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More often than not, when we feel we need a getaway from our daily lives, it is best to escape to a place that is in no way connected to home. The refreshing feel of a new place, people, and food does much more for us than the confines of a luxury hotel in the city.
If you are the kind that looks to reconnect with nature, heritage, and history during your time off, a great holiday accommodation option is colonial homestays. With a homely yet vacation-like feel in these establishments, holidays and trips feel more grounded. The vast history attached to each one of these is a special bonus.
In Bhimtal near Nainital, there exists a quaint colonial homestay, The Retreat. What once was a tea estate is a wonderfully maintained home from colonial times. Its story is as interesting as any other historical tale –– the estate once belonged to Colonel Bertram Owen Jones, which was later bought by Frederick Smetacek Sr, Major General Madan Shamsher Jung Bahadur Rana, and the Rani of Balrampur. During the Second World War, Smetacek sailed to India and established himself as a businessman in Calcutta. There, he met his wife Shaheda Ahad. In 1951, they moved to the Jones Estate and set up The Retreat, originally meant for diplomats.
The home’s cosy and warm charm remains as it is to date. With no extravagance on offer, The Retreat is as tranquil as one could wish for. Its colonial nuances shine through, almost as if they want to narrate The Retreat’s tale themselves. The home is traditional in all its sense and Bhimtal makes for the perfect setting. A cup of tea or coffee at this homestay sounds nothing but blissful, and even their food (both, Indian and Continental) carries flavours of tradition and heritage.
The Retreat gives you an opportunity to be at peace, more than anything else. Its regal feel when met with its family values allows for the experience to be richer, more immersive, and far more fulfilling.
Find The Retreat here.
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