Mrida 2 @Shoonya | Mukteshwar, near Nainital

Nestled in the farms of Letibunga - a Kumaoni village at ~7500 ft filled with fruit orchids facing the snowcapped Himalayan peaks - Trishul, Nanda Devi, and Panchachuli. The Mrida room is crafted using a mix of traditional and contemporary building materials, providing a cosy retreat for 2 people. At a ~600 m walk from the road, the property truly sits in the lap of nature with private tree covered surrounding areas, stone walkways and seating corners, offering what mountains call for. The space Indulge in the splendour of the Great Himalayas in the charming village of Letibunga in Mukteshwar. Our boutique stay is spread out in ~.5 acres with over 250 young native trees and features a family suite, a triple room and two exquisite double rooms, providing a sumptuous sanctuary for up to 15 guests, including children. There are farms, trees, and village trails in the immediate neighbourhood. The cottage area is secluded from the nearest houses at ~100 m walk. Most of the houses in the near vicinity are of native folks who are very warm and welcoming. The property faces east with a wide open view of the upper Himalayan range on the north side. On a clear morning, the rising sun and the white peaks can be captured in one frame from the first floor balcony. Climbing up to the gazebo at the top only makes it more mesmerising. You can lift some weights or do yoga. Or, you can just stay cozy in your bed looking through the glass window at the sun rising up the mountain horizon. Mrida double room: Entering through the 3-foot wide foyer, one leads to a compact, cosy room (17 m sq) coated in cow-dung and mud mix that further opens towards a wide balcony facing the might snow peaks of the great Himalayas with farms spreading below your feet. You turn right to find yourself amidst the apple orchard. The room features a charming balcony with a partition for privacy, separating it from the adjacent Mrida room. Each room also comes with an en suite bathroom. The rooms can be easily accessed using the staircase (8-10 steps). Distance: The property is at ~7 hours drive from Delhi/Noida, and 9 hours from Lucknow. 2-2.5 hours uphill drive from Kathgodam railway station. Roads are wide, and remain clear during all seasons. During tourist seasons, sometimes traffic runs slow until Bhimtal. We can arrange for a local taxi if booked a day in advance. Fare to be paid directly to the driver. Parking: - Our non-gated parking space is adjacent to the main road. Most of the villages/ houses in this region are situated away from the road, making such parking arrangements very common where community members ensure safety and security collectively. Guests can get parking spots for up to 3 cars under the CCTV surveillance. - A ~600m (12-15 min) beautiful village trail walk takes you to the property. The first 100 m are the steepest: Four or Two wheelers can drop the needful guests until that spot. From there it is ~200 m flat >> 50 m uphill, not very steep >> ~250m flat and down hill. - Our team member/s will provide help with heavy luggage/s. We request our guests to extend their helping hands in carrying light items and luggages such as laptop bags, hand bags, bag-packs etc. Food: - You can order delicious food from our a la carte food menu once the booking is confirmed. The food incorporates a symphony of unique flavours and local delicacies. - We request guests to confirm their food preferences from the shared food menu at least 1 day in advance for a delightfully smooth service. - Government-mandated GST of 5% will be applicable on the total bill amount. Things to do: - Take an evening walk to the scenic and quiet Letibunga Primary school - Visit the Local village temple nestled in Oak (local name: banj) forest - Watch Himalayan birds closely while working or chilling in the balcony with the open view in the backdrop. - Give a helping hand to the locals in the farm fields and taste the hard work. - Take a guided trek through the scenic Letibunga Village to the waterfall down the hill and climb back through the forest. Extra charges apply and vary with different group sizes. - Go for a picnic at one of the best viewpoints of Letibunga. We will set up the tent for you, and get food items delivered to the picnic site. If the day is right, stay till dusk to see the moon rising while the clouds are painted in dramatic colors on the other side over the Mukteshwar hills. Charges: INR 800 pp, including 2 snacks from the picnic menu and regular tea/ coffee. Charges will vary with different group sizes. - Spend the evening in the common area, Kriti, over your favorite beverage. Have some fun time with friends and family playing board and card games. - Do a jamming session or record your own music in our common area- Kriti. We have got an acoustic guitar, ukulele, scarlet audio interface, and a mic. - Gather around the fire pit when it gets chilly and enjoy your favorite drinks together with hot snacks. Bonfire charges: INR 2000 (~1 to 1.5 hrs) for the stone fireplace (suitable for big groups), INR 1000 (~1 to 1.5 hrs) for the 2 small ones - Enjoy scrumptious barbecue snacks (Food charges extra and can be selected from the barbecue menu) - Find the constellations and see the milky way while the crickets are chirping to break the silence of the night. Pet Guidelines: - We’re excited to welcome your furry companions! While we love pets, our place is not fully pet-friendly in that regard. We request you to please keep them off the beds and linens to maintain proper hygiene and cleanliness for all our guests. - We don’t allow pets in our common area, Kriti, which also serves as our main dining space. Since we have floor seating, this is purely to ensure hygiene and the comfort of all guests during meals. Hope you understand! - While we don’t have a pet menu, we’ll do our best to arrange your pet's favorite food—just let us know your preference. - If your pet is the adventurous type, please keep an eye on them in the open space, as the property isn’t fenced. Check-in/ Check-out: - Standard check-in & check-out time: 2 pm & 11 am respectively - Earliest possible check-in & check-out: 8 am - Latest possible check-in & check-out: 7 pm - Early check-in/ late check-out requests must be made a day in advance, are subject to availability, and will incur an extra charge: Early check-in: 1/3rd of the nightly tariff Late check-out: full nightly tariff after 12 PM - Early check-out (before 8 AM) will incur an additional charge, which goes directly to our staff for their extra effort beyond working hours. - Check-in time begins when staff receives guests at the parking spot & ends when staff drops guests at the parking spot. - There is no provision to wait in the common area for an early check-in or late check-out Nearby tourist spots: - Mukteshwar Mahadev Temple and Chauli ki Jaali @ 8.7 km - Bhalugaad waterfall @15km - Bhimtal Lake @39 km - Nainital Lake @50km - Kainchi Dham/ Neem Karoli Baba Ashram @47km Guest access Guests have access to all the outside spaces of the property and also the common area which is on top of the Mrida rooms. The main cottage on the upper floor is completely reserved for other guests. Other things to note 1. Wi-Fi speed: 10mbps+ 2. If you are booking last minute, within less than 24 hours of check-in, we will serve as per the kitchen’s availability on the first day 3. Power cuts are rare, but in case of a maintenance-related outage, please note that the place runs on a 5KV generator back up. One geyser can work at once in the occurrence of power loss.