"Welcom" to Savoy

In the Queen of Hills

This Welcomgroup property is steeped in history and culinary traditions. The Savoy, Mussoorie is all about creating memories while journeying through its fabled past. A monument in itself!

Text & Photographs: Farzana Contractor

I was darn lucky to have managed to squeeze in a holiday, just before the country-wide lockdown was imposed on March 24, 2020.

To be specific, I was onboard my return flight home, post holiday, merely four days before the lockdown and after the first case of COVID had just been detected in Dehradun from where I had taken my flight back. Yup, my family I and were returning all masked up, but in an exalted state, refreshed and rejuvenated from a peaceful stay, first on the banks of the Ganges and later a charming short stay at Welcomhotel, The Savoy Mussoorie.  

I am quite certain were it not for this timely holiday, I would have had withdrawal symptoms these past eight months and ended up suffering from wanderlust!

End of Feb, beginning of March is a period locked up in my dairy for my annual ski trip to Gulmarg. As it happened this year, no thanks to the abrogation of J&K, travelling to Kashmir was out. But the strong lure of the Himalayas took me to Rishikesh, to a friend's beautiful glass house, located right on the banks of the Ganga. Few experiences surpass restful days on a riverbank. You can sit for hours just watching the river flow. Its changing moods, a study in itself.

A visit to Parmarth Niketan Ashram and partaking in the evening aarti is de rigueur when in Rishikesh and I did not miss it this time either. It's beautiful at dusk, when the aarti finishes and devotees set down the mud diyas, which float away in the swirling waters. It is a mesmerising sight, the chants lending to the ethereal experience, the atmosphere charged with emotional energy. COVID wasn't even on my mind.

I couldn't be in the region and not go to Mussoorie, just over an hour away, especially when The Savoy, with its English Gothic architecture, was there, waiting to welcome us in all its splendour. Now that the management had been taken over by the Welcomgroup, I was excited to see the changes.

I was last in Mussoorie over 15 years ago, and I remember thinking Savoy should be saved, when the almost decrepit property was pointed out to me by my driver-cum- guide. Soon after, Kishore Kumar Kaya, a well-known industrialist from Delhi took over this property in 2005 and spent almost a decade restoring it to its former glory and reopened it again in June 2013 for guests. The process of restoration can just go on and on and I can't tell you how glad I am that the Welcomgroup is now in charge of this property. They do such an honest and responsible job of renovations and refurbishments, with minute attention to details, it's really remarkable. Of course, food is never, never overlooked and I wasn't disappointed with the dining experiences here, either. But more about that later.

Gautam Valli, the General Manager walked me through the property with great enthusiasm and not the least pride. When I turned around to tell him he was such a fortunate guy to be in charge of such a delightful place, his immediate response was, "That's such an understatement. I feel blessed!"

I loved the rooms, so English, so cosy. The beds are all frilly and soft and inviting, the armchairs so old-world, the furnishings all flowery and in pastel shades, the walls in muted colours. Even the pictures on the walls were in keeping with the theme and had appropriate floral prints delicately set in golden frames. The old-worldliness extended to the lay of my suite; the bed chamber as you enter, leading to a dressing room, leading to the bathroom, with a tub overlooking the snow-capped mountains yonder. And then the piéce de résistance, slim glass double doors opening on to a tiny balcony, my all-time weakness!

There are differently styled rooms, some larger, some more private, some with the best mountain views (named Mountain Room, naturally). Interestingly, an entire block has recently been created, from a skeletal architectural remnant, styled in a modern fashion. This three-level block has the only elevator on the premises. It's rather thoughtful to have created this wing for there are many not able to run or even walk around the Savoy acres, and yet want to enjoy a stay here. The elevator helps. Once up there, the 360u00b0 view is so spectacular, you may just want to stay put.

Incidentally the hotel sits pretty perched within 22 acres of pristine land, most of it landscaped beautifully. Which, as a matter of fact, was what I noticed as soon as I got out of the car, right at the reception. It was pure joy to notice the innumerable species of flowers, with astounding colours, beauty and scents. The trees also took my breath away! Right there in the courtyard stands a gorgeous one, over 100 years old. It is at this spot that I was to witness a ceremony which takes place every evening, just before sunset; the lowering of the Savoy flag. Should you be going to Savoy, do participate in this ceremony and remember, in 1947 the first Indian flag to be raised in Uttar Pradesh was done at the Savoy Hotel.  

The flowers and the trees and the lawns and the shrubs, the amazing plants inspired me to meet with the head gardener, as well as the horticulturist of the hotel. I spent a fruitful hour with these gentlemen, in the all-glass conservatory, surrounded by a multitude of flowering baskets, learning more about bulbs and saplings and compost and how best to take care of your plants. I was so grateful he even gave me tips on how to take care of the Wisteria saplings (my dream is to see them flower), I had taken back from Nainital a year ago and which were threatening to die out on me. I am happy to let you know the plants, though slow-growing, are alive and creeping up my garden wall in Panchgani, where I am locked down right now, keying in....

I love hotel stays, and to me the history of a hotel matters. And the more steeped in history and charming stories, the better. The Savoy has so many. How could it not? It's over two centuries from the time this architectural marvel was born!

So, the history of The Savoy goes back nearly 200 years when Capt Frederick Young, founder of the Gorkha Seymour Regiment in the Doon Valley, decided to first build a hunting lodge somewhere where Camel's Back Lodge is at present and then decided to build his home in Landour called Mullingar. At the same time he built a number of properties, one of which was the Grant Lodge which was rented out by the East India Company and run by Mrs Grant. This property later became the iconic Savoy Hotel sitting pretty on the Queen Of Hills, Mussoorie.

In 1849, the Grant Lodge became the Maddock's School and later Stokes School which was affiliated to London's Oxford University and Calcutta University.

In 1890, an Irish barrister, Cecil D'Lincoln, converted the school into the hotel and named it Savoy Hotel after a famous castle in Ireland called the Savoy Castle. Committed to building the most beautiful hotel of Eastern Hemisphere, he imported all the Edwardian furniture, cut glasses and China crockery, silver cutlery, pianos and grand pianos, paintings and other artifacts all the way from England and Europe. The journey to transport this cargo took six long months by ship to Calcutta and then to Allahabad. It was transported to Saharanpur from where it was all loaded onto bullock carts and transported to Rajpur Road in Dehradun. From here, porters carried this load on their back to the Savoy Hotel in Mussoorie, a tedious, two-day journey which was about seven miles!

It's something I urge you to keep in mind and appreciate when you are at The Savoy, savouring it all...

Savoy memories include other tidbits, too, such as when Nutan, who later became the famous actress, was crowned Miss Mussoorie in 1950, when she was just 16 years old, as the first Femina Miss India which actually started at this hotel.

Savoy which had four hard court tennis courts, hosted, from the 1920s, many international level championships and was famous for the Himalayan Car Rally Racing. It was from here the rally was flagged off, for many years.

It was also famous as a film tourism destination from early 1950s, and in the same tradition, still continues to attract many directors and producers, as it is one of the biggest hill resorts on any of the hills of India. In fact, there is a nook on the way to the dining hall which displays pictures of many Bollywood stars who spent time at Savoy.

The Savoy also has a historic post office inside the premises of the hotel which is still run by the Government of India. In existence since 1920 it has gone as Savoy Post Office and even has a 'Savoy Hotel' stamp. Neat, huh?

Additional trivia, albeit impressive, is the list of dignitaries, stalwarts from many fields who have stayed at this historic hotel. Right from the first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru followed by prime ministers Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Morarji Desai, to the first President of India, Dr Rajendra Prasad, and later, VV Giri and Giani Zail Singh. From around the world, the list is also impressive; Emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie; Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi; Prince of Cambodia, Norodom Sihanouk; King of Nepal, Maharaja Dev Shamsher; King of Bhutan, Kesang Choden (Dorji Wangchuk); Prime Minister of Poland, Piotr Jaroszewicz; H.H. Dalai Lama and H.H. Panchem Lama (who visited together in 1959); H.R.H. Prince Peter of Greece and Denmark; Marshall Shah Wali Khan and Humaira Begum of Afghanistan; Governor of Trinidad and Tobago, Solomon Hochoy; His Majesty, The Crown Prince of Laos.

An interesting aside took place in 1920, when the Indo-Afghan Peace Treaty was taking place at the Savoy Hotel. It so happened that at the same time, Motilal Nehru and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, along with their family, were staying at the hotel when they were asked to leave within 24 hours! British officers feared that Pandit Nehru may interact with the delegates and upset their apple cart!

There are two parts of the hotel, which depending on your personal inclination, you are likely to spend time in; the bar and the al fresco patio.

If the bar is where the cockles of your heart are warmed, the patio, the large open-air deck with a stunning view, is where your soul feels peace.

First the bar, it's historic. Simply because of the great men and women who have spent time there over the century, when its doors were first opened in the summer of 1902. I can actually visualise happy people sharing joy and laughter, imbibing spirits, exchanging stories, not replete of intrigue I am sure. A possibility given that innumerable famous men and women from the world of politics and business and even films, have spent many a cold evening in its warm interior.

However, it's the writers and authors who have stolen the march. It is named The Writer's Bar, in honour of the many famed literary luminaries who visited or stayed at the hotel; Rudyard Kipling, Jim Corbett, Lowell Thomas (the famous traveller, who in 1926 wrote in his memoirs, "There is a hotel in Mussoorie where they ring a bell just before dawn so that the pious may say their prayers and the impious get back to their own beds"), John Lang, Pearl S Buck and our very own Ruskin Bond who lives in the region and still visits!  

To my delight, Gautam Valli had some amazing cocktails planned for my tasting and I spent a good part of the evening at the Writer's Bar, drinking these and listening to his stories about The Savoy, food and ingredients from the Garhwals included.

Warmed thus, we joined the group on the deck, sitting around a raging bonfire, listening to a talented young man strumming a guitar, singing old Hindi songs. The bonhomie was such, we all joined him in the chorus of the songs giving us enough reason to smile, for we discovered we could also sing! Remember it was March and the night was very cold and the bonfire most welcome. The fairy lights in the pretty leafless tree lent magic to the night.

The deck which looks beautiful in the dark of night, with stars shining bright, changes its avatar quite completely, by day. Early morning, as the sun starts to peek out from behind the mountains and the slanting rays start to offer some warmth, the early risers are offered a treat. Spread out in an elegant row are all the treats any health aficionado would desire; fresh spinach, carrot, apple juice, muesli, dry fruits, sprouting beans, flavoured yogurt. You could, if you wish, nibble at some of this spread or choose to eat a full breakfast right there on the deck. Alternatively, you could walk across to the large dining hall and eat to your heart's desire from the huge and lavish breakfast buffet.

I went easy with the breakfast, in anticipation of the lunch that was planned by Chef Rajeev Badola.

The deck, dressed in warm sunshine, with tables in crisp white linen, and shining brass tableware, was rather alluring. And I was thrilled to be partaking in the Garhwali meal that the chef had meticulously planned.

It was in one word, memorable. There are meals one doesn't forget easily; this was one of them. Served in brass vatis, the portions were perfect, so I actually managed to eat each of the 10 dishes cooked.

It's a good thing that my metabolism helps and my sporting inclinations always come to the fore. So playing croquet in the late afternoon helped me deal with all the calories that had found their way into the body. Also inspired me to buy a set of the game for myself, when I got back home!

Before leaving for the airport, my friend Selma and I managed to do two things. Make a church visit and shop on the way back. I always make it a point to read up whatever is left in the room for one to read. And I had seen from that literature that there was an old church not far from the hotel that one could visit. A morning walk never did anyone harm, so accompanied by an attendant we went to see what was in store. Our attendant went over to the back of the church which was perched aloft on a small climb and got hold of the caretaker, who came and unlocked the church for us.

The interior took our breath away. Such old-world charm. It was so quiet and serene. And in spite of very limited visitors, the church kept dust-free and clean. There was a huge manuscript of the old testament on the lectern and an old acoustic organ (check). The floor had graves with epitaphs taking them back to late 1800 and the walls many more such inscriptions. The large windows were itself a testimony to skillful carpentry as was the stained glass which spoke volumes of the talent that artisans of yore possessed.

There was also a thriving tree planted in 1906 by Princess of Wales (later Queen Mary) on her visit to the church. She was of course a guest at The Savoy and had thrown a garden party (for British soldiers, I think) which later came to be called The Beer Garden.

An interesting offer The Savoy makes, which I gathered from literature in my room, was that one could go on a picnic. I can't think of anything nicer I could do in the hills. Go for a drive far away, with a picnic hamper cramped with goodies, a dhurrie to sprawl upon, a few friends, a bottle of wine, stop at a picturesque spot overlooking the valley. Sounds like heaven to me. What do you say?

I say perfect but it's all about a question of time! It was a fair amount that I packed in, given the time constraint. And if there is any misgiving I have about The Savoy Mussoorie, it's my fault; I was there for too short a while.