I am going to north India to several small rural vilages for business. Searching for interesting hotels has proved somewhat difficult since I am not familiar with the area and can't tell what are reasonable distances, especially given Indian roads. Can anyone recommend charming, four or five star hotels in or near the following:

Ratangarh/Churu
Almora

Also, does anyone know how long it would take to get from Almora to Shimla?

Thanks in advance.

G'day jane. The folks on www.indiamike.com may be able to give you some info.

Almora is a nice town, quite a long way (2-3 hrs drive) from the railhead up a steep mountain road. Not much to do there but great walking. Did not see any four or five star hotels there but certain there may be one or two, at least in Nainital, close by.

If you get the opportunity to see Dalhousie, a glorious hill station a long way west of Almora, do it! It's closer to Shimla than Almora is. Dalhousie is sensational! Have a beaut trip!

Janemonroe, you won't find much choice of four or five star hotels in small hill stations like Almora, but there are a couple of nice resorts like Kalmatia Sangam, which is located right on the outskirts of Almora (it is located about a 45 min walk into the main bazar). The place is comfortable and has a great view. Another place is called Kessar Jungle Resort, which is a little further, but a beautiful location. Do you have access to a car? The other alternatives in town are the KMVN Guesthouse and Hotel Shikhar (smack in the middle of town). Here is the link for Kalmatia sangam.

http://www.kalmatia-sangam.com/

Thanks so much to both of you for these tips. This is exactly what I needed to know. Much, much appreciated!

You are welcome Jane. I can answer most of your Almora questions because I am familiar with the town and the area. Just let me know! Hope you have a good trip!

Thank you again. It would be immensely helpful to learn what the town is like... Are there any restaurants/eateries you would recommend in Almora? Any special stores not to miss? Other sites worth seeing in and around the town?

Also, are you familiar with Ratangarh in Churu at all? That's our next destination and it's been difficult to find info on it.

Again, many thanks!

Things to shop for in Almora are woolen shawls and scarves which are made locally in Almora (there is a shop near the local bus station …I think it is called Kumaon Woolens). You will also find pretty interesting copper pots, jugs, vases etc. The bazaar is interesting to walk through, though crowded. There is a nice little bookstore as you enter Almora, look out for it on the left hand side (Almora Book Depot I think).

Places of interest nearby Almora……Jageshwar (about 1 hours drive from Almora) is famous for it’s ancient temples, surrounded by beautiful deodar trees. Binsar (45 min by car) is another really beautiful area which is a wildlife sanctuary. It is about 30kms from Almora and offers an amazing panoramic view of the Himalayas. We have gone there with a picnic lunch and enjoyed the natural surroundings. Then the place, which would be my favorite, is Kausani. It is about 50 kms from Almora and has awesome views of the Himalayas and it overlooks the Gorur valley below. This is where you will see beautiful pine jungles, small villages even tea estates. There are many resort hotels (sadly) that have been constructed in Kausani so I don’t think finding a restaurant in one of them will be a problem. The area around Kausani is really lovely and a true reflection of village life in the Kumaon hills. Ranikhet is also close to Almora and is a nice drive from Almora.

A slightly larger town to visit would be Nainital. If you are going to Almora via Haldwani (nearest train station to Almora), you can see Nainital on the way…..way up on top of the hill. Nainital has many hotels, Chevron Fairhavens, Manu Maharani, Hotel Ariff Castle and there are lots of restaurants in town such as Embassy, Capri etc. Nainital has better shopping such as local handicrafts, candles, woolen shawls etc. There is the beautiful lake to go boating in, plenty of peaks to hike up to, if you get a chance, don’t miss the grounds of the Government House with the golf links set in one of the most beautiful locations you can imagine….surrounded by pine and oak forest. There are some old British boarding schools in Nainital and so the town is more developed than other towns in the area. Nearby to Nainital there is Bhimtal.

Hope that helps.