Tree of Life Grand Oak Manor Binsar

We stayed here in March 2023 It’s a quaint heritage British time property Access is but tricky The staff is very well trained and courteous Food was amazing The views and location are secluded but quite impressive The do have a huge library and games collection Network can be issued at times

The old house serves as a constant amongst the ever-changing hills, providing a perennial home amid such transformation. Our journey from Delhi to Kathgodam via the Shatabdi train was a delight. The subsequent journey from Kathgodam railway station to the Grand Oak Manor was nothing short of thrilling. Despite encountering a forest fire and a thunderstorm on the day of our arrival, which resulted in prolonged driving for five hours, our family pressed on, aided by a forest ranger and with reassurances from Mr. Rajan. On reaching our destination, we were greeted by Kailash who took us in the I Suzu for bumpy ride of 600 meters toward the Manor. We found ourselves instantly charmed by the warm welcome and generous hospitality. After receiving a warm reception, which included drinks, we were shown to our rooms. We opted for the Mountain View room, which offered a breathtaking depiction of the Nanda Devi mountain range. The Grand Oak Manor is an unforgettable destination lying within the Binsar Forest Reserve in Uttarakhand. This historical colonial residence, once the home of Sir Henry Ramsay, Commissioner of Kumaon, has been restored to embrace its original grandeur. During our three-night stay, we utilized two rooms. In total, there are four rooms on the first floor, strategically situated near the inviting restaurant and sunset lounge. Additionally, there are another seven or eight rooms on the ground floor. Interestingly, the manor operates on solar power. Consequently, hot water supply is only available from 7pm to 11am. Despite this limitation, we understood and respected the constraints associated with this remote location. Even meal requests need to be placed at least two to three hours in advance, to ensure the food is prepared fresh as per our preferences. The cuisine was simple, homely and gastronomically delightful. The daily high tea ritual was always a treat, complete with a homemade cake and delicious plum jam. Our early morning bird-watching sessions, led by an experienced and humble naturalist, Mr. Ram Singh, were informative and entertaining. We were fortunate to spot a plethora of birds and even heard a leopard's call. On the subsequent day, we embarked on an adventurous 6.5 km trek to Zero Point saw yellow-throated marten , barking deer birds, adhering to the adage, no pain, no gain. Every evening, we were provided with a hot bag and hot water in a flask. We were particularly impressed with the well-trained staff, specifically Pankaj, Ganesh, and Kailash who went above and beyond to accommodate my family. Without a doubt, we are looking forward to our next visit.

Absolutely stunning location and property. The staff was very polite and courteous. The food was great.

Located in the middle of nowhere this place is a hidden gem. The location, views, sunrise and sunset views, hiking trails everything is breathtaking! The staff is super courteous and efficient. We felt so well looked after. Highly recommend this place, must visit.

The staff of the villa is very good. Mahendra Sammal ji served us very nice food which I liked very much. The food and service of the villa is very good. I would like to come to the villa again. Just like all the places in Binsar are worth visiting and the vegetable food here is also good, you all also come to the place and take advantage of the good places in Binsar

Words fall short of a nightmare experience we had with this hotel. This hotel is located in the middle of the sanctuary with extremely poor connectivity. The road to the hotel can’t even be called a road, it is so horrible. On the day of my check in, my repeated calls to the hotel were of no use as There is no signal, so neither the internet nor the calling works to reach the hotel. and they did not have the courtesy to call and check up on the arriving guests to make sure we reach safe as the roads have extremely poor connectivity. They hardly can be called a road, very unsafe and inaccessible for normal cars to drive on such steep and off road path. On finally reaching the simba café, When we tried calling the staff no one picked up, and neither were we able to find a single person in and around the café to guide us reach the hotel. On reaching up the hill to the hotel, we kept on shouting on the top of our lungs for 10 mins if even a single person is in the hotel. It seemed to be absolutely empty, as there was not a single guest car. The staff was not there in the entire property. No call had been answered by the property, we had no one to connect to/reach out as the hotel has zero network. Finally deciding to leave the property, we spot a *** who claims to be the staff of simba café. On telling him the complete incident, he himself is not able to reach the property. There is no walkie talkie for the people to communicate. There are no sign boards, there is no mention of the pickup drop facility. Having charged such a substantial amount for 1 night, we had zero pre checkin service considering how in accessible the hotel is for any person. These guys are absolutely not bothered. The horrible and appalling experience I had is difficult to put into words but what feels the worst is their pathetic attitude. I demand my refund back in full.