Taj Theog Resort & Spa, Shimla

Hill stations are always earned, as they have been right since the good old school summers. In Himachal Pradesh, otherwise known as Devbhumi, the Land of the Gods, a beautiful hill state in northern India framed by the western Himalayas, hill stations are benchmarks. And on the national highway No 5, often a photographers muse. As you leave Shimla behind, the capital city of Himachal and once upon a time, the summer capital of British India and wind your way past Kufri & Fagu, you get to Theog. A charming town of five 'ghats' (or ridges), Rahi Ghat, Deori Ghat, Prem Ghat, Janoghat and Bagaghat, the air here is crisp with oxygen. Just 75 min from Shimla and yet a world in hiding. Standing tall in Theog, at the edge of a ridge is your luxury home in the hills, paying homage to exemplary local craftsmanship and swooping in stunning 180 views of the Churdhar, the highest peak of the outer Himalayas. Taj Theog, stands almost coniferous surrounded by the mesmerising skylines of the Himalayan range. Inhabited by conifers, cedars, broadleaved oaks and rhododendrons, the region around is punctuated with apple orchards, hamlets, cultivated terraces, snow fed lakes and gushing rivers. Bountiful as they come and making each of the 99 rooms and suites a vantage perch that warms your cockles. The spanking new resort, oozes provincial chic with its architecture and design inspired by the best that Himachal Pradesh has to offer. The promise is but one of an experience truly beyond Shimla. Surrounded by majestic snow peaks that nudge their clear views in from every nook and cranny of this tall resort, it wouldnt be overstating the obvious if one says this is the resort with the view. Travellers en-route to Narkanda, Hatu and Lahaul-Spiti get an ideal overnight pit stop at Taj Theog. Settled cosily inside, the warm wooden furniture on the wood & slate floors are born in the mountains. Tall French windows and graceful drapes jostle for attention with hand painted water colours that dot the walls. Fine-combed artefacts, meticulous furnishings and the warm assurance of the unmistakable Taj service, urge you to settle down with a mug of hot chocolate and a best seller. The ample bookshelf helps. Snug and generous as a home can be, this is your quintessential luxurious home in the hills.