Windamere Hotel

Windamere is more of the show and name but fails in delivering quality. We stayed for 2N/3D for 4 rooms and it was the worst experience in so many years.
Verdict: Good for 6k-8k per night at max per room, if food is included in that price.
At anything at or above 8,001/- per room per night - never ever book it.
What's good?
- To be fair, food and beverages are great. This is the only department where Windamere does a decent job, albeit with two caveats: One, there is no restaurant services available. If you are hungry at 4 PM, you are out of luck as you will not get anything. Two, The customization options are very limited - you cannot just ask for a dosa or idli - they may even say yes but they will never prepare it.
- Walking distance from Chaurasta is a good thing to have. You can just walk in Chaurasta after daily sight-seeing, go to Glenary's etc. Note that Keventers closes early at 7.
...and then there are all the other stuffs!
- Management and Planning is just pathetic. There is no one to manage any medical emergencies or other issues after say 10 or 11 PM. For anything guard will directly tell you that it is not his responsibility and he cannot connect with manager. (video recordings available if management contests)
- Poor plumbing, facilities - for everything they have one excuse - heritage thing. Wonder why they don't charge heritage rates also then, eh? Like 50/- per night? Even in our old buildings, government offices we maintain - here, they just don't. (see in pics)
- Basic cleanliness - so while we absolutely have no complaints on bed sheets and towels, the carpets etc. are really old. Wonder if they can better replace them with a cheaper variety, but then management is good for nothing.
- Issues unheard of in any decent hotel - There was no water - none at all from 2 am in the night to 9 am in the morning, with no one from management to even heed to the issue till 7 or 8 am. The lovely thing: the foreigner owner, who is good for nothing but sweet talks did not show her face even once to own the responsibility or resolve the issue.
- Other minor things and why I would not suggest anyone to pay 1 penny above 8k even if it was the last hotel in Darjeeling: There is absolutely NO PLANNING, NO MANAGEMENT. In some rooms there is no intercom citing 'heritage' but then some other rooms have it! Some rooms have bathtub which shall better be called 'big buckets'. Hair dryers are also available or missing as per the hotel's whims.
Will upload video recordings and pics if hotel management contests any points above.

Location is good but everything else is pathetic. Colonial experience? Well yes: Management treats you exactly the way britshers would have treated Indians in colonial era...

No on request service. Moulds in rooms walls. Water issues.

This is not a hotel this is a time machine, it will just transport you back to about 200 years and give a good glimpse of the British Raj era.

Every aspect of the hotel is conserved and protected against time. History speaks through every inch of this hotel. Nestled on the chaotic Mal Road this hotel still provides you with the serenity you desire.

One, of the most spectacular experience in the hotel is their candle light dinner, they have a fixed menu and the menu changed everyday, the taste of the food is truly exquisite, one of the best in Darjeeling if I may say so and desserts here are nothing like it.

If you want to truly experience the culture and heritage of the Darjeeling hills. This is the hotel to stay in. It is truly a destination in itself.

Date of Stay- 11 Aug-14 Aug
Rooms- Autumn/September Song
The view from the hotel is unparalleled. It is just overlooking Darjeeling Mall and one can enjoy the activities going on there right from the comfort of the hotel. In addition to that the view of the Darjeeling hills one can get out from this place is stunning! Mornings with a cup of tea and the Windamere garden is the perfect combination.

Service was really good as well and the staff were courteous and professional. They were ready to help with a smile on their face!

Room was well kept and clean. The fireplace in the rooms is a nice touch in the cool Darjeeling weather. Just one feedback for these rooms- the washroom floors are really slippery and probably needs different tiles. It may lead to accidents.

Food was good, albeit my personal take is that the 5 course meals offered could be a bit refined and be made not a mix of Indian and Continental in the same 5 courses.

Overall my experience was not good. I was in Colonial Suites. There was a discomfort inside the old heritage room having vintage fixtures which were really not jelling with basic my requirement. Insufficient plug points to work on e gadgets. Moreover these expensive room don't have the basic amenities. No TV, no regular warm water, very old dirty carpets , poor door locking system most of the not functions properly .Most importantly there is no separate place to bath other than bath tub, which is smaller very risky for a aged person & for anyone so to say. We found the graviard inside the hotel premises. Somehow night stay specially in Colonial Suites was not comfortable at all.

This is just adjacent to Mall situated on Darjeeling's observatory hill.
No other hotel has better view of Mall than this. A Colonial hotel and if you want to soak into Victorian life,that's the right place. It has preserved its old-world charms resisting the march of modern standardisation but then it has its negative side as well in terms of room facilities as it completely lacks any modernization of washrooms, electric fittings etc. You would hardly get a plug points in rooms which are essential now as all of us travels with multiple electronic gadgets. Pillows could have been much better as they charge premium. They could have modernised the bathroom fittings, I was struggling to mix hot and cold water. One have to step into bath tub for a shower. People with short height will surely find difficulty.
Post COVID they have now set menus are very limited choice, mostly typical north indian foods. I was surprised to hear from resident manager that they have mostly Indian guest post COVID, and food menu was changed based on their demands!! Not sure why should I have kadai panner at Windermere and not continental. Breakfast is good but nothing great.
The extra cot was meant for a child only and if third person is adult you will surely find uncomfortable.
Overall it's not value for money as they charge very premium price. You will find Bollywood celebrities photos there as they stayed. In fact kareena Kapoor stayed in same room that we been to. But don't fall into it unless you really want to stay in Victorian hotel.

I booked a double room with King size bed but provided with a twin room. I still gave the hotel a benefit of doubt because they said it was done by the third party. The bigger disappointment came up when I received a notice of parking fee charge to pay 90 pound. I was never informed by the hotel staff regarding parking fees and they did not confirm if I have paid the parking fees when I checked out. After more than 2 weeks of check out they sent me a notice for parking charge. highly disappointed with such behavior by the hotel staff.

A true Heritage hotel. I have stayed in Windamere twice. It is a bliss!! Scenic beauty, food, service and the staff are excellent!! Thank you so much for a wonderful stay.