The Kumaon Retreat

The staff was cordial and the cleanliness was good, I had to ask for toiletries and they provided a Shampoo sachet whereas the stay was booked for 2 adults+2 children. The location is peaceful but it needs guts to reach the place as it is a steep incline and requires a tiring walk of around 1 KM. It is a one way road between 6 am - 8 pm so you have to take a 3-4 km route to reach the hotel by taxi. (makes it a little costly if you are willing to go out multiple times a day). The best part is that they can accommodate 4-5 cars at their parking lot, which saves you a lot of burden of parking your own car, I left my car at parking and used a taxi to ferry the places.

The view from the room was good especially the sunrise. Although don't expect to see the lake. You can't. It's just mountain view.

The room was very small. No heater provided and the temperature was like 1 degree. You have to pay Rs 200 to get one hreater. I don't know if this was per day as we stayed just one night. The walls are flimsy. We could hear the boys banging pots and singing next to our room, the telephone ringing in the reception. At 3 am we were woken up by monkeys running and scrapping on the roof. This went on until 4.30ish. Also food was really passable. Poha at breakfast was good. But dinner we ordered for khichdi and I specifically requested for watery khichdi as my husband had an upset stomach. We got green moong khichdi which was spicy and the rice was a bit kacha. The hotel is high up in the mountains. So If you are holidaying and want to be on the mall road....its a way down narrow roads and you will need a cab. Book only if you are on a budget and not staying long.

Host and staff are really cordial and polite. Rooms are also well maintained with top notch cleanliness. View from balcony is also good.

Other than missing out on lake view, there is hardly anything which comes under cons for this hotel.

I had a wonderful stay! Easy access to Mall Road and the mix of trekking along with a cozy, home-like dining experience . I was thoroughly impressed with the owner, Nikhil. He provides excellent advices, personally invests and adjusts the itinerary to ensure you get the best value for your money.

A faster WiFi connection would definitely make it even more enjoyable.

The owner is quite helpful with the assisting you regarding itinerary but there are issues of accessibility as well as facilities....

The bathrooms were not clean, the family room that we had booked was big but not well kept. Travelling to and fro to the city will cost you minimum of 500/- and may cause inconvenience if you are coming back late. Overall it is overpriced for the amenities provided. There are more centrally located properties in the town for the same price.