India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (399 page)

The Hidden Forest Retreat, Sinchey Busty, Gangtok 737 101.
/fax
03592/20-5197
or 94-7498-1367.
www.hiddenforestretreat.org
. 12 units (with shower). Rs 2,150 single; Rs 3,000 double. Rs 700 extra bed. Rates include all meals. No credit cards at press time but may soon accept MC, V; please check.
Amenities:
Dining; doctor-on-call; heater; television.

Netuk House
Buddhist prayer flags flutter above this gorgeously situated and well-run family guesthouse with real Sikkimese flavor. The warm Denzong family, who are always pleased to introduce guests to local culture, owns it. All accommodations are unique; four guest rooms are in the main house and six are in the colorful annex, with its traditional rainbow-hued Sikkimese-style facade. Guest rooms are simple but lovely, and have good, comfortable mattresses covered in crisp white linen. Carefully prepared traditional four-course Sikkimese meals are served in the dining room; there is a charming Sikkimese-style living room with an attached bar.

Tibet Rd., Gangtok 737 101.
03592/20-6778
or 94-7435-2975.
[email protected]. 12 units (with shower). Rs 4,150 double, Rs 2,450 single, Rs 1,455 extra person; Rs 725 children 8–12; Rs 375 children 4–7; free for children under 4; taxes extra. Rates include all meals. No credit cards.
Amenities:
Restaurant; bar; doctor-on-call; TV lounge.

Nor-Khill
This stylish hotel, once the royal guesthouse of the former king, offers the priciest and most luxurious accommodations in the state of Sikkim, fronted by a lovely lawn (sadly, overlooking Gangtok’s sports stadium). The renovated deluxe units resemble suites, with a large bedroom area extending off a comfortable and beautiful living area; views are excellent. Huge floral or dragon-motif rugs cover the wood tile floors, and the furnishings and fittings are carved and painted Sikkimese-style. Beds are a little narrow and slightly soft, but have lovely fabrics and scatter cushions. Bathrooms are spacious, with tubs and natural light. Standard doubles are spacious and equally beautiful; reserve room no. 43 or 44, which are large and well-positioned. The room rate includes all meals, served as a set-menu in the formal
Shangri-La Restaurant.

Paljor Stadium Rd., Gangtok 737 101.
03592/20-5637
or 0359/22-0064. Fax 03592/20-5639. Reservations: 5 Park Row, 47 Park St., Kolkata 700 016.
033/2226-9878. Fax 033/2246-6388.
www.elginhotels.com
. 25 units. Rs 5,900 single; Rs 6,200 standard double. Rs 2,450 extra bed. Rates include all meals. AE, MC, V.
Amenities:
Restaurant; bar; airport transfer (Rs 2,200); babysitting; currency exchange; doctor-on-call; room service. In room: TV, heater.

Near Rumtek

There are plenty of small guesthouses in the area, but the biggest and best would be
Martam Village Resort
(reviewed below) and the
Bamboo Resort
(
03592/25-2516;
www.sikkim.ch/bamboo-resort.html; Rs 4,200 double) set amid paddy fields. The rooms are small but clean; some come with balconies. Each has its own color scheme according to Feng Shui principles—frankly, the red and blue is a trifle overpowering. Another option is the
Teen Talay Eco-Garden Resort
(
98-3201-4867;
Rs 3,100 double)—more a homestay, it is run by an affable family who go out of their way to make guests feel comfortable, even throwing in
tabla
lessons for free. Sadly, the
Shambhala Mountain Resort,
located right next to the monastery, has become quite seedy and is to be avoided.

Martam Village Resort
Although it covers barely an acre, this lovely resort (a bit of a misnomer) is an excellent place to stay for several reasons. Just half an hour from Rumtek, it is one of the few places where you get fantastic views, not of Kanchenjunga for once, but of the lower hills, their terraced fields of mustard, corn, and paddy creating a ripple effect: brown in winters and green and golden in the summers. Awakened by boisterous roosters, guests are taken for short or long walks through villages and forests full of giant bamboo and wild orchids by the enthusiastic Pema, who will point out the many varieties of natural herbs used for everything from toothaches and antiseptics to writing ink and paper. Facilities in the 14 thatched cottages are basic—rooms spartan, doddering heaters, bathrooms just okay, cuisine unimaginative—but the atmosphere all around more than makes up for these small inconveniences.