The Glasshouse on the Ganges, like the other Neemrana ‘non-hotel’ Hotels, honours both an extraordinary historical site as well as a magical natural spot. Set among a small but green orchard full of mango and lychee trees on a property previously owned by The Maharaja of Tehri Garhwal. The orchards look especially beautiful when the mango flowers are in bloom. The hotel also has a sand beach of its own on the sacred river of Ganga. The Ganga flows along clean and green, creating ripples, changing colours with the sun, as it rushes down from the Shivalik ranges before it reaches Rishikesh. There is a ‘baby rapid’ right where the Glasshouse can see – making the view all the more interesting!This secluded property has six cottages overlooking the Ganges and the mountains beyond. One of the best things about the property is that every cottage has a view of the river; so it doesn’t really matter which room you choose. There is also a beautiful garden of tropical plants, full of rare birds and butterflies, lovely for birders. Its private spring water matches the qualities of the best mineral waters in the world, good enough for you to bathe in! The Glasshouse offers leisure, reading, log fires and even a barbecue near the banks of the river.Stay at least for two nights, to take in the ambience of the property fully, but remember, you will only have yourself and your books/music for company. A great place to unwind and clean up the lungs; but not suggested if you want an action-packed routine.
Stay
The colonial influence on the property is visible in the high ceiling & central fireplace of the main entrance hall. Some of the newer cottages are set amongst the Lychee orchards surrounding the property. The Neemrana chain of hotels is also known as ”non-hotels” and they truly resemble a home away from home; the rooms are basic, clean with home-like bed sheets, pillow covers & upholstery.
The river view cottages are all well-appointed. The bathrooms are basic but large and very functional. There are verandas complete with rocking chairs to die for! Even at night, you can see the Ganga from the comfort of your bed. All the rooms are very comfortable with an outdoor apace available for all. However, Uttara, being at the far-end of the property is also the quietest location. The room even has an outdoor bathroom. Book the Gangeshwari suite if you wish to indulge yourself and enjoy the trappings of a four poster bed and a magnificent terrace with inviting divans.
Dine
Most Neemrana properties have a fair share of European/American guests so their buffets have a judicious mix of Indian & continental cuisine. Breakfast, lunch & Dinner buffets are offered which are available between the stipulated time gaps. A La Carte option is not available, but with a sumptuous buffet on offer, it’s not missed much. The food is prepared fresh with quantities modified as per the number of guests. The local produce, fresh salads & in house jams & sauces are a speciality.
Typical Indian staples like yellow daal (lentils), paneer (cottage cheese) and roti (Indian bread) were excellent as well. Dessert included creamy vanilla ice cream and almond pudding.
For tea there was spicy Indian masala chai with home made butter cookies and a freshly baked cake.
Dinner is usually a lavish buffet with dishes like Mutton with Olives, a Pasta Toscana as well as a delicious broccoli soup. The Indian selection is equally interesting. They also have innovative desserts like a Baked Yogurt or a decadent rich chocolate mousse.
Breakfasts are large in these ‘non-hotels’ with freshly baked bread (with both white and brown bread), fresh fruits and juices, cake, the famous Neemrana preserves made from the produce of the orchard you are living in!—apple chutney, pear and plum preserves as well as porridge or dry cereal, eggs and something Indian.
The staff are warm, courteous and friendly. There is no room service but the rooms have an electric kettle, so you can have all your umpteen cups of tea/coffee/warm water without worry. It would be advisable, however to carry your own snacks/biscuits/fruits as the resort cannot provide the same and there is no shop anywhere close by.
You come to the Glasshouse on the Ganges to relax. You sunbathe, jungle walk, river raft and can fish with a permit. There is a small beach down from the hotel which is really a rock beach, but fun to go down and take a few dips in it. The hotel manager also organizes river rafting if you ask (no advance notice required) and what a great fun it is.
For the more active, water skiing in Dak Pathar near Dehradun and winter sports in Auli are recommended. Or you can visit the neighbouringtemples and ashrams for the evening arti (a religious ritual) when the temples pay homage to the sacred Ganga.
The home itself was once owned by the Maharaja of Tehri and has been preserved and restored using local artisans. The Mango and Lychee orchard within which the property is nestled is organically grown and there is much more than just Mango and Lychee grown on the property. All the produce grown is served fresh to guests.
The hotel is also very stringent about putting up signs in the bathrooms and rooms to let guests know about the importance of saving water and caring for the environment. A sign in the room has a detailed list of the amount of water used for showering or brushing your teeth and the ways in which you can save water while doing these things. Every Neemrana bathroom has a bucket and mug provided if you decide to have a bucket bath instead of a shower, which will save you almost 90 litres a day!
Like all other Neemrana’s, they have solar heating and CFL bulbs for the whole property. They use only cotton and natural materials as linen, and have a request for every guest in his room to reuse towels to save water. The staff is also trained to reduce wastage as much as possible. Bathrooms are designed with water saving fittings and gray water is recycled to water the gardens, and rain water is harvested. Food either comes from their own organic farms or from the local market.
Even though the staff is drawn from leading hotel management schools, they have been trained to give visitors a ‘homely’ flavour to their hospitality. The employees are local and there is a good ratio of men and women working at the hotel.
What’s Hot!
- The idyllic location. Great views of the river and nestled on the side of a mountain within a fruit orchard.
- All rooms afford views of the river – though the Uttara room has the best!
What’s Not!
- There is nothing much to do around here but take in the natural beauty. Those looking for an active holiday will be disappointed – unless they are happy with river rafting!
Ideal For Whom
Glasshouse on the Ganges is great for a couple get away but good for anyone looking for a break from the city. River rafting or fishing enthusiasts will be able to keep themselves busy and enjoy their stay. Anyone wanting to have a relaxing weekend in the hills will love this place.
When To Visit
This area has a warm dry climate in summer and a cool dry climate in winters. Summers during April to June are bit hot with temperature levels reaches up to 35°C in June. Winters during November to February are cool, dry and very pleasant, with temperatures ranging from 20oC to 2oC. Monsoons start by July and continue up to October. During this period the climate becomes humid and cool. The area receives average to medium rainfalls.
Best period to visit is between October to March.
How Many Days
The prefect getaway would be three nights and four days – a quick weekend away – perfect to take in a few dips in the river, go river rafting and do a jungle walk, besides just chilling out!
Things To Bring
No matter what season you are here in, carry your woollies! Unlike the rest of India, the Indian Himalayas can get bitingly cold. Like in all high altitudes the weather can be unpredictable, so carry a warm jacket, a thin pull over and an umbrella! Good walking shoes are a must. As it can get quite dry and sunny (even when it is cold) some chapstick and a pair of sunglasses will come handy. Carry a one piece swimsuit for a dip in the sacred Ganga river (said to wash away all your sins!).
The Glasshouse is located 23 km. above Rishikesh on the route to Badrinath.
By Air: The nearest airport is Dehra Dun, some two and a half hours away from the property.
By Train: Trains, including the luxurious Shatabdhi Express with its meal service and air conditioning arrive at Haridwar, a two hour journey to the Glasshouse at the Ganges.
By Road: Rishikesh is 6 hours (250 km.) by bus or car from Delhi. Buses depart regularly throughout the day from near the ISBT, New Delhi. However if you hire a cab you are free to stop over to soak into the majestic Himalayas, the views are breathtaking, local stalls offer great and fresh local food too.
Aman Nath and Francis Wacziarg first came upon their flagship property – the Neemrana Fort (after which they named their company) while researching the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan for a book. Aman Nath was a renowned historian and author, and Francis was a French diplomat who fell in love with the cultural heritage of India. So much so, that he settled in the country way back in the 1970’s. Their combined love for architecture, design and history made them buy the fort on an impulse…and the rest is history.
The Neemrana ‘non-hotel’ chain was started and the duo still continue to charm travellers with their excellent knack for location hunting and finding beautiful buildings that are lovingly restored by them. They now have more than fifteen properties scattered around the country, ranging from the 14th century to the 21st. They are stringent about staying true to the cultural roots of their buildings, and the properties definitely make you feel like they were restored for the pure love of it. They claim that they have no commercial interest in the hotels, and it shows!
The Neemrana properties are called ‘non-hotels’ because of the feeling they project that the house has just been left behind by the family that owned it, complete with the furniture and art and the little knick knacks that make a home.
“Spectacularly situated on the banks of the Ganges, 23km (16 miles) north of Rishikesh, this former garden-retreat of the Maharajahs of Tehri Garhwal is — quite correctly — billed as a “non-hotel.” Extraordinary, design-conscious refurbishment has produced a series of individual accommodations, of which you have two general choices, either in the main block, fronted by a pillared veranda with relaxing planters’ chairs; or in cottages in the lush gardens of hammock-strung mango, lychee, and citrus trees and tropical plants. The best of the lot (book well in advance!) is Gangeshwari (one of the cottages) — immaculately laid out and spacious, with its own lounge area and balcony, and a bathroom partially open to the elements where a sunken tub is carved from rock, and greenery spills down the walls.” Frommers Guide for the New York Times.
