Imagine a central location, which is also completely tucked away from the public eye. Two minutes from the main Mukteshwar market. A good restaurant on the main road, where you can order your food from if you don’t feel like utilizing the kitchen at this Airbnb. Very close to the Darima Cheese Factory. From the main road, you walk down about a hundred steps and you’re in a private haven, which is the Iris Cottage in Mukteshwar, Uttarakhand.
“Happy” the dog will happily accompany you down the steps and then stick around with you till you settle. We didn’t stay at this Cottage but we went for a cup of a tea and to see the place, since it belongs to a friend of my father’s. The Cottage can accommodate 6 guests and has 2 bathrooms. There’s parking available at the top of the steps on the main road.
The walls are covered with framed photographs of birds and some wildlife, since the owner, Rajat Sethi, is an avid bird photographer. All the rooms face East, so there’s a lot of bright light pouring in. The caretaker and his wife tend to the rooms and gardens to maintain upkeep.
During Winter months, there’s heavy snowfall and the entire place turns into a white wonderland. I’ve not seen it personally, but their Instagram page has some photographs with snow at the property.
I wish I had known about this place before we booked our stay at another location. I definitely want to stay here whenever I go back to Mukteshwar. It’s perfect for someone like me. Sit and read, stare at the view of the mountains, go for a walk, get hot food from a restaurant, and just a whole lot of peace and quiet AND a sweet little doggo to boot!
Me, showing off the neon green shawl from the Kumaon Regimental Center in Ranikhet.
