Dreams are beautiful and it’s even more beautiful when reality is better than a dream. Mussoorie is a beautiful Himalayan destination in North India. Often called the Queen of Hills, it attracts travellers from afar. Rokeby Manor is a quaint place in Mussoorie and hands down my favourite place to stay.
Rokeby Manor is a mandatory annual trip that I make every year, ever since I got introduced to the property. Here are some things that I absolutely love about the place.
It’s located in Landour Cantt – Landour Cantt is even above Mussoorie in terms of height above sea level. We get the best sunset views from the spots around Landour. More than anything else, it’s cut off from the noise and bustle of Mall Road offering a truly serene getaway for those looking for some peace and genuine connection. I’m not a big lover of noise or crowds so Rokeby Manor is definitely my favourite choice of place to stay.
Landour Bakehouse is at a walking distance – Rokeby Manor infact owns and runs the mysterious Landour bakehouse with its wonderful desserts and baked goodies. Be it their cinnamon rolls or cheese croissants or the beautiful Himalayan views, Landour Bakehouse attracts people from Dehradun all the way only for their breakfast. Can you believe it? People drive up almost two hours just to grab breakfast here and go back home! Honestly, I traveled all the way from Mumbai for their cinnamon rolls.
The rooms are rustic and homely – Mussoorie has grown over the years and it’s charm has attracted many commercial hotels. However, none of them present an authentic rustic Himalayan feel. There is nothing like Rokeby Manor with its rustic rooms, homely feel, direct views of the Himalayas and the most beautiful sunset in all of Mussoorie.
There are meaningful quotes painted on their walls – In life, we search for meaning. No better place to find meaning than Rokeby Manor’s walls with the hard hitting quotes about life that make you realise how important it is to connect with yourself. I truly felt connected with myself when I was there. It was almost like I was surrounded by signs telling me to live in the moment and connect with people I was close to deeply.
Beautiful views of the winterline – Mussoorie is one of the only places in the world from where one can see the Winterline, a false horizon that’s created during sunset time. I’ve seen stunning Winterline views from Rokeby Manor while sitting in their tea garden. I watched magic in the mountains right in front of me. The mountains were mysterious and I felt like something beautiful was unfolding before me.
Every room has something special – On holidays, I want to feel special. Rokeby Manor has something special for everyone in the rooms. No two rooms are designed the same way. One room had beautiful views of night sky, the other is facing the tea garden and the rhododendrons, there’s one with a focus on other flowers. Each room is designed uniquely. What’s even better is that they have rooms for families and solo travellers too, basically no matter who you are, you’ll find a place here.
The food is some of the best I have ever had – Emily’s is a famous restaurant at Rokeby Manor Mussoorie. Their food is some of the best I’ve ever had. With overlooking views of the Himalayas and Dehradun city, the food at Emily’s tastes even better. Much like Landour Bakehouse, people come to Emily’s from distances afar!
The stunning Char Dukan walk goes around here – There’s a road diverging in the woods from Char Dukan that leads around Victor Banerjee’s house, crosses a church and some rustic homes. This route is often traversed by locals who want to explore the woods and find peace. The sunrise view from here is stunning because during sunrise the clear sky leads a view to the snow capped peaks of the Himalayas (ones generally hidden because of clouds in the sky during normal hours of the day). When you’re at Rokeby, you’ll have the privilege to explore this path.
