Meena Bagh Ratnari is a Farmstay in the middle of an apple orchard and a Permaculture Farm, 74kms beyond Shimla. (17kms from Narkanda).
The property is part of Meena Bagh Homes, newly built eco-friendly homes in Himachal. The property is built for leisure and and is suitable for those who prefer luxury in serenity, surrounded by nature, tranquillity and farm animals.
(Winters: It can snow anytime from December -March. Snowfall can be mild to heavy)
The space
The bungalow sits bang in the middle of an organic Permaculture Farm . It is far from the madding crowd of Himachal's hill towns (74kms from Shimla and 17kms from Narkanda) ). It is suitable for those looking for seclusion, tranquility, nature and space (both indoors and outdoors) and the surreal experience of living in a Himachali home in the middle of a diverse Permaculture Farm which has 6 different farm animals. (cats, dogs, sheep, rabbits , ducks and chicken).
The tariff does not include meals. But all meals can be ordered on a la carte basis. At Meena Bagh Ratnari we grow our own food organically and provide Farm to Table whenever possible.
The bungalow has four bedrooms with attached bathrooms. The bedrooms on the first floor are encircled by large lounging and living areas with single beds and settees to accommodate more people. There is a sun-room with skylights adjoining the kitchen. One can bask in the sun here throughout the day. The bungalow is great for family get togethers, reunions, parties etc.
With its stone, mud and wooden walls, the architecture is a mix of traditional Himachali and modern chalet aiming to incorporate local aesthetics with luxury.
Because its in the middle of an orchard, one has to walk about 150 meters through the apple orchard to reach it from the road. If you have walking issues this place may not be suitable for you.
Installed in the compound is an Observatory equipped with India's largest privately owned Telescope. Guests can book their sky-gazing sessions during the time of their booking.
Guests can also book exclusive guided fruit and berry picking tours and pick fruits and berries in season which include strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, plums, cherry, apricot, apples, pears, nectarines and peaches.
The bungalow is in Ratnari village - a famous apple belt in Himachal -where the locals engage in intensive apple farming. Its a prosperous but closed society therefore respecting local sentiments would be appreciated. Kindly do not venture into any orchard without supervision or light any bonfire anywhere. Needless to say, if you should go for a picnic in the adjoining woods make sure you bring the trash back to the bungalow with you.
Needless also to say that any sort of loud noise (music), honking etc that may disturb the locals will not be appreciated.
The village market is a kilometre away and has few provision stores stocking the usual daily needs items. The closest big town is Narkanda, 17kms away.
If you are a good trekker you can trek upto the famous Hatu Peak ( 4km trek one way.) Alternatively one can go on small treks to the adjoining forest five minutes walk away. (ps: These activities have been suspended due to Covid-19. Now guests would not be free to move anywhere in our farm and orchard but not anywhere outside on the main roar or forest etc).
Discounts/ Preferences:
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a) We offer upto 50 percent discount to writers, artists, and anyone associated with any sort of conservation activity.
b) We also give preference to travellers with pets.
c) The house is gay friendly.
d) We also allow married couples.
ECO-FRIENDLY
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1) Harvesting / Recycling : Water self-sufficiency We harvest rain- water.
2) Insulation.
The outer walls of the house and the room ceilings are insulated with XPS insulant. This provides insulation both against the cold weather.
3) Solar Energy:
We use solar energy to power our geysers. But for cloudy days we also have electric geysers.
4) Furniture from Waste Wood:
The furniture, from the beds to the lamp-shades have all been designed in-house using 'waste' wood. This is the discarded wood picked up from the wood-mills. We used this wood to design almost everything you see in the house.
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Design & Architecture:
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The bungalow is confusion of tradition and modernity. Its inner mud and stone walls are over 65 years old. The outer frame of the house, including the floor, and the ceilings are all wooden.
We have additionally insulated the outer walls and the roof of the house for weather.
Guest access
The guests get the entire 4 bedroom Bungalow , the attic, the sunroom and the lounging rooms to themselves. If however you need only one or two rooms there is an option to book that too. Do check with us.
Other things to note
There is an initial 50 feet or so climb from the road . Guests with walking disabilities, on wheelchairs etc may find this climb difficult.
