By the Editor: Deepti Chandak
Gulmarg has been on my to do list for a long time and finally I made my way this September. This hill station is so beautiful doesn’t matter which season. This is one place that you can visit anytime during the year. While you are there, how can you not stay at the rare gem The Khyber Himalayan Resort & Spa. Located 8,825 feet above sea level in the Pir Panjal range of the Himalayas, this resort that captures the beauty of its pristine setting. With majestic views of the Affarwat Peaks, The Khyber Himalayan Resort & Spa is spread over 7 acres of a sylvan coniferous forest. A world away from the ordinary, this resort is a haven of luxury, designed to pamper you in every way - with plush interiors, fine cuisine and restorative treatments at The Khyber Spa by L’Occitaine. You can also ski on some of Asia’s finest slopes in winter, trek and picnic through unspoilt forests and flower bedecked meadows in spring or tee off on the world’s highest golf course. The world’s highest ski lift, the Gulmarg Gondola – which takes you to Kongdoori Mountain, is only a short walk away.
Clad in locally sourced pine and slate, the resort is built in a style true to the architectural heritage of Kashmir. In every way the indoors mirror the beauty of the outdoors. Speciality restaurants, a Calabash lounge, a well-appointed spa, a gymnasium for fitness enthusiast and a heated swimming pool are amongst the necessary luxuries in place.
The rooms are Luxurious spaces with floor to ceiling windows that offer panoramic vistas of snow capped mountains, beautifully landscaped gardens and forests covered with pine trees. State-of-the-art climate control makes you feel comfortable even on the coldest winter night. Built in walnut timber and decorated in traditional Kashmiri silk & wool carpet and hand-made furniture, the rooms exude luxury.
The food at the resort is really good where you can satisfy your appetite with cuisines from around the world from pasta, mezze or dim sum cravings, or be introduced to Wazwan, the plentiful feast of Kashmiri weddings, in an atmosphere that captures the grandeur of the mountains.
I can promise you this stay has been one of the most memorable experience of my life and I cannot wait to go back in Winters.