Living in Himachal Pradesh was a dream and I made it come true for a year. I am completely fascinated by the beauty of the nature, people, culture, food and the traditional Himachali houses. I was always on lookout for a luxury property built in Himachali architecture, when a friend of mine suggested ShivAdya Resort near Manali to me. ShivAdya resort is a beautifully handcrafted boutique Himachali property, located on the Kullu-Naggar-Manali road, just 10 km short of Manali. It is an ideal location for the travellers who want to enjoy the serenity of Kullu valley and avoid the hustle-bustle of the crowded town of Manali.
The property is owned and built by a passionate traveler, and his passion reflects in every corner of the resort. It took him 6 years to build the property to the perfection of his vision and the result is over whelming. ShivAdya resort looks like a Himachali palace at first glance, and I fell in love with it after I experienced it more.
The property is owned and built by a passionate traveler, and his passion reflects in every corner of the resort. It took him 6 years to build the property to the perfection of his vision and the result is over whelming. ShivAdya resort looks like a Himachali palace at first glance, and I fell in love with it after I experienced it more.
ShivAdya Resort, Manali
Himachali Architecture of Shivadya Resort, Manali
ShivAdya resort is entirely built of wood, stones and mud, just as the traditional houses in Himachal. The architecture of ShivAdya Resort is inspired from the traditional Himachali palaces and the local Kath Khuni traditional houses in the Kullu region.
Right from carving the wood and stones to raising 3 structures on wooden pillars, everything has been handmade. A lot of local artists and labours were employed to bring ShivAdya up.
Right from carving the wood and stones to raising 3 structures on wooden pillars, everything has been handmade. A lot of local artists and labours were employed to bring ShivAdya up.
ShivAdya resort inspired from Himachali Palace
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Naggar Palace in Kullu
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3 storeyed structure in Shivadya resort - reception, spa and dining, inspired from Kath Khuni houses
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Kath Khuni houses in villages near Shivadya resort
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Rooms at Shivadya Resort, Manali
A cozy queen bed in a room with rustic interiors and modern amenities, made an ideal luxury ambiance that I was looking for. The floor of the room is decorated with different types of wood like walnut wood, teak wood, cedar wood, deodar wood to give rustic shades rustic shades. The traditional wooden ceilings and the doors are high enough to give a feeling of grandeur. The stone and mud walls give a warm feeling in the room even when the temperature outside is freezing cold. The interiors are subtle and classy.
Bedroom in ShivAdya Resort, Manali
The bathroom is well equipped with modern amenities like shower panel and high-quality toiletries.
Bathroom in ShivAdya Resort, Manali
There are a couple of luxury rooms with kitchenette, for the ones who seek more comfort.
Luxury room with kitchenette in ShivAdya Resort, Manali
View from the rooms at Shivadya Resort, Manali
Every room in ShivAdya resort gives unobstructed views of the mighty Himalayas. The resort is surrounded by apple orchards that make a pleasant surrounding too.
View from the rooms in ShivAdya Resort, Manali
The balconies of the rooms are big and very comfortable giving 270 degrees view of the mountains, forests and fields. The handcrafted wooden chimes hanging in the balcony are the kinds that are used in the traditional Himachali temples.
View from the room in ShivAdya Resort, Manali
Lounges at Shivadya Resort, Manali
ShivAdya resort offers ample space to lounge around. The main lounge at the ShivAdya resort is a mini-library and a good place for travelers and groups to unwind during leisure hours.
Sitting lounge in ShivAdya Resort, Manali
There's one lounge on the top floor, which is royally designed for the ones who seek more privacy and tranquility.
Private lounge in ShivAdya Resort, Manali
The resort also offers a sundeck to few rooms, which was my favourite spot for the evening coffee.
Sundeck in ShivAdya Resort, Manali
Collection of Himachali Art at Shivadya Resort, Manali
The owner of ShivAdya resort has taken all the pains to preserve Himachali art before it starts disappearing. He got artists from various parts of the state to make some pieces for ShivAdya resort. Chamba Rumaal are handkerchiefs whose designs are hand-knitted. These designs are rotational symmetric. They are framed and used to decorate various parts of the resort.
Chamba Rumaal (handkerchief), Himachali art
Traditional Himachali wood-work pieces are displayed in the lounges.
Himachali wood work
Kangra paintings is a unique art form found in the Kangra district of Himachal. The walls of ShivAdya resort adorn these beautiful paintings.
Kangra painting, Himachali art
Taala Restaurant and Food at Shivadya Resort, Manali
The 3 storied traditional houses have Taala as the topmost storey. The restaurant is on the topmost floor and is named Taala. The restaurant is big enough to give choices of tables to everyone, even at the peak dining hours.
Taala restaurant in ShivAdya resort
The outdoor sitting area of the restaurant resembles the corridor of the traditional Himachali houses. This area made an ideal place for me to enjoy my breakfast.
Outdoor sitting at Taala restaurant in ShivAdya resort
A very strange part of the restaurant is that they don't have a menu, and that is on purpose. The owner wants customers to scratch the brains of the chef, and make him invent a dish just to suit your taste. I felt like this place was made just for me because thats exactly how I order food when I'm in the mood to have some good food out.
During my stay at ShivAdya, I was served with all kinds of cuisines including Indian, continental, Mexican, Mediterranean and Chinese.
During my stay at ShivAdya, I was served with all kinds of cuisines including Indian, continental, Mexican, Mediterranean and Chinese.
Harissa Chicken at Taala restaurant in ShivAdya resort
One thing that shouldn't be missed at ShivAdya resort is the traditional Himachali food. The owner himself is the best at cooking authentic Himachali cuisine and he takes over the kitchen to cook delicious Siddu with desi ghee & walnut dip, Channey ka madra, Mah ki Dal, Khatta, Sepu badi in spinach and tamarind with rice and rotis. I had this meal to my hearts content.
Authentic Himachali cuisine at Taala restaurant in ShivAdya resort
Bouri Spa and Family Jacuzzi at Shivadya Resort, Manali
Bouri is the second story in the traditional Kath Khuni houses and the same name is used for the Spa in ShivAdya. They have 2 individual and 1 couple spa room, a steam room, a sauna and a family jacuzzi.
Bouri Spa in ShivAdya resort
Family Jacuzzi in Bouri Spa in ShivAdya resort
Nature Trails Around Shivadya Resort, Manali
ShivAdya resort is located in a very serene surrounding. There are plenty of nature trails and hikes that they have listed for their inmates. My love for the nature is enormous, so I went on a different trail everyday.
1. Nature trail to view Kullu valley at the sunset.
It was a short hike that took me through the forests and a water stream.
1. Nature trail to view Kullu valley at the sunset.
It was a short hike that took me through the forests and a water stream.
The fertile Kullu valley looked lush green with the apple orchards and the layered mountains looked alluring as the sun started to hide behind them.
2. Hike to the waterfall through Apple orchards
Another hike started from the backyard of the resort through the apple orchards, where I met locals who were working in the orchards.
The trail further took me to a traditional Himachali temple.
A walk through the pine forests took me to a very beautiful, unspoilt, hidden waterfall.
3. Nature trail through river and villages
The third day's hike showed me more beautiful elements. Trouts are found in this part of the river Beas. A rustic wooden bridge led me to a village which had apple orchards and mustard fields.
The trail further took me to a Shiva temple which had intricate stone carvings.
The trail finally ended at a village called Soel, where I was delighted to see the traditional Koth Khuni houses from which the architecture of ShivAdya resort is inspired.
Pattu tying experience at Shivadya Resort, Manali
Pattu is the traditional dress for women in Himachal and the scarf that is owrn on the head is called Thippu. the ladies at ShivAdya resort dressed me up like a Himachali to give me another experience from their traditions.
Hosts at Shivadya Resort, Manali
Ritesh Sood and his wife Neelam Sood are very passionate travellers themselves and have found their passion in giving unmatchable experience to other travellers that they'll cherish for a long time. They are loving hosts and leave no stone unturned to give every possible comfort to their guests. They made me feel at home and a part of their family in no time.
P.S. I was hosted by ShivAdya Resort to review the property.
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