Birds and More, Shaheenbagh

The only sounds you hear at this getaway are the birds chirping, leaves rustling, water gurgling and the clocks ticking. Tucked away in Doon Valley, Shaheenbagh is a pretty hideout, located 30 minutes from Dehradun. The five- hour drive from Delhi may leave you exhausted but the fatigue vanishes as soon as you step into this boutique resort. Designed like a colonial home, there are four rooms done up in different themes. You could choose to stay in the Blue Room, obviously done up with blue upholstery and sanitary ware, or go green in the Green Room. If a touch of opulence is what you’re looking for, then choose the Master Suite, which has a huge living room, a stately bedroom and a grand bathroom. For us, the piece- de- resistance of the house was the living- cum- dining room. This charming room with its high ceiling is the centre of the house. Overlooking the verdant surroundings, the large room is where you can laze around the entire day. We curled up in the sofas overlooking the fireplace and read to our heart’s content. This is also where you will be served yummy homecooked food. While they offer Continental and Chinese meals too, we suggest sticking to homestyle dal, sabji, roti and mutton— the best you could get away from home. Our host Arun Gupta let us pick a DVD from his huge collection of classics, which took care of the next few hours. Tariff Rs 7,000 onwards Getting there A five- hour drive from Delhi via Roorkee Where 18, Begh Village, Shigaly School Road, Dehradun