Travel + Leisure India & South Asia brings you #TLFinds, a weekly series that gives you a sneak peek into new and interesting places and experiences across the country and overseas. The next in the series is Casa by Venya, a new boutique property in the lake town of Bhimtal that are perfect for family holidays. By Adila Matra
What
An offbeat boutique property near Bhimtal with four luxury villas.
Ideal for
A laidback family holiday
Review
In an obscure hamlet called Hariyan Gaon near Bhimtal lies Casa by Venya, a dreamy property that makes for a perfect weekend getaway. It has four mountain villas; my travel companions and I chose Azalea, a three-bedroom cottage
Inside, the cottage has a sprawling living room with floor-to-ceiling bookcases that houses paperbacks and hardcovers of Frederick Forsyth and Wilbur Smith. The couches are plush with faux fur throws and animal print cushions. There are gold antlers hanging from the wall and vintage car models on the mini island in the living room. A wooden deck runs around the villa, accessible from every room. One side of the villa looks out to the mountains while the others overlook the village road, a small stream, and oak and pine trees.
There’s ample space for a family of six, and enough board games and books to keep you entertained. The other villas—Camelia, Agapanthus, and Magnolia— named after the flowers that grow on the property sport similar design aesthetics. While Magnolia is the most luxurious and has four bedrooms and two lounges, Agapanthus houses five luxury bedrooms.
There is not much to do at Casa by Venya which is also its highlight. I finished two books and spent long hours staring at the hills and the rose bushes that grow around the property, while Basanti, the in-house chef treated us to her legendary pahari mutton curry and vegetable sandwiches.
On one of the afternoons, we decided to walk down to the nearby Chaanfi village. We huffed and puffed while climbing uphill. The village greeted us with vast fields of potatoes, quaint wooden houses, and cabbage patches. And silence. A stream runs beneath the bridge that leads to Chaanfi, but that too is silent this time of the year.
Back at Azalea, I made a pot of tea in the minimal but adequately stocked kitchen. We sat around the huge dining table, wrapped in sweaters, and dug into pakoras.
As the night progressed, we heard a roar. Vijay, the head of housekeeping who was clearing plates from the table looked at our alarmed faces and said, “the leopards don’t come this far.” But he pulled the huge glass-and-steel doors shut, all the same.
We slept peacefully in spite of the leopard story. There is something about being in the wild that calms you. And Casa by Venya instilled in us that very sense of calm and peace.
Address
Hariya Gaon, Vinayak Chowk, Bhimtal, Uttarakhand
Tariff
INR 30,000 per night for Azalea.
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