My TripAdvisor Review No.241: Blossoms at the Destination, Kandaghat, Himachal.

“Best Buffet Dining Restaurant on the way to Shimla.”

Reviewed yesterday

NEW

This restaurant should now be called ‘Blossoms at Club Mahindra Kandaghat’. The management has actually changed hands after ‘The Destination’ was taken over by Club Mahindra. It is located on the Chandigarh Shimla Highway and is about 30 km before you reach Shimla. The restaurant is open to all travellers, but the resident members of Club Mahindra get a discount on the list prices.

Since we were staying here we had the occasion to dine here quite often. We selected the ala-carte option because the buffet meals were priced on the higher side, though the spread looked quite good, with many dishes for vegetarians as well as non-veg, and a good variety of desserts too.

We tried their Chinese dishes, starting with Thukpa soup, Sweet Corn Soup, veg fried rice, veg hakka noodles, American Chop Suey, and a ‘Mumbai veg masala sandwich. There was a limited variety of local Himachali cuisine but we did order their ‘Gourmet Express’ where the meal is delivered to your room in a box.

The ambience of the restaurant is very good with open air seating overlooking the valley, with an excellent view. Service is courteous, though a tad slow for the ala-carte dishes.

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• Visited June 2017
  • Value
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g3225172-d5484672-r522250944-Blossons_at_The_Destination-Kandaghat_Solan_District_Himachal_Pradesh.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.240: Apple Cart Inn Restaurant, Kiarighat, Himachal.

“Motel with a Great View.”

Reviewed yesterday

NEW

Kiarighat is just about 5 km ahead of Kandaghat, and 20 km short of Shimla, on the Kalka Shimla Highway. We were staying at Kandaghat so we hopped on to a local bus and got off at Apple Cart Inn for lunch.

The property is managed by the state run HPTDC. There is ample parking space near the property.It is located at the edge of the Kiarighat hill and overlooks a beautiful valley. It is a quaint old resort with a fast food restaurant facing the highway, and the regular restaurant attached to the main block, which also houses the guest rooms. The view of the mountains around was just fantastic. We sat for a while outside on the benches in the children’s playground just admiring the beautiful scenery.

The indoor restaurant was also well furnished. We ordered a local dish called ‘Gobi Palada’ with green salad, curd, and phulkas (fluffed out chapattis). The food was hot and tasty, and the service was courteous. Prices were reasonable.

We would definitely stop and spend a night or two at the hotel to enjoy a serene stay, rather than in overcrowded Shimla, if we had a choice.

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• Visited June 2017
  • Value
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g1584855-d8732398-r521375743-The_Apple_Cart_Inn-Kiarighat_Solan_District_Himachal_Pradesh.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.231: Christ Church, Shimla.

“Showpiece of Shimla.”

Reviewed yesterday

NEW

Located on the Ridge, Christ Church is the most prominent landmark of Shimla. It overshadows all the other heritage buildings around it with its sheer majesty and beauty. We got a sense of peace and serenity just looking at it.

It was built in 1857 by the British in the neo-Gothic style of architecture, and is the second oldest church in North India. It has stained glass windows and a large clock which sadly does not work now. The building itself is very well maintained.

We visited the church in the late afternoon, but the best time to see it is late evening when it is all lit up.

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Visited June 2017

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g304552-d2721945-r517350369-Shimla_Christ_Church-Shimla_Shimla_District_Himachal_Pradesh.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.230: The Ridge, Shimla.

“Iconic Landmark of Shimla.”

Reviewed yesterday

NEW

As we walked along the Mall in Shimla we could see the famous Christ Church at the end of an open wide promenade known as The Ridge of Shimla. It is the place where all the cultural activities and events are held. Tourists as well as locals congregate here in the evenings to enjoy the open air and mountain scenery while strolling or relaxing on the benches. There is an atmosphere of gaiety and festivities as it is the most happening place in Shimla.

We saw the statues of Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi and Y.S. Parmar, the first Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh as we strolled around. On one side there is an open balcony from where we got a beautiful view of the distant Himalayan ranges which get covered with snow in the winters.

Very few tourists, standing on the Ridge, may be aware that below their feet are the water reservoirs that supply drinking water to the city of Shimla. These water tanks were built here during the British era.

A walk along the promenade from the Mall to the Ridge is a must if you happen to visit Shimla. This place is also free from all vehicular traffic so one can walk carefree.

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Visited June 2017

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g304552-d6496310-r517077544-The_Ridge-Shimla_Shimla_District_Himachal_Pradesh.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.229: The Mall, Shimla.

“Great Place for Strolling and Shopping.”

Reviewed yesterday

NEW

The Mall is the main road of Shimla, and all kinds of shops are located here. There are shops that sell clothes, woollens, jewellery, books, handicrafts and even some furniture shops, which sell antique pieces from the British era. There are many hotels and restaurants located on the Mall Road.

The Mall is free of any vehicular traffic as they are banned on this road so you can walk carefree. Many locals and tourists come for an evening stroll. At one end of the mall is the Ridge which is the high point of Shimla. There a junction on the road known as the ‘Scandal Pont’. There is a statue of Lala Lajpat Rai here, as well as the office of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation, where we got information about the popular tourist places.

We found that the easiest way to get to the Upper mall from the Lower Bazaar was to use the Lifts. We had to buy a Rs.10 ticket and wait our turn in a queue. The first lift dropped us at a middle level from where we had to take a second lift. On our return we walked down through the narrow alleyways from Scandal Point.

Visited June 2017

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g304552-d319704-r516709602-The_Mall-Shimla_Shimla_District_Himachal_Pradesh.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.228: Kalka Shimla Railway, Himachal.

“Heritage Toy Train - An Amazing Experience.”

Reviewed yesterday

NEW

This narrow gauge train connects the hill town of Shimla, capital of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, to Kalka in the plains in the state of Haryana. The line was built by the British in the year 1898 and it acquired UNESCO World Heritage status in the year 2008, among the Mountain Railways of India. There are 103 tunnels and 864 bridges along the 95 km route. It takes between 4.5 to 5.5 hours for the small diesel locomotive to haul the 4 or 5 carriages up the Himalayan foothills, hugging the forested slopes.

We were staying at Kandaghat during our Himachal holiday. Though we did not actually travel in the train we decided to receive the train at Kandaghat station, and take some snaps, as it rolled into the platform. We could hear the train approaching from a distance along the curved railway line. Kids, waiting for the train on the platform for the train, started getting excited and jumping for joy as the train entered the platform. We took our snaps as the loco thundered into the station. The snack vendors and railway staff sprang to life as some passengers alighted to refresh themselves. One can travel on this train from the mid-way stations to other stations on the line by buying a ticket for Rs.20. The luxury trains, like Himalayan Queen, Shivalik Queen and Rail Motor from Kalka to Shimla, and vice-versa, can be reserved in advance.

The train left for Shimla after a 10 minute halt at Kandaghat. We stayed on the platform observing the activities as some passengers alighted and some others boarded the train. Most of them enjoyed a snack or a cup of hot tea and clambered back into their seats.

The Toy Train ride is an amazing experience as it climbs from the plains to the snow-capped peaks, through tunnels and pine forests, and over and under waterfalls. We decided to do the trip in the train on our next visit to Himachal Pradesh.

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Visited June 2017

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g304552-d498331-r515782288-Kalka_Shimla_Railway-Shimla_Shimla_District_Himachal_Pradesh.html#