Glasshouse on the Ganges, Rishikesh (A Neemrana property)

Posted by Bite Me! May 27, 2016

Glasshouse on the Ganges, Rishikesh (A Neemrana property)

The Glasshouse by the Ganges, honours an extraordinary geographical site where the Ganga turns around and flows north towards its source. This resort in Rishikesh is a magical natural spot and one of the most peaceful hotels in Uttarakhand. Set in a lychee and mango orchard of the Maharajas of Tehri Garhwal, with a garden of tropical plants, full of rare birds and butterflies, it has a sand beach of its own unlike the other Rishikesh hotels. This resort in Rishikesh offers the unique opportunity to raft spiritual on India’s holiest waters !

We visited the hotel in third week of October and the weather was just right - neither too warm nor too cold. The hotel is located about 23 kms beyond Rishikesh and one can get there by the bus or by a cab. We arrived very early in the morning and so we took a cab from the Taxi stand at Laxman Jhoola and reached the hotel in 40 minutes. This secluded property overlooks the Ganges and the mountains beyond. It features 2 Deluxe suites, 14 Grand rooms, 3 rooms and 2 Tenets each of which are named after the great Indian rivers. Even though the Glasshouse is remotely located, each of the rooms boast of all modern amenities such as air conditioners, attached baths, hot and cold water and more.

We checked in and were given the keys to our room by courteous staff who then lead us to our room. Once you are at the Glasshouse, you can opt for numerous activities like rafting, gliding, bunjee jumping etc which the staff organises for your at a nominal fee. We were there to relax and enjoy our day so we did not opt for any of those activities.

The property is like an old mansion with high ceilings, open glass windows and a grand façade which opens towards the private garden and sand beach by the Ganges.

The furniture in the room was adorned with traditional upholstery and the windows let the natural light flow into the room. The room surprisingly had an LCD TV (Neemrana properties usually do not have TVs in their rooms) but we had enough to do that we forgot about the TV very soon. The bathrooms in comparison were much more modern in style.

Lunch was served just in time and we were impressed by the food. Lunch and Dinner have a set buffet menu which changes every day. There is a fixed nominal rate for each of the meals (veg and non veg buffet). In case you feel hungry otherwise, you can order from their limited a la carte menu. We really enjoyed the food a lot and were looked after very well by the staff. Tired after the overnight journey we headed over to the room for some rest.

Once we were rested, we wandered out to explore the property. The mansion opened out to a beautiful lush garden which has a small play area for children and a larger area for adults to explore. This garden then lead to the private beach by the Ganges. High tea was served by the beach. Fresh biscuits and mathri made in house were served with tea/coffee. The cool breeze and the view just made the evening so much more enjoyable.

At about 6 pm, the pandits came down to the beach for the Ganga Aarti that takes place every evening. As guests of the property, you can also take part in the Aarti. The whole experience soothes and rejuvenates the mind and soul. Once the Aarti is done, you can opt to play some games indoor (like Carrom, chess, etc.) or you can opt to play outdoors like we did. We played Badminton and Table tennis for some time and then headed for a walk by the beach. You can also choose to spend time reading, sitting by the log fires, barbeque near the banks of the Ganges and can also indulge in a spa.