I watched the melting pools of butter dropped on my aloo ka parathas with wonder and fear. I couldn’t remember the last time I ate them for breakfast, let alone allowed myself to just eat without worrying about the calories. Or worrying about how I would workout enough to compensate for them.
Then again, I was on holiday for the first time since the worldwide pandemic locked us in our homes in March. The freedom of finally being outdoors, and living a little, set the tone for the trip. This one wasn’t for trying adventure sports, sampling fancy cuisine, squabbling over souvenirs or even visiting local tourist spots. This trip was about freedom — the freedom to get on a flight, the freedom to enjoy life without rules, without screens of all sizes shoved in our face. It was a trip like the kind we took in simpler times — to rest, rejuvenate and pamper ourselves when life got a little too hard. The trips I imagine our ancestors used to take before travel became a profession of its own.
It meant lazy morning walks around Camel’s Back road, un-showered, it meant breakfasting at 11am, it meant drinking more cups of tea with chocolate-filled biscuits than is permissible and many a languorous evening spent just watching the sun set over the Doon Valley. And heritage resort Padmini Nivas was the perfect place to do it.
Why I’ll return to Padmini Nivas… over and over…
Set in the heart of Mussoorie, overlooking the Doon Valley and surrounded by chestnut and cedar trees, the hotel is a mere 2-minute walk from Camels Back Road and Mall road, but when you’re inside, you’re transported to a quieter, gentler world.
Built back in the 1830s, the present owners bought it back in 1964 as a summer home, and it was turned into a hotel back in 1970. Set across four acres, the family-owned estate consists of levels of beautiful gardens, and apartments — the high-ceiling rooms, ornate fireplaces and vintage décor are straight out of the British Era.
If you leave your phone aside, you can almost imagine yourself back in the early 1900s, when Mussoorie was a quieter little getaway. The rooms are warm, and cosy — I stayed in one of the self-contained cottages that had a private balcony frequented by neighbourhood puppies, and monkeys. And for those who like their hot water as much as they do their old-school vibe, Padmini Nivas offers all the modern amenities that we need as much as we need oxygen ( i.e Wifi, 24/7 hot water and electric hot water bottles).
While I’m a sucker for all of Musoorie’s amazing eateries ( Kelsang’s for Tibetan food, Chic Chocolate for their milkshakes, Little Llama Café for pizza and dessert, Clocktower Café for their sticky toffee cake, Urban Turban, a new favourite for their amazing tandoori momos), the hotel’s in-house restaurant Suruchi has the best Gujarati food I have ever eaten. I may have overdone it with the dhoklas and parathas for breakfast, but I regret absolutely nothing. ((You can read our complete guide to Landour and the surrounding eateries in Mussoorie here.)
The property has a lovely little rose garden, a little garden overlooking the Doon valley, where they’re happy to set up bonfires for you on a cold night, and breakfast is best enjoyed under the winter sun, outdoors. There’s also a games room that will keep your little monsters occupied, if you’re travelling with kids. The staff is friendly and hospitable, and will help you plan your days based on what your preferences are — whether it’s all about exploring the restaurants and cafes, going on long nature-walks, or exploring the area’s tourist spots.
Our getaway at the family-run hotel gave us exactly what we were yearning for all these months — a time travelling portal, that just for a few days, took us from a pandemic-stricken, digital world into a softer, kinder, greener world that urges you to slow down, and live a little.