Rokeby Manor, Mussoorie — Hotel in Uttarakhand

Be careful if you are booking this place, they are not trustworthy at all. The gentleman we spoke to for booking, Mr. Shahnawaz, promised us a selection of rooms but on arrival we were given easily the worst room in the hotel, no. 6 and more or less told to either like it or lump it. Since we had made the full payment in advance, we had no choice but to lump it.

The next morning we complained to his senior, Mr. Paramvir Singh and he seemed very apologetic. As a gesture he promised to keep the connecting room, no. 7, vacant so that we would not at least be disturbed by any noise coming from it. But that very evening we noticed that the room was occupied, again a commitment that was not met.

Mr. Ashu, the GM, met us the next day and he finally ensured that no. 7 was kept vacant and even gave us the key.

As for the room, there's a small connecting room (no. 7) on one side and a staff room or passage on the other. Behind theses two rooms, no. 6 and 7, there's a refrigerator or something and you are constantly subjected to the noise coming from it, day and night.

And, from 5 am to midnight, the door of the staff area is constantly opening and banging shut. The staff keep moving through, talking loudly and making noise with some equipment. It was very distrubing but, despite complaining to Mr. Ashu, the manager, they did not bother to lower their voices or attempt to make less noise. We finally had to resort to playing our music all the time, even at night, to drown out these noises.

We can't speak about the noise levels in the other rooms but, if you are given any of these rooms, as per us you are better off not staying here.

The hotel itself is very quaint but very small, not like it appears on Instagram. There's a reception, 12 rooms, a very nice and decent sized restaurant on the first floor with a sitout and a tiny tea garden. They have a party lawn up a steep path above the hotel where guests can sit and even partake of a jacuzzi on payment basis. But only if there's no function happening there. You have to book the jacuzzi a day in advance.

We used the jacuzzi and it was quite lovely, being in a hot tub in the open, watching the sunset, with screens around to ensure our privacy. The review got an extra star because of it!

On the plus side, the quality of the food was excellent and the service in the restaurant too was very good, no complaints there.

Overall though, the poor booking experience and noisy rooms spoiled our experience to a very...

Rokeby Manor, Landour - Beautiful Views, but Disappointing Value. Overhyped and overpriced.

We stayed at the Pine Tree Lodge, one of Rokeby Manor's villas. While the stunning views and warm service from the butler and in-house chef were definite highlights, the overall experience fell far short of expectations, particularly given the steep prices (about US$ 750 per night, accommodating four adults).

Pros:

The views from the villa are breathtaking, perfect for a relaxing getaway. The staff are warm, efficient, and attentive. The in-house butler, Arjun, and the chef, Vikram, were very kind. The beds were comfortable, and dining at Emily’s offered a cozy ambience with tasty food over breakfast.

Having an in-house chef was a nice touch, considering how far we were from the main building, Rokeby Manor. You need to give him about a couple of hours notice of what you want to eat from the menu.

Cons:

Accessibility is a major issue. The villa is accessed via rickety stone steps, making it unsuitable for elderly or disabled guests. If we had known, we would not have brought elderly parents, it made it very difficult for them.

The Pine Tree Lodge is located about 1km from the main Rokeby complex, which was not clearly noted on the website. Food had to be ordered from the main building, and it arrived cold (e.g., the high tea).

The Himalayan high tea is nothing to write home about, please skip. The baked items are not up to standard. The bedrooms and bathrooms lack luxury—shower curtains instead of cabin, for example. And, a tin roof. Again, it would be fine for a regular Airbnb but not at the cost that Rokeby Manor charges for this villa.

In winter, inadequate heating. AC blowers fail to make the space warm and cozy in winter; oil heaters would be more appropriate. The bonfire is chargeable, and the fireplace in the villa was non-functional. So, bring your own extra woolens to also wear indoors.

Bottomline - the steep rates do not justify the experience; it’s certainly not value for money. We have stayed in many luxury hotels which are expensive but offer matching comfort and luxury. This Rokeby Manor villa does not match up to any international standards.. While the property certainly has its charm, the logistical challenges, lack of clarity, and underwhelming amenities make it a...

One of the best stays in landour Very old house history of this place

Rokeby was built in 1840 by Captain G.N. Cauthy and is one of the landmarks of Landour. The house and two acre estate are situated slightly above and to the east of St. Paul's Church and the old cantonment parade ground, which is now Char Dukan. Like many houses in Mussoorie, its name is taken from the writings of Sir Walter Scott, whose book-length poem describes heroic battles near the original Rokeby Castle in England.

Several years after it was built, the house came into the possession of Lt. Col. Reilly, who also owned Ralston, another residence in Mussoorie. In 1878, Reilly mortgaged both properties for Rs. 25,000 to Frederick 'Pahari' Wilson, a controversial adventurer and entrepreneur, who was the inspiration for Rudyard Kipling's classic story, "The Man Who Would Be King". Wilson minted his own gold coins and carved out his personal domain along the headwaters of the Ganga, at Harsil, harvesting timber and introducing apples to the Himalayas. Pahari Wilson and his Garhwali wife, Gulabi, are buried in the cemetery on Camel's Back Road.

In 1891, Rokeby was purchased from the estate of Wilson's son, Henry, for Rs. 10,000, by Rev. J.S. Woodside, one of the founders of Woodstock School. It then passed into the hands of Dr. J. Symington, of Carthage North Carolina, who sold it to the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1930. They converted it into a boarding house for young missionary ladies who were studying Urdu and Hindi at the Landour Language School. The first managers of this boarding house were Miss A.E. Lawson and Miss Ida Farmer. Methodist missionaries continued to operate the property as a guest house throughout the rest of the 20th century.

Today, Rokeby has been carefully restored to its original glory. This heritage building is resplendent with character in its elaborate brick arches and niches, intricate stone walls, real wood floors and beams, and cosy fireplaces. Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, the traditions of bygone years-where colonial officers, renegade soldiers of fortune and pious miss saibs lived under one roof-can still be felt. An air of mystery beckons visitors.

Good rooms Villa they have many...