There are a lot of hotels which are very good but very few which end up leaving a lasting impression after we’ve left. Soulitude was one of the latter. As a hotel it does not boast of 5 star amenities, or of long lost heritage mid 17th century palaces. It is simply what its name suggests, a place to get some solitude for your soul.
Soulitude by the Riverside
The best part about the property is not on the premises. It is their sister property a short drive away, Soulitude by the riverside. It doubles up as a day-long activity or an interesting extension to the trip should you feel like enjoying two distinctly different experiences. Though they are both quite near to each other, The Himalayas property is on a mountain while the riverside property, as the name suggests in in a valley by the riverside. Though both are relatively cooler than the plains even in peak summer, the riverside property does get a little warm during the afternoon. The property itself offers a few getaways of its own including one to a mysterious lake called “pari tal” (fairy lake) which is a short hike away. However the most unique bit about the property is that it takes a bit of walking to get to it. You cross a bridge, a river and several small trails through the valley to arrive at the property. The hike is a bit longer for aged people and infants but quite doable for most fit adults (and even unfit ones like us) and even moderately grownup kids. The mountains all around you and the gurgling of the river together with the chirping of invisible birds makes for a lovely walk. Thankfully, there is a porter who takes your luggage to the property otherwise it would not have been such a pleasant task as described.
The riverside property is bigger than its sister property and provides a whole range of things to do on the premises. It has a natural swimming pool – basically a lake with clear water where you can wade, a small vegetable garden, plenty of sit outs facing a whole range of views, mountains, lakes and rivers to name a few. It also has two different restaurants, one in the open and other closed. However going by the weather, the open restaurant would be a good option only in the winters when the temperatures are lower. The rooms at this property were tasteful as well, but had a kind of rustic feel to them, a sharp contrast to the other property where it was chic and homely. Not to say either was good or bad, it was just different.
The food was very similar to what we had at our hotel as well but we found the riverside food to be just a bit more spicy and oily than we would have liked. As we had only one meal there, we would not like to dwell on it as it might have been so because of a number of reasons including the choice of menu items. The indoor restaurant had a nice dhaba feel to it but was also a little cramped. We didn’t mind it much because it was empty when we had our food but at full capacity especially with families having kids in tow, we could see it getting a bit uncomfortable.
The main highlight of the property, the crowning jewel is the lovely glass house they’ve built bang in the middle of the property, next to their restaurant and overlooking the river. It doubles up as a lounge and library with tasteful décor and though we hate the overused word, very insta worthy. With high ceiling and glass panes all around, it gives the feeling of being very large, open and airy without necessarily being so. Also we found it a little cooler as well and needless to say, we found ourselves spending a bulk of our free time in that lovely room. Don’t judge us for that, we’re sure, you will too.
Soulitude vs Soulitude: Winner = You the Guest!
Both the properties have something different to offer to their guests but it depends a lot on the type of companions you have and the type of holiday you want. Both offer peace and quiet but the riverside property is literally in the middle of nowhere while the Himalayan property is built touching the main road. We didn’t stay long enough at the property to experience it fully but we feel it would be quite hot for people wishing to escape the heat. It might be the reverse in the winters where the Himalayan property could be unbearably cold and snowed under while the riverside property would be bearably cold.
We quite liked both the properties but if we had to choose one it would be Soulitude in the Himalayas. The rooms were more to our taste, the food a little bit better, the weather more to our liking and even though it was right next to the main road, it was peaceful enough. What can we say, we’ve got a soft corner for the mountains. We would definitely like to visit again, probably in the winters. The valley views were stunning and we even got to see the snowy peaks on a clear morning in summers but we have a hunch that the winter snowy landscape would literally be out of this world.
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