Shimla (India)

Advantages: Beautiful scenery, change of atmopshere
Disadvantages: Crowded, not much to do

...that was then, and today Shimla has lost much of it's classiness, but the air of romance and elegance that surrounds the name persists. Shimla has it's origins as one of the many hill stations that dot the higher altitudes of India, which were once the summer retreat from the heat and dust of the cities for members of the British elite. Today, although the city itself has become rather gritty and grimy, it's still a pleasant place to visit for those ...
...You can reach Shimla a number of ways. We chose to drive up, which took the better part of a day from Delhi (total distance 370 km). Alternatively, you can take the bus, train, or even fly up from Delhi. None of these options is overly expensive, though you may want to consider carefully how to get up there if you have young children in tow. Driving was fun in some ways for not only did it give us the chance to see the countryside, it also meant ... Read review

Advantages: Excellent in Summers and Winters, Nestled in Majestic Himalayas
Disadvantages: Due to it's proximity to New Delhi tends to get overcrowded

...so good for the place. Shimla at an altitude of 2213 meters above sea level is easily accessible from Road, Rail and Air with pristine beauty sqaundered all around. There are pine forests and waterfalls in abundance enroute. The Rail connection from Kalka to Shimla is through what is called a toy train which chugs along on a dream-like track, crossing 108 tunnels and stop-overs at quaint stations making it a special experience. The ticket for a single ...
...never like to fly into Shimla since it dips the excitement of nursing and absorbing nature's beauty. The hotel tariffs are reasonable and range between 10 - 100GBPs a day. So you have a big enough range enough to fit Shimla into your budget. We stayed in Hotel Bridgeview, which is owned by a friend so we got a hefty off season discount as well. I'd like to point out that negotiate with your travel agent for the best deal always. Also, ensure booking ... Read review

Advantages: Beautiful hotel in charming gardens and quiet location
Disadvantages: Not enough heating and a bit bizarre

...When we were planning our trip to northern India and hunting for hotels, we decided to treat ourselves to one good hotel and decided it should be in Shimla. We couldn't afford to go expensive in Delhi, there was nothing interesting in the modern city of Chandigarh and Amritsar didn't have anything fancy anywhere in the part of town we wanted. So Shimla it was. I spent a lot of time researching hotels and our first thoughts had been to go for the Cecil - a swanky place with a spectacular spa - but the hotel was just too far out of town. Shimla's a city for walking and much of the centre is barred to vehicles so it doesn't make sense to be at such a distance that you can't walk to the centre. So I checked out the lists of so-called Heritage Hotels (i.e. those independent places with a bit of history to them) and fell for the Woodville... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Great views, interesting cultural experience
Disadvantages: Aggressive monkeys

...On your first day at high altitude, the normal advice is to take things easy; drink lots of water, walk slowly, breathe deeply and get used to the change in atmosphere. Rushing around like a lunatic is a bad idea and can set off altitude sickness. So, it would be fair to say that our decision to go to the Jakhoo Temple in Shimla on the day we arrived was pretty dumb. The temple sits on top of Jakhoo Hill at an altitude of almost 2500m, a good 300m higher than most of the city of Shimla which is already at 'nose-bleed' height. We had arrived that morning, settled into the hotel and been out for a substantial lunch and a good wander, when we came across the tourist office at Scandal Point. Tourist Offices in India can be quite tricky. They are seldom like European ones where you wander in, say 'What should we do?' and get given... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: It's fun, it's cheap and you get cups of free tea
Disadvantages: It's cramped, uncomfortable and can get a bit boring

...Background *********** In the days when the British ruled India there were many problems for an expatriated Brit to contend with but one of the most serious was the heat. The average chap sent out to make his fortune or defend his nation's economic and political interests wasn't bred to deal with saturation humidity and thermometer-bursting temperatures. To cope with these extremes, each summer the government, civil service and everyone with the wherewithal to do so, would flee from the then-capital Calcutta and literally 'head for the hills'. Many so-called 'hill stations' provided respite from the summer heat but Shimla (or Simla) and in 1864 the city became the official Summer Capital of the British and took on the mantle of the 'Queen of the Hill Stations'. Located up at around 7000 feet in altitude, Shimla offered cool... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful