Out of its ashes, like the mythical phoenix, to be
born again has risen the Hotel Wildflower Hall atop a mountain and amidst a forest near Shimla, whose serene environs in colonial days once had served as summer residence to the British commander- in- chief Lord Kitchener. Being a keen gardener the British lord personally supervised the landscaping, enriching it by growing wild flowers from the forests around and giving the place its evocative name. The colonial ambiance was later converted into a hotel.
Run by Himachal Tourism earlier, the heritage hotel got burnt down in 1993. For accommodation Wild Flower Hall then had ten family suites, ten deluxe and semi-deluxe rooms, and spread out over a twenty-two acre estate there were twelve independent cottages also. However the newly built Wild Flower Hall now is a joint venture luxury hotel of Himachal Tourism and the Oberoi’s group. The new building while incorporating original designs of the older one has been delicately blended with the mountain-scape around.
The hotel’s location provides an excellent opportunity to get close to nature and experience the mystery and romance of the Himalayas. A walk around the forests of Wild Flower Hall could make one a naturalist, for a rich collection of Himalayan flora and fauna is sheltered by the woods. Among forests of oak, pine and deodars there are meadows of wild flowers, which offer stunning views of the Himalayan Mountains.
It has taken three and half years to build this multi-crore international luxury resort. Being a zero pollution unit the hotel has a state of the art sewerage treatment plant, which recovers and recycles all wastewater for gardening and landscaping purposes. An incinerator with filtered chimneys absorbs all emanating pollutants helping to keep the mountain air pollution free. Columns at the foundation have seismic spring bands to withstand devastating tremors making the hotel is an earthquake resistant building.
To increase accessibility the hotels management was working towards a plan of being able to get clients from Bombay to reach the hotel in a three-hour air passage. Helicopters proposed to be stationed at Delhi and Chandigarh will pick up guests from the airports that would bring them to Wild Flower Hall.
The hotels eighty-five suites have all the modern amenities of a luxury hotel. For holding meetings and conferences there are two large rooms with an adjoining terrace. Besides that there are two syndicate rooms and a separate boardroom fully equipped with a state of art business center.
The resort also has a world class spa and fitness center offering beauty treatments and rejuvenating therapies, including yoga, meditation and detoxification programmes. In addition to the well-equipped gym, there is also an indoor heated pool and an open air Jacuzzi.
If you are seeking a luxurious base for trekking and adventure sports in the mountains Wild Flower Hall has it all. The resort offers a range of activities. Those wanting to explore the surroundings could set out on bird watching excursions, heritage walks, nature trails and pony rides, while the more adventurous can take on mountain biking, river rafting and trekking.
There is an all weather outdoor ice skating rink certainly the only one of its kind in the country, which can be converted into a tennis court on a summer day. For those preferring to stay indoors, there is billiards, cards, a music room and a library.