ROSE VILLA (The British Heritage Swiss Cottage No 9) — Hotel in West Bengal

Recently I had the opportunity to visit Takdah, a dream hamlet near Darjeeling. The Bunglow, where my wife and myself spent five days, truly named as "Rose Villa"-Bunglow No.9 with its century long heritage and surrounded by antiquarian nature along with the warmth of kind hearted reception by the hosts. Besides lush green mountains all around, we experienced the coldest day and nights with all its beauties of fog,clouds and dew drops during night. The host family is headed by grand old centenarian, his son, daughter-in-law and young grandson with his charismatic honest and duty bound gentle behaviour. Our visit to Takdah will be remembered for ever for the honorable grand old man who himself is an encyclopedia of the hills where he was born and brought up with his profound knowledge and memory of British Rule, Tea Gardens, Weather, communications and even recent day's socio-economic scenario of our state as well as country. Sincerely speaking it is our luck to have the chances of conversing with a person like him who is an icon of humanity, morality and values of life which are really in crisis at present. During our stay at Rose Villa, as a home away from home, we never had to bother for our food/meals all along the day because of unending endearments/fondness shown by the respectable member of second generation of the family and his wife, who holds the remote control of the hospitality, relentlessly to us. Lastly, the youngest member of the family was truly like our guardian during our tour and even fixed up the itinerary always considering our age. He also marked his professional attitude ahead of time of our journey. Our visit to Takdah and its sweet memory shall always be incomplete without our sincere gratitude to the host family...

Stayed with my wife in Takdah at Rose Villa Heritage homestay for 2 nights from 11th November noon to 13th November morning, located amidst coniferous trees at an altitude of around 4000 ft, originally a British era Bungalow (number 9) constructed in 1912 AD for accommodation of army officers.......a tranquil serene place which we two elderly persons were always craving for peaceful relaxation and rejuvination far away from the cacophony of Kolkata life.

The man behind this homestay is Mr Man Bahadur Pakhrin, a devout Buddhist and the patriarch of the Lama family and is 99 years old (born on 23.03.1923) but amazingly agile and alert person who acquired the Bungalow in 1980 and maintained its original grandeur with minimum renovation. He lives in the homestay with his son Karma Wangchuk Lama, daugnter-in-law Manju and grandson Jhangchuk Gyaltchen Lama (Civil Engineer). While Jhangchuk looks after the administrative part, his parents look after the guests' comfort. Foods were cooked by Manju madam herself as per menu given by us and were always awesome in taste....thanks to her culinary skills.

I sat many a time with the grand father listening to his 99 years long life experience. Except short of hearing and spinal deformation, he had so far no health issues, never went to any doctor nor taken any medicine whatsiever and every day reads holy Buddhist books in bare eyes. He will often roam around to see that we are comfortable. We will treasure the memory of our time spent with him.

We wish to come back again and stay in the newly built 4 bedded bungalow adjacent to the...

A genuine thanks to you and your family for welcoming us. It felt like visiting distant relatives. Personally, sitting out in the lawn facing the sun at dawn is the most relaxed I have ever been. Especially recall the chats with Grandpa. He regaled us with stories from his days working with the british. I must mention here that you have down an amazing job of the family cottage, the plastic easy chairs were a fine aesthetic touch. I have a few suggestions. Please start a horse riding service. It will give the whole situation there an unprecedented sheen. Also, please ask guests to indulge in guided treks through the forest which starts from about 50 feet above, straight up to Lamhatta. The bathtub needs to be taken care of. I will visit again and will want to see it shining in all It's past glory. Also, to tinker with the mood a bit more, add some taxidermy, a book cabinet, a pulled pankha, a grandfather clock and a gramophone. A gun rack too, wouldn't be amiss amongst all the antique furniture. The location is ideal, right in between forests and tea gardens. It's not too isolated. The market and the orchid center are barely a kilometer away. Merely taking a walk along the road adjascent either way is refreshment to cherish. I will surely return, next time with my pet dog; just to hear the tapping sound of morning dew...