Review: A refreshing coffee experience at Desert Rain in Leh

How many coffee bars do you know of where you are invited to sit around, read books kept on the shelves, even sleep off if you want to and not be obliged to even order anything? Can’t think of any, other than Desert Rain in Leh town serving the best coffee in the whole of the Ladakh in the Indian Himalayas.

Set up by the Moravian Church in Leh, according to the café’s manager Gogi Singh, Desert Rain was designed as a place for students to hang out and read books – and order some coffee and snacks but only if they wished to. The idea was mooted by an American lady who also donated the coffee machine – serving coffee freshly brewed using Arabica beans. It was the only place in the whole of Ladakh where I managed to get coffee other than made by mixing instant Nescafe powder in water and milk. For the coffee lover, this was Nirvana. Read more

Review: Whispering Willows Hotel at Shey, Leh, Ladakh

When my travel consultant booked me at Hotel Whispering Willows for my stay in Leh (located in Ladakh in the Indian Himalayan state of Jammu and Kashmir), I was a bit disappointed initially. It was located in the village of Shey, the ancient capital of Ladakh before it was shifted to Leh, 15 kilometers before Leh when driving from Delhi. I would rather have stayed downtown than drive up and down all the time.

But I sure am glad I went by the suggestion offered. Not only did I stay at one of the best properties in Leh, but it was located away from the noisy and fume-laden downtown, offered splendid views and was actually closer to most of the attractions I eventually visited. Read more

Review: Abbott Mount Cottage, Uttarakhand

If the idea of a surprise visitor in the form of a giant spider under the quilt covers does not bother you, plan a trip to Abbott Mount and stay in Abbott Mount cottage. It is nearly as perfect a get-away as you can imagine, and your experience of staying in this cottage will only leave you desiring for more (not spiders!!) when it is time to head back. Continue reading the review

Review: Wayfarer Mountain Resort, Munsiyari, Uttrakhand

As far as first impressions go, the Wayfarer Resort in Munsiyari in the Himalayan state of Uttrakhand (Uttranchal) flatters – but it does end up deceiving you a bit on the service front. What works for it is its setting: its perfect. The view of the Panchachuli peaks and surrounding mountain ranges leaves you with no option but to keep looking at them for hours on end as long as the cloud cover allows you to. Read on if you are planning a trip to Munsiyari

Hotel Review: Kunga Guest House in Mcleodganj

If you are looking to stay in a warm, friendly family run place, the Kunga Guest House located in the Himalayan town of Mcleodganj (where the Dalai Lama runs the Tibetan Government in exile) may be tough to beat. Especially after Hollywood stars too have endorsed it. Continue reading for the review

Hotel Review: BirdHouse in Dehradun

The Easter weekend (March 21-24) of 2008 saw me staying at a small family owned property in Dehradun, the capital of the Himalayan state of Uttrakhand. The city itself located in a valley, it turned out to be an ideal getaway for a spring weekend at what turned out to be an good choice of accommodation.

To view images of the Birdhouse on Flickr, click here. This will also enable you to better visualize what is given below:

Here is a review of the Birdhouse. Like every review, there can never be a consensus amongst all those in a position to do so. Here is my take:

Overall Kunzum Rating: **** (out of a max 5 stars) Read more

Hotel: Banjara Retreat at Sojha, Kulu Valley

When you have organizations like Banjara Camps and Retreats to give you a choice of options to stay at, you can forget everything else and just think of the comforts and fun awaiting you.

More on this review coming up…