What can I tell you about an enchanting fairytale house in the mountains? Located just 9 kilometers before Chail in Himachal Pradesh, this pretty home has been made with so much love and attention has been paid to the smallest details which is what makes it perfect. I fell in love with the place.
The entrance to the house
Let me take you on a walking tour of the house. You’ll enter through a winding wooden walkway that leads to the main door of the house. Step inside and there’s a plush living room on the right and a dining table, tea counter, another eating area and the kitchen on the left. The living room has a fireplace and comfy couches and a sit-out area that leads to the lovely garden.
The sitting area outside the kitchen
They grow their own veggies and herbs. I spent an evening plucking strawberries from here which was too much fun. Ekam let’s you connect with nature along with being luxurious at the same time. The wooden staircase leading to the rooms on the first floor has beautiful stone walls and you land up in yet another living area.
A cosy reading corner
What stands out here is the bookshelf and the reading lamp. The rooms are designed and named according to colours – red, grey, green and the attic room.
The Grey Room
I was in the grey room and loved the four-poster bed and also the massive bathroom with a chair. The red room has the biggest balcony in the house and the green room has a lovely attic where kids can sleep.
The balcony outside the Red Room
What I loved about each room was there was a sky light letting natural light filter in. Each one also has a balcony so you can sit out in the mornings and sip your tea.
The attic in the Green room
It may be surprising but the food at Ekam is purely vegetarian. Sumeet is a staunch believer in health food and what you get here is pure and fresh. There are 400 fruit trees he’s planted and there is a vegetable garden with fresh herbs growing. So be assured that only good and wholesome food will come your way.
The food is delicious
What I loved was the Burmese Khaw Suey and I was surprised to find that they offer it. The pizzas are from the wood-fire oven and instead of the usual tomato base they have a paste of coriander that they slather on the pizza. Even the pancakes are made from ragi flour. Try the local food when you go here. For me the best meal was the simple dal chawal with a local vegetable.
Details
Address: Vill Dunti, Kandaghat-Chail Road
Contact: Sumeet Singal 76768798798
Cost: Rs. 10,000 per night including all meals
Website: http://ekamchail.com
