What we love
- Assam is the tea-producing capital of the world and Jorhat is its beating heart. Leave behind the ceaseless hum of the mains roads and drive through miles of bucolic tea plantations to arrive here.
- This sprawling bungalow is over a century old and houses few rooms that serve up colonial chic with vintage furniture. Submerge yourself in the canopied beds, the mosaic floors, the fireplaces and the wide verandah fringing the bungalow. The furnishings may be a tad tatty but it’s all rather atmospheric and very charming. Best of all are the vast swathes of emerald lawn that skirt the bungalow.
- The cook is obliging, and armed with a squadron of helpers, will whip up whatever your heart desires. Though, this is the place to beguile your taste-buds with Assamese cooking!
- The pace of life here is gentle, but there’s plenty to do - take an early morning walk, nod off under the enormous 150-year old banyan tree, play croquet or splash around in the sun-drenched pool. There’s a swing in the garden and you can even go fishing!
What to know
- This bungalow is the perfect way to feel like burra sahibs and memsahibs! If you can brave the summer heat, the place may be all yours!
- The morning draws out gambolling monkeys. They’re harmless, but are known to swipe a sugar-bowl or two off the tables, so keep your things safely indoors.
- Leave your laptop behind, there’s no wifi here but that’s part of the lure of the remote, no?
- The ebony silence of the night will cement your belief in sinister faeries and will-o’-the-wisps. The power cuts don’t help either. Although the generator usually kicks off immediately, there’s sometimes a lag, so keep the torch with you at all times after dusk.