The Brunton Boatyard Hotel is our attempt to distill an aspect of this heritage. And to bring colonial Cochin alive for the contemporary traveler.
For what is essentially a small and intimate city resort hotel, The Brunton Boatyard possesses a remarkable sense of scale, evident from the moment you turn into the tiled forecourt
. The lobby is a vault of sunlight and air, framed by arches and overhung with punkahs - enormous, old-fashioned fans of Indo-Portuguese origin.
Your bags have been whisked away to your room, but why not take a turn around the corridors before you go? A rich, and colourful history marks this spot, once the century old boatyard of Geo. Brunton and Sons. On this site we have recreated the splendour of the city's illustrious past, using the materials of fin de sieclé Cochin - lime, terracotta, wood and tile.
A short saunter down the corridor brings you to a little doorway. Pass through and, the whole vista of Cochin harbour opens up beyond the pool's inviting waters. This is the spot to read a boring historical novel, work on your tan and watch the ships sail by - so close you can almost reach out and touch them! Crane your neck a bit and you can spot a serried rank of Cochin's famed fishing nets. They first made their appearance in 1350 a.d. and their much-photographed preying mantis shapes form one of the city's most enduring images.
Also near the pool is the hotel's jetty, and a word at the reception gets you a variety of cruising options to choose from. The heritage of Cochin is most evident around its enormous harbour, and this is a not-to-be-missed experience.
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Sukhdham traces its history back to the 19 th century. After the killing of the British political agent and his colleagues in the 1857 mutiny, Sukhdham was built as a safe haven for the Agency Surgeon in circa 1870.
Sukhdham is family run and prides itself on personal service and high standards at reasonable rates. It has all the facilities of a modern hotel.
The large airy rooms with exquisitely carved stone balconies and open terraces make your stay in Sukhdham very special. All the 15 rooms have their own unique style and ambience.The dining hall has a nice ambience and the bay windows give a wonderful view of the mango orchard. The high ceilings and arches are reminiscent of the Victorian era.
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Mandawa, Shekhawati, a region of Rajasthan, lies in a triangle between Jaipur, Bikaner & Delhi. With the exception of the rocked Aravali range that shows its jagged face here and there the country side is flat and almost monochromatic.
Traditionally this was the strong hold of Rao Shekhaji, who founded a dynasty here and gave it his name. Mandawa, a remote feudal principality in the centre of the Shekhawati region, was a trading outpost for the ancient caravan routes that stopped here from China and the Middle East. The Rajput ruler of Mandawa, Thakur Nawal Singh, built a fort in 1755 to protect this outpost. The township that grew around the fort soon attracted a large community of traders, who settled here. When the caravan traffic ceased in the late 18th century, the traders created business empires in other parts of the country, but returned to Mandawa to build palatial mansions in their home town.Like many historic homes, Castle Mandawa is a curious mixture of the old and the new. Medieval turreted towers, palanquin-roofed balconies, blend with modern comforts in old-world rooms. Family portraits, antique cannons and arms add to the charm, of this family-run resort where tradition still runs strong. Even time is measured by a different clock …a huge brass gong struck by the resident timekeepers at the fort every hour !
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Emily Lodge was built in the year 1889 when Nainital was established as a summer retreat by the British. It is one of the oldest houses still standing in Nainital, built on the safe land-slide free side of Nainital amidst beautiful Oak forests.Emily was the daughter of Dr. Stevens, one of Jim Corbett's closet friends and shooting partner, being hunters of only man-eating tigers and leopards they were very careful not to shoot in the vicinity of their homes. As a result, the forest around Emily Lodge abound in wild life, rare Himalayan birds such as the great Himalayan barbet, the red billed blue magpie, black capped sibia, the kaleej pheasant and the peora partridge, the elusive barking deer, leopards and the ghurrel (mountain goat) can be spotted.
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British, Major Swetenham, built the Cloud End Bungalow at Mussoorie in 1838 for his beautiful mountain bride. Her father, a local Zamindar, had gifted the estate to him as dowry.
The story goes that Swetenham, during a walk in the mountains heard the most melodious singing and followed the voice till he came upon the singer, a beautiful mountain girl. Frightened, the girl sped home, followed by the smitten Major. Swetenham took the father's permission to marry the girl, and received the Estate as dowry. He selected a hill near Moolti Tibba to build his house, one of the first in Mussoorie, which was completed in the spring and summer of 1838 by 500 labourers. Four generations of the Swetenhams went on to live here.
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The present owners have converted Cloud End into a unique holiday resort that retains all the charm and quaintness of the past. Staying here is a journey into a bygone era, when life moved at a gentle pace and communion with the self was as easy as winking. It is a total lifestyle change. If there is the opportunity to indulge in pastimes such as horse safaris, trekking and other adventure activities. The resort harvests rainwater, uses solar and wind power, to meets its needs, besides having a regular power connection.
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