If you like travelling, it’s unlikely that you have not, at least once, dreamt of building a house in the hills. From Ruskin Bond’s stories to the quaint scenic photographs of sleepy towns, the idea of a middle-of-nowhere hill house, complete with a sloped roof and smoke billowing from the chimney, has not lost even one bit of the romanticism that it carried.
A slightly lesser-known place in the Kumaon hills of Uttarakhand, Gethia gets you partially close to
this dream.From Delhi, it takes about six hours to reach Gethia, which is 30 minutes away from the tourist hub of Nainital. The hamlet houses a solitary luxury homestay called The Blue Book. The residence has 12 rooms and suites, each with a varying finish of wood and brass knuckles and fittings. Said to be nearly 140 years old,the colonial bungalow was built by Madame Durell,a European lady who had set up a local infirmary for the diseased, but fell in love with the place and decided to stay back.
Under the ownership of a young and first-time hotelier, Shrey Gupta, who took charge at age 24, the estate was leased and opened its doors in August 2022. The place has attempted to retain the vibe and charm of the era gone by in the ‘old wing’, which houses eight ‘chapters’, or rooms. Adorned with vibrant upholstery that reminds one of English cottages with its floral patterns, antique mantelpieces and the plush button-back velvet armchairs in jewel tones that welcome you to sink in with a book, each room offers a captivating and immersive experience.
The floor, staircases and library seem straight out of a weathered, sepia-toned photo album. The neat front yard has a fountain, while the backyard stretches back to a cliff that the place has named, Land’s End. They recommend it for a romantic dinner, nestled under a canopy of a grand old tree and the stars.A quick 10-minute drive down to the nearby town of Jeolikote will give you access to a rocky bed by the stream, which is just the perfect spot for a cosy picnic, or perhaps an evening of poetic epiphany.
The property now has a ‘new wing’, too. It houses four rooms, and looks akin to Santorini, thanks to its colour schemes. Right behind, there’s a field for you to stretch out for a leisurely breakfast. The owners are even prepping to grow their own vegetable patch, from where the staff would eventually encourage you to forage and pick your own produce, which would then be cooked for you by their team of chefs specialising in Indian, pan-Asian, Continental and Kumaoni cuisine. One of the chefs is a former village halwai,
who prepares local dishes.
Every meal is a culinary delight, especially the Kumaoni delicacies like lai ki subzi (wild mustard curry), bhatt ki dal (black soybean lentils), pahadi mutton (mountain-style mutton), and bhaang ki chutney (hemp seed chutney). The on-site bakery completes the experience with freshly made bread and irresistible desserts that will leave you craving for more. All three meals are served at different picturesque settings, from the cosy dining room to a canopied gazebo with a bonfire to Majnu ka Tila with a beautiful view.
The Blue Book offers a recommendable destination to savour the joys of a laidback holiday. The property, incidentally, is the true takeaway from Gethia.