Work from Mountains. Discover your new home-office in the Himalayas.
Our place is known for views that put Imax to shame. And we're known for the speed of our wi-fi. To keep our guests safe, we've trained our staff on Covid-19 procedures. We've just built a new dining space from scratch to enable social distancing. We are a boutique homestay with only six rooms spread out across the estate. Each room is independent and opens into its own sitting space, making it safe for you and your family.
Screenshot of the speedtest of our Fibre-optic wifi.
Our little orchard is on a ridge surrounded by greenery and tranquility (and a good wi-fi signal). It is a great antidote to crowds and the boredom of working from your bedroom.
Ours place was built to work from Mountains. You can work in the open, or in your room. Our 100 MBPS fibre-optic Broadband is a has an uptime of 96%, and Jio works is an effective backup with speed good enough for zoom calls. Each room has two desks + a private sitout, and there are many common spaces - all with wi-fi and plug points. (Note: If your work involves a lot of talking, we request that you work from your room out of consideration for other guests. Thanks.)
Who are we? A former corporate type and a psychologist who have worked in the city for decades - both in India and the US. We moved to a small village in Nainital district (near Mukteshwar) in 2015 and have been working from mountains ever since. We've also written a guide on how to pick your "work from mountain" destination.
Sometimes we think the five-star ratings we enjoy on tripadvisor (click here) are for the view, and not the service or homely comfort we offer. Here are some sample views from our place - click on the images to enlarge them. (You might want a big screen).
Chhole. Bhature. Pahad.
Dawn on a clear day
Hello, Winter.
Book Lounge at the Quiet Place
Dusk @ the Quiet Place
Your career continues to grow here, but with grace and beauty. And without the cubicle. Every dawn and dusk brings magical colors, and always touches something deep within. Here, you can live without fear, and enjoy beauty as you work from mountains. Families love the badminton court and the basketball half court. Others love the hammocks. If you prefer long walks, head to the forest reserve - just 2 kms away. It's a well kept secret few know of, but teems with wildlife such as Jackals, Sambar, Barking Deer, Wild Boar, and Leopards.
The Quiet Place hosts many professional events. It is the venue for the Himalayan Writing Retreat and for Altitude Training Himalayas. You can see the ratings of the Himalayan Writing Retreat here.
The Quiet Place is also the chosen venue for the Himalayan Digital Detox hosted by www.unscreen.org .
Guests rave about the hospitality at our boutique home-stay, and the feeling of "home without the headache." All meals are served as a buffet, and each room has its own kettle, tea / coffee provisions, attached bathroom with Hot water. In winters, the Wood burning "bukhari" in our dining room ensures you're warm in the evening. Hot water bottles keep you cozy in bed.
We grow some of our own food and herbs, and source much locally, supporting local businesses and NGOs (see "About & Around us" below).
We don't believe we own the planet - we're just borrowing it for a while. So we compost our organic waste. We try and keep our consumption of packaged goods to a minimum. Whatever trash we generate, we dispose of responsibly. Water is precious here, and we recycle our water in multiple ways. Four of our six guest rooms are made of mud, with the smallest carbon footprint possible. We encourage all our guests to use minimal plastic. When you stay with us we request that you also follow a "leave no trace" approach.
To book, please email namrata@himalayanwritingretreat.com or call us on +91-73035-16665.
More about the Quiet place
We have put in great effort to make our premises as eco-friendly as possible. We have tried to construct in such a way that the natural contours of the land, trees and shrubs are left as untouched as possible. Our main building and service unit is constructed using AAC blocks - an approved eco-friendly building material that uses industrial waste, is non-toxic and non-allergic with good thermal and acoustic properties.
All the pine, cedar, shisham, sal and tun wood used in our buildings is sourced from local, government certified agencies. Most of the wood has the environmentally safe and sustainable Tung oil finish. Our mud cottages (local cob style construction) are non-polluting and recyclable. They provide a healthy, breathable and comfortable living environment.
From the unfinished, insect repelling, fragrant, Himalayan cedar wood (a.k.a Deodhar) furniture and woven waste paper baskets to the Kalamkari fabric of the curtains - most items in the guest rooms are handmade from natural materials. As far as possible, we have sourced locally and from craftspersons, directly.
We recycle most of the water that we use and harvest rainwater. As this is a water deficient area and the municipal water supply is limited, we are unable to offer a daily change of bed linen or towels. Sheets and towels are changed twice a week. However, if you need a change of sheets or towels, please do let us know. We will be happy to provide a fresh set.
We live in a rural area and the electric supply can be unpredictable. We have solar water heaters and solar electricity backup that feeds the library/lounge and guest rooms in the main house. In winters we light the bukhari in the lounge to make it a cosy space for hanging out. We will also provide you with hot water bottles on such nights. But, please do not hesitate to ask for a hot water bottle at any other time of the year. We would like you to be warm and comfortable.
We keep our premises clean. However, please be mindful of the fact that we do share this earth and our green surroundings with other animals, birds and insects. If any should stray into your room, please let us know. We would also urge you to spend a little time observing and admiring the beautiful colours of the butterflies, moths, other bugs and birds. You may hear the barking deer on occasion along with different kinds of bird-song.
We do not have a municipal waste disposal system here. We compost all organic waste and recycle the rest here or transport it to Haldwani to be recycled. Please use minimal plastic, and if possible, carry such items back with you.
Our staff are neighbours from the village. They may not be polished but are gentle and warm hearted.
