees. Kamal uncle told us how it was rare to see deodhar trees grow in this region, a tree which is very powerful to retain the meditative and healing vibe in nature. We sat there for a couple of minutes and I must say - I loved that feeling, it was truly incredible! 

BEST FEATURE OF THE HIMALAYAN BUNGALOW BY BLUSALZ:

Silence that can inspire the poet within you.

It's really tough to choose the best feature coz the features of the homestay are so many! And though I am tempted to say nothing really beats ‘The Gorgeous Himalayan Views’ but here’s a closer winner:

The proud and humble owners of THB - Kamal uncle and aunty.

It’s all the betokening warmth and the generosity shared, the friendly care and the generous welcome... the hospitality was hands down one of the best features of the homestay.

As a traveler, I have stayed in many places all over India, but there are some places which speak directly to your heart. Why? Because there is so much love put in its walls and floors such that you can sense each brick speaking a story… so that the whole place is a collection of stories, stories that carry dreams, dreams of something that goes beyond the ordinary money minting business, something that is deeper, something that transforms, so that it's no longer just another place to stay but rather a very special place carving a special room in your heart.

The Himalayan Bungalow in Almora by Blusalz is a homestay which is just that. And, it is so much more. I just hope this isn’t the last time I was at THB. If you’re a fan of great hospitality and unique boutique homestays in the midst of nature, this certainly is the place for you! 

HOW TO GET THERE?

Key in 'The Himalayan Bungalow' in Google Maps for the directions.

The postal address of the place is Podhar Road, Village Khatyari, Almora, Uttarakhand, India, 263601.

Here's a little pro tip: The Himalayan Bungalow is perched on a small slope off the narrow road leading to it. When you are about to reach your destination following the Google maps, watch out for the road that bifurcates and take the slope!

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Check out my complete Uttarakhand Yatra (Dhanachuli, Kasar Devi, Jageshwar Shiva Temple, Chitai Golu Devta Temple, Kasar Devi Temple, Katarmal Sun Temple, Almora, Jim Corbett) by clicking the link here:
My Uttarakhand Yatra Diary
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