Discerningly aware about sustainability, The Fern Brentwood Resort, Mussoorie ensures that it follows accountable hospitality. Aside from utilizing paper straws and pure unbleached napkins produced from 100% Agro Fiber Supply, additionally they present Alkaline water as an in-room amenity for all friends sealed in glass bottles.
TDM interviews Arindam C Bahel, Basic Supervisor, The Fern Brentwood Resort, Mussoorie, to search out out extra concerning the resort its menu choices, the vacation spot and enterprise development.
Journey Each day Media (TDM): Operating a lodge within the hills is a pleasure however might be difficult as properly. Kindly share with us the USP of The Fern Brentwood Resort, Mussoorie.
Arindam C Bahel (ACB): The Fern Brentwood Resort, Mussoorie follows the ethos of Environmental sensitivity and supplies discerning friends “Hospitality with duty.” We’re one of many few inns within the hills that other than offering our friends with impeccable service and meals ship hospitality retaining in thoughts the setting. We’re the first lodge in Mussoorie to introduce Alkaline water as an in-room amenity for all friends -, we serve friends with PH7.8 water totally sanitized, packed and sealed in glass bottles as an environmental initiative saving 60000 plastic bottles annually. The friends are supplied with 2 bottles of water and refills as required.
We provide a novel “Breakfast within the Historic Forest” – a guided morning stroll and Breakfast tour an interactive phase the place the Basic Supervisor is your host. The stroll is a 2-hour exercise for the friends who want to discover Mussoorie – the flora and historic websites. One can see the Uttarkashi and the Garhwal Chamoli snow-capped ranges from right here. We serve a full-course breakfast to Company whereas telling them tales about native folklore from the hills.
We changed hazardous plastic and paper straws and have began utilizing FSSAI-approved, eco-friendly, protected & sustainable rice straws in its place. Thus, drastically decreasing single-use plastic and virgin paper consumption. We use pure unbleached napkins produced from 100% Agro Fiber Supply – sugarcane waste, eliminating paper towels from our F&B areas utterly. We use Photo voltaic water heaters that assist in conserving electrical energy and offering alternate power to warmth water for room utilization. This manner we save roughly 80 to 100 models per day. We even have Rainwater harvesting tanks with a capability of 10 KL within the lodge for water conservation.
Sustainability is an ongoing apply however taking it a notch additional by growing new requirements of sustainable tourism coupled with wellness and the usage of tech to make it seamlessly combine with the Indian custom of Atithi devo bhava is what we intention at The Fern Brentwood Resort. Mussoorie.
TDM: How has enterprise been within the first seven months of 2024? What have been your Occupancies and RevPAR? What different ancillary providers have you ever been offering to develop the lodge backside traces?
ACB: The First 7 Months have by and enormous been higher with a marginal improve in footfall and charges yielding a rise in Income by 16% since final 12 months similar interval. Occupancy is averaging at 66% and an ARR of INR 7500/ plus. This 12 months we have now consciously targeted on F&B and are internet hosting a sequence of meals festivals titled “ Flavours of India” the fourth instalment of which is able to begin from the 14th of August that includes Pahadi delicacies.
TDM: What are you doing to forge a mutually helpful long-term partnership along with your journey commerce companions?
ACB: Our journey commerce companions contribution have elevated over 3 years and the expansion has been exponential 12 months on 12 months have been presently they contribute 30 % of the general enterprise. They’re our pillar of assist within the off season, and we do have preferential charges for them. We work on season and non-season charges being a hill station and the income development is a testomony to their rising religion within the model.
TDM: Mussoorie is an attractive vacation spot, nonetheless it’s now prey to over-tourism. How do you suppose the state of Uttarakhand can reduce this menace?
ACB: Tourism performs a serious function in states like Uttarakhand, the place there’s a pure abundance of scenic places. Subsequently, Tourism as a sector right here must be developed as an trade.
Making a Grasp plan and planning forward for 15-20 years for the event of infrastructure is the important thing which I’m positive the state tourism physique is trying into.
TDM: Are you able to inform us a bit about Mussoorie as a vacationer locations, that are the locations value experiencing?
ACB: Mussoorie is a guests paradise Under are few locations of curiosity
- Mall Street – The excessive road of Mussoorie; with architectural proof of a colonial previous, it’s the procuring promenade on the Mussoorie ridge. It incorporates retailers, the well-known Tavern café and restaurant, online game parlours, a close-by Tibetan market place, and church buildings from Mussoorie’s historical past.
- Gun Hill – A scenic level at an altitude of two,024 m (6,640 ft) and at 30.4953°N 78.0745°E, and is accessed by cable automobile from the Mall highway. A cannon used to fireside a shell to sound noon through the colonial previous therefore the title. It’s the second-highest spot after Lal Tibba.
- Camel’s Again Street – gives picturesque views connecting each ends of the mall. The highway, takes its title from a rocky outcrop within the form of a camel’s hump. Awe inspiring Himalayan vistas and tall Deodar bushes abutting the Christian cemetery makes it a tranquil place to be one with nature.
- Landaur Lal Tibba and Char Dukan – The colorful serene twin of the Queen of Hills, is a comparatively much less visited place regardless that it has its personal old-world allure. The Sisters Bazaar in Landour – Mussoorie is one such hidden gem that’s quick changing into a buzzword in journey circles. Char dukan- is a should go to place in your option to Lal Tibba.
- Lal Tibba, additionally known as Depot Hill due to its former use as a army depot, is the best level in Mussoorie, with views over the city and its environment. A Japanese telescope, with views of Himalayan ranges together with Badrinath, Kedarnath, Banderpunch, was put in at Lal Tibba in 1967. It’s The complete hill gives nice views alongside the well-known “8” stroll.
- The Kempty Falls, 12 m (40 ft) excessive and 1,400 m (4,500 ft) above sea stage, is 15 km (9.3 mi) from Mussoorie, accessed by trek from Kempty Fall Street.
- Yamuna Bridge Situated round 25 kilometres away from Mussoorie, Yamuna Bridge is the place the place Yamuna cuts throughout the mountains. Well-known for its enduring magnificence, Yamuna Bridge is a spot the place you possibly can go for a quiet picnic along with your family members. You can too attempt your hand at fishing and rafting right here.
- Mussoorie Lake – The newly developed Mussoorie Lake was constructed by Metropolis Board and Mussoorie Dehradun Improvement Authority. The lake, offering pedal boats and views of Doon Valley and close by villages, is 6 km (3.5 mi) from Mussoorie on the Mussoorie-Dehradun highway.
- Bhatta Falls –Bhatta Falls are 7 km (4.5 mi) from Mussoorie on the Mussoorie-Dehradun Street close to the village of Bhatta. A ropeway connects the motorable highway to the falls beneath. Galogi powerhouse adjoining it was the primary hidro electrical energy station of the nation.
- Completely satisfied Valley –Completely satisfied Valley lies on the western facet of Library Level. The vacationer attraction contains Tibetan monasteries, and the IAS Academy. On 20 April 1959 The Dalai Lama was welcomed by the Indian Prime minister Shri Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru in Mussoorie and Completely satisfied valley was the place he resided till April 1960 when he relocated to Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh, the place the Central Tibetan Administration is at present headquartered. It has a well-known Tibetan temple that one should go to.
- The Municipal Backyard supplies a man-made mini-lake with paddle boats. It’s 4 km (2.5 mi) by highway transport and a couple of km (1 mi) by way of Waverly Convent College highway on foot.
- The traditional Nag Devta Temple is devoted to Snake God Lord Shiva, It’s on Cart Mackenzie Street about 6 km (3.5 mi) from Mussoorie on the highway to Dehradun. There may be vehicular entry to the temple, which supplies an impressive view of Mussoorie and the Doon Valley.
- Benog Wildlife Sanctuary –The sanctuary, about 6.3 km (3.9 mi) from Library Level and open to the general public, supplies a woodland habitat for indigenous birds, and animals.
- Sir George Everest Home –located about 6 kms from Gandhi Chowk in Mussoorie and one of many main vacationer sights in Mussoorie which is secluded and peaceable. It gives spectacular views of the snow-clad Himalayan peaks and panoramic views of the Doon Valley and the Aglar River valley and the peaks of the Himalayan ranges on the opposite facet. Inbuilt 1832 it’s well-known for tenting, picnics and journey outings, One may go to the Wishing properly which is close by.
- Cloud Finish –surrounded by thick deodar forest. The bungalow, built-in 1838 by a British main, was one of many first 4 buildings in Mussoorie and has been transformed to a lodge. It bought the title as a result of it seems that the clouds have ended right here.
- Jwalaji Temple (Benog Hill) – At an altitude of two,240 m (7,350 ft) Jwalaji Temple is 9 km (5.5 mi) west from Mussoorie, and can’t be accessed by automobile though a motor highway goes many of the method from Mussoorie. It’s on the prime of Benog Hill and incorporates an idol of the Goddess Durga; from the temple is a view of the valley of the Aglar River.
TDM: What are the developments in hospitality in Uttarakhand?
ACB: Tourism in Uttarakhand usually is seasonal as most location change into inaccessible throughout monsoons and the lifeless of winter. Non secular tourism is the most important contributor however infrastructure in and round leisure locations nonetheless must be developed with the ever-increasing development in vacationers however in a sustainable method retaining in thoughts the fragility of the ecology of the place.