LEH & BEYOND
Best Ladakh properties to check into
LEH The Grand Dragon
Offering the plushest comfort one can find at a height of 3,500 metres, the Grand Dragon is one of Ladakh’s earliest luxury hotels. Whether you are on an indulgent high-altitude holiday or have just returned from a gruelling trek, this iconic hotel welcomes you with central heating (including heated bathroom floors!), a 24x7 coffee shop, a restaurant and tea lounge. (www.thegranddragonladakh. com; INR 15,200 deluxe rooms with breakfast)
Ladakh Eco Resort
Located in the valley’s upper reaches, the Ladakh Eco Resort is where serenity meets sustainability. An organic estate, complete with natural springs, traditionally insulated rammed earth cabins with simple, yet tasteful Ladakhi interiors and tranquil views of the mountains, this is a place to slow down and appreciate low-impact living. (www.ladakhecoresort.com; INR 13,000 with breakfast and taxes)
STOK Stok Palace Heritage Hotel
Only 14 km from the Leh airport, the 200-year-old Namgyal dynasty home opened its doors to hotel guests in 1980, and almost everyone who has since stayed at the Stok Palace has considered their time here to be a royal privilege. The walls of this museum-like boutique hotel are all covered with murals and every artefact here has a story to tell. With delectable cuisine and its very own inhouse monastery, the Stok Palace gives heritage accommodation a whole new meaning. (www.stokpalaceheritage.com; INR 16,000 with breakfast plus taxes)
NUBRA VALLEY Desert Himalaya
Once a part of the ancient Silk Route, the Nubra Valley’s newest treat is Desert Himalaya. A grand cocktail of adventure and comfort, it is some 150 km away from Leh. With deluxe and royal tents looking out at the Ladakh and Karakoram ranges, it also offers ATV rides and a running track. The showstoppers, though, are the wagon trailers, the first of their kind in the country. With wheels under them, the insulated mobile rooms come with queen-sized beds and automated pop-up televisions. (www.deserthimalayaresort.com; INR 20,000 per night with meals)
SHAM VALLEY Nimmu House
Less than an hour’s drive from Leh, Nimmu House is a charming stay, ideal to use as a base for light treks in and around the Sham Valley. One can visit the Likir and Alchi monasteries, or simply enjoy the bubble of solitude the place offers. Paired with cosy tents, the rooms in the main house also double up as a yoga retreat from time to time. (www.ladakh.nimmu-house.com; INR 10,500 with breakfast and taxes)