New Delhi allows its weary citizens some amazing weekend getaways. Unfortunately, most of the weekend getaways become a tourist magnet in peak seasons. However, some properties such as The 4Rooms come as a respite from the maddening crowd. If the traveler in you craves for silence amidst nature’s bounty, this property in the nondescript village of Gunehar is the answer. Gunehar is a far cry from the more popular and crowded Mc Leodganj and Palampur. Both Mc Leodganj and Palampur are near Gunehar, yet the tiny village is cocooned from the crass commercialization of the former.
The 4Rooms is the brain child of Frank Schlichtmann. Frank had the vision to convert a former merchant’s house into a 4 rooms boutique hotel in the middle of a hitherto unknown village. The tastefully done up hotel has become popular off late and is preferred by the discerning traveler.
Ideal for
It is great for couples who want some private time to rekindle the romance or just spend some quality time together. Since the property has just 4 rooms, it exudes warmth and a home like feeling unlike the clinical hotels. Frank however, lives in a separate building 2 minutes away from The 4Rooms. It is also great place to stay if you are traveling with family of friends. So if you are traveling in group and book two rooms, you can have the entire floor to yourself.
About the property
The rooms are done up aesthetically in warm colors. The mud plastered walls are adorned with crowd sourced images from Himachal Pradesh, i.e., the state where the property is located. The washrooms have bathtub and hot shower. I preferred staying at the first floor rooms as the balcony gave great views of the mist laden valley. The balcony also has cozy seats with cushions etc. I enjoyed sipping hot tea with fried snacks as it drizzled. The ground floor has a small courtyard with a swing. Potted plants and flowering plants in beds surround the courtyard as the bamboo fence shields you from the eyes of the passer byes.
Food
Interestingly, the food cooked by Frank Schlichtmann is also one of the main reasons why people stay at The 4Rooms. The cafe run by Frank is called 4tables Cafe & Gallery. It has been featured by many travel magazines and even on the popular show Highway On My Plate. Popular hosts Mayur and Rocky have featured the café in one of the episodes. The food is so good that some of the guests drive all the way from Delhi just to savour it! Of all the dishes Frank rustles up, his wood fired pizzas remain the most popular. He specially orders gourmet food ingredients such as cheese, herbs etc from New Delhi. Some of the dishes he cooks are classic while some of the fusion food are invented by him.
His passion for food is obvious when you nibble the first bite of anything at the 4tables Cafe & Gallery. From presentation and taste to cutleries and crockeries, everything is done at style. The 4tables Cafe & Gallery is 2 minutes walk away from The 4Rooms. You have the option of dining indoors or al fresco with the view of verdant valleys and exotic birds. One strict warning though: Frank doesn’t have ketchup. Nor does he allow. No, not even with the pizza and pasta.
Unique Art Festivals:
The 4tables Project founded by Frank Schlichtmann hosts 2 very unique art festivals in Gunehar.
The art festivals called ShopArt ArtShop and IN THE WOODS have catapulted Gunehar to the tourist map of the discerning traveler. The ShopArt ArtShop hosts Indian and International artists to participate in a unique festival which requires them to stay in Gunehar for a month and work on their art in the empty shops of the village. Some artists also paint the walls of the shops. Local women from the gaddi community and the pahadi people of Himanchal walk the ramp in the unique Fashion shows. Jazz performers jam with local folk singers in a never seen before jugalbandi. IN THE WOODS project is an unusual concept where art work is displayed in the forest. Imagine walking through the woods and spotting art on the trunk of a tree.
The ShopArt ArtShop is hosted every 3 years. The last ShopArt ArtShop was hosted in 2016. The next ShopArt ArtShop aka SAAS is tentatively scheduled for summers of 2019. The next IN THE WOODS however is coming up in June 2018.
Cost:
The tariff of The 4Rooms is quite reasonable at INR 4000 including the breakfast. Booking can be done here- the4tablesproject
Best Time to go: Summers, i.e., April to June is the best time to go there. For those who are looking for a perfect stay to beat the heat of plains, this is the answer.
What to do in and around the property
Tibetan Colony:
Located just 10 minutes away from The 4Rooms, the Tibetan colony is a quaint shelter of Tibetan refugees. You can spend time visiting the monasteries which dot the main road. I personally enjoyed sampling the authentic Tibetan cuisine (Thenthuk, Tingmo, Thukpa etc) at one of the al fresco restaurants near the monasteries.
Bir Billing:
It snowed when we arrived at the top. The weather was not good for paragliding when we reached. It is known as the paragliding capital of India and is just few minutes away from The 4Rooms.
Village walk:
The Gunehar village itself is so beautiful and demands a dekko. A walk in the village acquainted me with the local lifestyle. One can sit by the water streams for hours and do nothing.
Palampur:
A day trip to Palampur is possible. Tea estates, verdant valleys, serpentines water streams and fresh air make Palampur a good excursion idea.
How to get there
By air: Kangra airport in Gaggal is the nearest airport. From the airport one can hire a taxi and head to Gunehar.
By Train: Pathankot railway station is well connected to all the major cities of India. Taxis to Gunehar are available at the railways station. It takes around 3 hours to reach.
About author- Abhinav Singh is a New Delhi based travel blogger and writer with 18 years of experience in writing. He has been to more than 200 destinations since last 10 years. He writes about his travels on his blogs and social media channels.
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