A Resort in Jim Corbett is Bursting with Colour

A steep decline with bits of gravel ingrained in the ground takes one off the highway of Jim Corbett National Park, Ramnagar into the gates of The Wild Crest. After almost two hours of journeying through dried up forests and ochre towers of termite houses, the sight that awaited me was an unexpected gift: Blooms of spring flood the premises with colour, popping up in the harsh sun of the March afternoon amidst bushes of fresh green leaves.

There are a bundle of hotels in Jim Corbett to choose from, but I managed to book my stay about 15 days in advance despite my indecisiveness. It was to be a three-night-four-day affair at the end of March. Situated in Dhikuli at the edge of the national park, the resort was to offer no serendipitous spotting of the deer or the mating calls of a peacock in the near distance. But what it lacks in its location, it made up for in its internal offerings.

Getting There

My plans for solo travel were finally coming to life, though not without my parents’ concerns pervading over each tiny detail. Buses to Ramnagar were suspended, and taking a cab through the eerie fields of UP did not sound appealing. So we finally settled on the good old railways. I booked a two-way ticket on the Kathgodam Shatabdi, which passed through dust-laden stations of Lal Kuan and Moradabad to drop me at the base of the hills in almost six hours. From there, the resort had sent a taxi to pick me up. With a change in terrain comes a change in operations, and as in most hill stations, in Ramnagar too the taxies are priced as per whims and conveniences. Chucking the per km system, the driver had quoted a straight 2,000 bucks for the two-hour drive. In retrospect, my excitement had made me succumb too easy. The road to the resort was colourful to say the least, with the dark shade of mango trees contrasting the sun soaked fields of wheat, and the enthusiastic driver playing tunes from Haryana that blew my mind with their perception of love.

The Resort

The cottage was a single room with a king-size bed and an en-suite bathroom. Everything from the floor to the panelling was wooden, with the window AC camouflaging under its matching all-wooden casing. Average though comfortable linen with a satiny comforter awaited me on the bed, but there was more to look around first. Every corner of the room had windows, while the room’s dim yellow lighting offered a rustic charm of its own. The bathroom was an off-white affair of tile, with the surprising addition of a bathtub to soak in. It took me three rounds of heating the water and about 30 minutes of waiting to fill it every time, but the effort seems worth it if you’re one for simple pleasures. Upon passing the iron gates, my tiredness melted away instantaneously. A welcoming team promised a swift check in, and I was shown to my stone and wood cottage. On the way, manicured trees towered on either side of the stoney path with white enamelled chairs keeping them company. It was so hot that afternoon that I couldn’t hear myself think, but I remember the buzzing of a bee on a dahlia.

The Food (Typical of Jim Corbett)

Starved after the meagre cutlet breakfast in the Shatabdi, I ordered myself some good old Indian off the buffet menu. My package include breakfast and dinner, but the in-room dining service suggested I go for dishes that wouldn’t take up to 45 minutes to prepare. So I ordered a helping of rajma, paneer butter masala with some tawa rotis to get myself going. While the meal was off to a good start, what I didn’t know was that the food to come later would be nothing like it. The buffet that night was floating in oil. As it’s typical of most resorts in the most commercial sites in India, overcooked veggies overdone in a load of spices and oil seem to be a hit among the otherwise mundane middle class target group. But if you’re one who’ll choose to indulge in it, the caveat is this: while the first impression is lip-smacking, the aftermath is ruinous. I went on to try everything from the Indian-style vermicelli for breakfast to kadhai chicken and dal handi during dinners. But what stole my heart away were the vadas, which came to life with a side of coconut chutney during the 8-10am dining hours. Mind you, they were exceptional only by the hotel’s own standards.

If you’re a sucker for good (or let’s say, edible) coffee, make sure to ask the staff to make it strong. The first time I ordered one, I got a cup of milk with two granules of coffee floating in it, leaving me wondering if I had by mistake ordered warm milk.

All in all, the resort had a courteous staff that feeds with a smile and vast open grounds that welcome you with dew under your feet. Head here for a simple digital detox amidst greenery and the cool Corbett air. Pick up points for safaris into the Dhela and Jhirna gate are only 10 minutes away from the place. A pool lights up by the evening and makes for a great vantage point to catch the stunning lighting of the entire place, though you might want to avoid getting in. I wanted to try what other hotels in Jim Corbett had to offer, but the one nearest refused to take in an outsider, and that was my cue to get lazy and head back to my temporary colourful abode.

What: The Wild Crest Resort
Where: Dhikuli, Ranikhet Rd, Ramnagar, Uttarakhand 244715
When: Visited in March, though the flowers look as if they must bloom all year round
How Much: Cottage room with MAP plan starting at Rs 4,500 per night
Overall Score: 4/5 for the staff; 2/5 for the food; 4/5 for the resort

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