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Away from the maddening crowds of Himachal hill stations, amidst lush natural beauty lies Meena Bagh Ratnari, an ‘Apple Orchard House’. 85 kilometres away from Shimla, this eco-friendly and sustainable bungalow truly is a perfect blend of traditional design and modern luxuries.
Imagine this: waking up with a stunning view of the hills on one side and apple trees on the other, as the sun’s rays make you warm and toasty through a skylight in the ‘Sun Room’. The owner of this property, photographer Sanjay Austa, has really maintained the old Pahari-style elements and aesthetics of the home, adding newer components to make it an all-encompassing experience.
With two spacious bedrooms (with attached bathrooms) and large lounging and living areas, this house is the perfect place for big family get-togethers, friend reunions or just a quiet getaway from the hustle and bustle of city life that’ll really get your creative juices flowing. If you’re there during harvest season, you may even get to go apple-picking!
This really is the place for some peace and quiet, surrounding yourself with nature. Additionally, Sanjay states that they offer up to a 50 per cent discount to writers, artists, journalists and people associated with conservation activities, and is queer-friendly. Need more? You get preference if you’re travelling with your pets!
The house is solar powered, other than those rainy days and is run by harvested rain water. The interior furnishings are almost entirely made from reclaimed ‘waste’ wood.
It may be a bit heavy on the wallet at INR 15,500 a night, but you do get a beautiful space (indoors and outdoors), a fireplace, hot tub, wifi and even a telescope on-site for those starry, starry nights, among various other amenities. This also includes three delicious meals by the caretaker Mr Deshraj whose food has gotten rave reviews.
Words don’t really do justice to Meena Bagh Ratnari, so we’ll let you make up your own mind. After seeing these pictures, it’ll be hard to disagree with us.
(Kindly Note: The tariff quoted is subject to change depending on seasons and days of the week.)
All images courtesy of Sanjay Austa via Airbnb.
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