The ethereal LaLiT Grand Palace in Srinagar offers a royal experience
The LaLiT Grand Palace is a half an hour drive from the Srinagar airport. Located in one of the prime localities, the elite Gupkar Road, the property is surrounded by Himalayan range on one side and the magical Dal Lake on the other. One can enjoy the Shikara ride at the Dal Lake, which is at a five-minute walk from the hotel. The beautiful Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden is three-km away from the property while the Mughal Gardens — Chashme Shahi, Nishat Bagh and Shalimar Bagh — are not too far either.
The Primer
Built by Maharaja Pratap Singh in 1910, the palace was called Gulab Bhavan and was a summer residence for the royal family. It was converted into a hotel and handed over to The Oberoi Group in 1954. Soon after, it became the summer getaway for many from Bollywood stalwarts to glamorous international celebrities, from diplomatic heads to top-notch millionaires. There are signatures of Indira Gandhi, Ratan Tata, the film crews of Yash Chopra’s Kabhi Kabhie, Shakti Samanta’s Kashmir Ki Kali and many others in the hotel’s guestbook. It is a known fact that Kashmir, also called the mini Switzerland of India, was widely used by filmmakers in the early ’60s, ’70s and ’80s as an exotic location until the political turmoil erupted. Kashmir was Yash Chopra’s favourite shooting destination. The King of romance shot many of his blockbusters here.
In between, the hotel underwent large-scale renovation. There were quite a few practical and innovative additions to its architecture. In 2008, the palace was re-branded as The LaLiT Grand Palace, Srinagar. Recently, the celebrities who have stayed in the grand palace’s Maharaja and Maharani suites include Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan, respectively. Each suite costs Rs 1, 75,000 per night.
An overview
As I arrived in Srinagar, a warm reception awaited me at The LaLiT Grand Palace. We checked into a beautiful room that opened into the well-manicured garden. We went to have our lunch at The Chinar Garden, a multi-cuisine restaurant set up under a century-old chinar tree right outside the main palace overlooking the Dal Lake. The restaurant also has an alfresco area. The staff was diligent and caring and the Kashmiri cuisine was delicious — gushtaba, yakhni and lamb kebabs. The garden had cannons mounted on an elevated platform and narrow flower beds blooming with multi-coloured tulips.
Part of the original building (top) of the property that houses Maharaja suite (above) and Maharani suite. Photos: The LaLiT Group, Shireen Quadri
The room was adorned with Kashmiri hand-woven carpets. There were some unusual, but pretty flowers in the vases. In the room, there was a King size bed, a settee, a study table, huge cupboards and a well-equipped bathroom with all the toiletries that you could possibly require. There was a sitting area inside as well as outside the porch that was connected with the gardens in the front. The mini fridge was well-stocked and there was a
tea maker too.
One of the rooms at the The LaLiT Grand Palace. The sitting area inside as well as outside the porch is connected with the gardens in the front. Photo: The LaLiT Group
If you have soaked in the surrounding and the cosiness of the room enough, you could head for a bit of shopping. Polo View Market, not too far from the hotel, has emerged as a popular shopping destination and you can shop here for some traditional Kashmiri handicrafts and textiles. You can also shop in the Lal Chowk area which is only 4 km away from the hotel. We came back for an early dinner at The Chinar. We had some delicious red Thai chicken curry and piping hot steamed rice. The hotel is beautifully adorned with some exquisite ethnic artefacts, handicrafts, carpets, lamps and chandeliers.
Leisure activities
GULMARG
A personal butler and a chauffeur-driven car made our stay extremely comfortable. The hotel also helps in designing an itinerary and you can make it as per your convenience too. After a light breakfast, we headed to Gulmarg on our second day. It’s about 60 km from Srinagar and we reached there in one-and-a-half hours. The weather was pleasant, the countryside looked spectacular. The drive is short and smooth. Before reaching Gulmarg, the chauffeur hired a guy on our behalf. From here onwards up to Gondola phase I & II, the guide was a permanent company. It’s advisable to take a guide so that our holiday experience is not lost standing in the queue to buy tickets for the Gondola ride. But it’s also important to negotiate the price of adventure sports or else you can be easily fleeced and duped.
Gondola Phase I (top) in Gulmarg; Snow bikers waiting for tourists. Photos: Shireen Quadri
The Gondola ride is divided into two phases. Once you deboard the gondola at phase I, the area is vast and in clear weather you can see many Himalayan peaks very prominently. Here, one can indulge in a few adventure sports — snow-biking, skiing and sledging. Don’t miss snow-biking and skiing. You can take a break and have kahwa and lunch from the makeshift dhaba eateries nestled amid the snow. They make the most authentic kahwa and Kashmiri biryani. Savour it and get ready for the next phase. Once, at phase II, we just soaked in the beauty of the nature, marvelling at the web of serenity around.
A shikara on the Dal Lake. Photo: Shireen Quadri
During the months of May, June and July, one does not need to hire Wellington boots and overcoats for Gulmarg. On our way back to the hotel, we went to Dal Lake for an evening shikara ride. We shopped nick-nacks from the floating shikara, had kahwa and pakoras from a floating restaurant and bid adieu to the setting sun. From there, we went to a boutique shop that’s well-known for its handcrafted carpets, shawls, wood and paper mache handicrafts. After an action-packed day, we came back to the hotel and resigned ourselves to the comfort of our room. We had a late dinner and went for a night stroll around the beautiful garden outside, also venturing on the tennis court.
PAHALGAM
The next day, we decided to go to Pahalgam, about 100 odd km from Srinagar. It took us about two-and-a-half hours to reach Pahalgam from Srinagar. The way to Pahalgam is very scenic: there were mustard fields and almond trees in full bloom and the yellows and pinks were just too pretty to be missed. Almond and mustard are important cash crops in the Valley. You’ll also witness a lot of walnut trees. Immediately after crossing Anantnag, river Liddle comes into sight and it sways with the road in the backdrop of the mountains. We halted to capture the mustard fields and the river in all their scenic splendour. The mountains are snow-covered in the larger part of the spring season. From Pahalgam, one has to hire local cabs to go to any sightseeing location.
The prices are fixed and one can choose from the chart. On a recommendation from a local friend, we decided to visit Aru and Betaab valley. Our cabbie was very entertaining, giving details about the shoots of films like Karma, Betaab and, more recently, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, pointing at locations and buildings as he drove down.
The route is narrow and one gets immersed in the spectacular beauty around — the snow-capped mountains, the abundance of pine trees, deep gorges and a meandering river. There are meadows, lakes and cluster of willows. On a sunny day, the peaks swathed in snow are clearly visible. From here, one can also go for a short trek called the Lidder Valley trek to Kolahoi Glacier. It’s one of the most breathtaking treks.
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A view of Betaab Valley. Photo: Shireen Quadri
Aru and Betaab valleys are in opposite directions. The narrow roads leading to the Betaab Valley are intimidating, but the drive is fun. There is not much activity to do. You just got to relax and enjoy the nature’s beauty. You can either go for a walk or hire a pony to visit the valley. One can also hire a pony and visit Debian Valley and Kashmir Valley. We went for long walks. There are small eateries that serve tea, coffee and maggi. Pahalgam is also a popular trout fishing destination. There are some good hotels and restaurants in the city and one can have a sumptuous lunch before leaving for Aru and Betaab valleys. As it started getting dark, we pushed off for Srinagar and reached the hotel a little after dusk. After a tiring day, the thought of going back to the coziness and the hospitality of The LaLiT Grand Palace was very comforting.
Tulip Garden, which opens once a year, is Asia’s largest. Photo: Shireen Quadri
The next morning, immediately after breakfast, we went to visit the Tulip Garden, which opens to the public only once in a year during the month of April. It was worth the visit. The huge colourful garden is in the backdrop of Zabarwan Range, a sub-mountain range between Pir Panjal and the Great Himalayan Range. Rows and rows of tulips are arranged in different sections. There are fountains and trees that add to the beauty. Tulip bulbs are mostly imported from Holland and it takes months of toil to get the final results. There’s a dedicated team that works on it.
Back to the hotel, it was time to check out and head to the airport. There were two rounds of security checks, but The LaLiT Grand Palace ensures a smooth security check as they have a few dedicated staff at the airport to help the guest with their luggage and one doesn’t need to wait in the queue. The effort on the hotel’s part to ensure the guests’ safety, security and comfort is commendable.
Best time to visit
March to November. If you want to enjoy snow and winter sports, you can also pack your bags in February.
The last word
If you want to experience the life of royalty, if you love beautiful hotels, well-manicured gardens, nature and serenity, this is the place to visit this summer.
