Uttarakhand is a place of myths, magic and majestic mountains. The region is full of sacred peaks, lakes and rivers. Although the presence of beautiful Shiva and Parvati temples atop the state, traces of the British period are quite clear – the thrilling tales of Jim Corbett, a hunter who lives in the famous tiger reserve that bears his name. Blessed with stunning landscapes including lush green forests and a serene river in the park, Corbett is a destination that is much bigger than a national park. But, in my opinion, Corbett is not just limited to true wildlife lovers – there are innumerable fun as well as adventure activities that can be enjoyed here.
Corbett is the only major tiger reserve that provides accommodation and rest houses inside the park. For those looking for a luxury stay, this place offers luxurious resorts out of the woods. And when it comes to choosing the right resort, both hospitality and the opportunity to immerse yourself in some culture are important to me. I recently experienced this at Golden Tusk.
Stylishly sited in Dhela, a quaint village at the edge of the Reserve Forest’s southern periphery, The Golden Tusk is a well-designed all-suite and villa resort with two tranquil pools, two restaurants and a wellness center and an abundance of Is. Indoor and outdoor activities, and much more.
Jungle safari is, of course, one of the main tourist attractions in Jim Corbett and brings in hundreds and thousands of tourists every year but it does matter which safari you book and who is guiding you. In my case, both the things were on top and finally saw a tigress. And when you come back from the jungle safari hours, head to the spa and rejuvenate yourself with the other activities the resort has to offer – from outdoor adventure activities to musical nights of lively evenings.
The Golden Tusk’s Rooms:
Rooms at The Golden Tusk are bright and airy rooms with private balcony/porch to soak in the lush views. There are eight categories of rooms and suites – Nature View Suites, Pool View Suites, Villa, Villa Grande, Tiger Suites, Garden Suites, Corbett Suites and Luxury Tent. You can take your pick from these categories and get ready for the ultimate pampering. I stayed at the Corbett Suite, which is also their Presidential Suite. It came with a spacious lawn and a huge balcony overlooking the pool. A spacious room, comfortable enough for families as well as a group of friends. The rooms are stylishly furnished and come with their own unique selling features. Some have pool views and garden views, while some face the forest and give you panoramic views of the forest.
The furnishings of the rooms are also based on a minimalist concept which makes the rooms look very spacious and provides a relaxing atmosphere.
Food and drink at Golden Tusk:
It’s easy to fall prey to a fast-paced world. Work, meetings and never-ending household chores, we often miss out on the little things in life, or just relax – and when it comes to cooking, it always takes a back seat. But if you’re staying at The Golden Tusk, you’ll be spoiled for choice. how, you ask? The resort has two restaurants that offer a wide range of options – from contemporary cuisine and local cuisine to sparkling cocktails, you will find everything you could want on your vacation or stay at The Golden Tusk.
Golden Forest Restaurant: An all day dining restaurant that serves an amazing mix of cuisines right at your table. From Italian and Indian to Chinese and even Kumaoni, you name it and they have it! I tried their Kumaoni thali, and immediately fell in love with the flavours, and oh the variety – I was spoiled for choice, literally!
the deck: The recently launched restaurant at The Golden Tusk, The Deck is the perfect place for a dinner-date. So if you’re newly engaged or married (or even single), head out there and dine under the stars on their top deck and get ready for some pampering. Be sure to try their grill platter – both the non-veg and veg selections are incredible! Chef Chander and Chef Bhupendra did a great job in preparing the menu.
Employees and Service at The Golden Tusk:
It rarely happens, at least with me, that you are more influenced by the people than by the food and decor of the place. But here it happened! Kriti Lakhotia and Anirudh Lakhotia (Founders and Directors of The Golden Resort) have done a great job in selecting the people who make our stay relentlessly comfortable. Suresh Rawat – who handles CSR – made it really easy for me to navigate everything within the resort. From operations manager – Virendra Singh, front office staff (Ravindra Adhikari, Aarti, Kamlesh and bell boys – Pratap, Anil and Narendra) and housekeeping staff (Manju and Vishal) to Water Dining staff (Gajendra) – all are warm And are welcome and that can make it even more difficult to pack up and leave the place. The people of Kumaoni region are probably like that – sweet and very hospitable. Also a special shout out to the restaurant staff (Deepak Fartiyal, Badal, Prakash, Aarti, Himanshu Manral, Deepak Arya, Ganesh and Tanu); They’ll keep feeding you… so get ready to put on some holiday weight (pun intended!).
Where: Village Dhela, Ramnagar (Nainital), Uttarakhand – 244715