Windsongs

It is an excellent homestay with impeccable service and attention to detail. The hosts and their staff are very courteous and good conversationists. 3 nights that we spent here will give us ***y ***y beautiful memories. The food is simple and delicious prepared as per their set menu. We loved being here.

A hotel? A resort? Or a homestay? Well, like me, you'll also be confused when you stay a night in the Windsongs. It has the luxury like a star graded hotel. It's spacious and decorated like a resort. And the ambience is like a home. The owners, who themselves are very generous, cordial and friendly, love to call it a luxury homestay but to us it's all three in one. Situated a couple of kms before you reach Kalimpong town and just off to the main road called the Rishi Road, this property offers you pure bliss of nature. Previously a nursery for the orchids and one of the famous in Kalimpong, now boasts 4 cottages and 2 deluxe rooms for at least 6 families of different sizes. All have wonderful views of mount Kanchanjungha and river Teesta in a single frame and of course the entire hills of Kalimpong and a few of Sikkim are visible in a sunny day. They don't allow outside food but I bet, you hardly need any as they cook at their home so well. The choices are varied but we could savour only a few of their Chinese delicacies. Believe me, all tasted equally good. Our breakfast, though, was complementary and we chose the continental option which included choices of eggs ***** with bread, jam, butter and sausages with baked onions and tomatoes. You can also have our own desi puri-sabji as well. Tea or coffee of your choice in the end. As you stay, you will find the owners visiting you and sharing stories of their properties mostly of their cherished nursery. You'll know more about Kalimpong and its rich history. This was the best part of this property.

An excellent experience of being in Windsong. Not just a comfortable and relaxed stay viewing the mountains but the hospitality goes beyond everything Personal care and the excellent food needs special mention. Staff is very polite and helpful. The hostess looks into every detail of the visitors making it a perfect home stay. A must visit for the ones who wants a relaxed holiday in a picturesque serene environment.

We are going back with such fond memories of this beautiful homestay Windsongs.. it is what's name suggests.. it gave wings to our legs and brought songs on our lips. It is a home away from home. Thanks to the lovely hosts and the courteous and eversmiling staff. The view of the valley was awesome. The lights at night looked as if the stars are twinkling in the valley The nursery here is full of exotic plants The food was simple yet delicious We are glad we chose to stay here.

We did the same mistake. Fell for the reviews and opted for windsongs rather than Mayfair. No doubt the view is amazing but you get the same view from mayfair too. Booked it 2 months in advance for 2 nights but checked out just after 16 hours - Cottage number 2 - 1. Cobwebs everywhere- behind the bed, beside the cupboard. Even after being informed they said it must have formed today after cleaning. Imagine such a reply with no mention of redoing the cleaning. 2. The blanket cover had holes in it ***** with lipstick mark!! 3. The bathroom is the worst here - no water comes out in flush atleast till 5 mins after the previous flush. No napkin given. The basin’s taps seem to be coming out and ofcourse water comes out in drips. 4. Worst comes now - as soon as you wake up in the morning you find out there is no water in the bathroom! Tried to call the reception, but the phone remains dead. We are helpless stuck without water. My 5 year old holding it in for more than 1.5 hours now. After calling them on mobile, they say there might a leakage or something due to which our water got drained last night. As to why the phone was dead - they say we keep it off from 10 PM - 7 AM. How can you leave your guests hanging if there is any emergency?? The lady or the son instead of apologising even once, they say it happens, even we were without water. You can ***age for sometime and all sorts of rubbish n defensive reasons galore. The lady was extremely unapologetic for inconveniencing the guests and hung up on me after saying if you have problems talk to my son. The son again never bothered to pick up the call until after 2.5 hours and again unapologetically said what do you want to do and we asked for an immediate checkout to which he agreed after paying up for the meals. Here also no courtesy to offer guests the complementary meals in spite of causing such horrid inconvenience. Instead says that we have had guests who had no issues. Who in hospitality industry says you can ***age without water and not even say sorry about it? 5. Anyway the ordeal is not yet over. The meal timings are so specific and militarised that even after getting late due to no water, they arranged the breakfast out in the open when we asked them to wait. We were tired of arguing so just let that go. Also an add on - they will charge you every single slice of bread/puri. Although they didn’t charge us as we had a discussion that if we are vegetarian, we wont even get eggs/sausage, so give us a slice of bread and 2 puri s extra! Ya - this is the level we have to get down to talk to them. Even the milk for a kid in the morning which is complimentary in all reputed hotels is charged. Even after all this, still no sign of a five letter word for causing this ordeal!

As someone who left Kolkata in 1992 and came back for real in 2018, I have had far less exposure to the hills in the north of Bengal - namely Darjeeling, Sikkim, Bhutan & surroundings, than a normal Kolkata person. But I have always loved the grandeur of Himadri Himalayas visible from the East, during my few trips over 2-3 decades to Darjeeling and Sikkim. Suddenly I was craving a view of those majestic snow-laden peaks on top of the world and realised that this was the best time to be hill bound. This time, we decided to avoid Darjeeling, the now congested nigh**are queen of the hills, for the easy and quaint Kalimpong. Web searching for accommodations I was trying to find a sweet spot - between too expensive 5 stars (not that there are any) and super expensive tea garden resorts and "affordably" priced homestays. Fortune rewarded me with Windsongs, a delightful homestay that seemed to be suited exactly to people like us. Our experience exceeded our expectations. Situated on the Rishi Road, just outside the bustle of central Kalimpong, Windsongs is a labour of love and care. Well designed and very well maintained rooms (2 deluxe rooms and 4 cottages), each having a lovely balcony providing great view of the hills and the valley. That part of the hill, to the point eyes can see down, is owned by the family of the hostess, Mrs. Subhadra Pradhan, her husband, son and daughter-in-law, Karan and Deepsahana. It has one of the best nurseries in Kalimpong, ***aged by the family. The flowers, orchids and cacti around the place are the hallmarks of the place. Having one's breakfast or lunch, or just lazily gazing at the gill, sitting under the arch thunbergias, buzzing of hundreds of wasps and Himalayan bees is both spiritual and therapeutical. But no praise of Windsongs is complete without paying a special tribute to Mrs. Pradhan. She is the perfect host. Caring, efficient, graceful, hard-working and drawing the lines, so politely, when needed. Loved her touches that came as complimentary snacks during a breakfast, apples for the return journey and especially the custard for the last dinner. The lazy morning chat in her garden after breakfast, talking of our family and children in various parts of world - Mumbai and Boston, and a surprise common family connection - gave us the feeling that we have made a friend in the hills and we will keep coming back. Here's to you Mrs. Pradhan.

This is a gem of a property in Kalimpong. The hotel staff has provided hospitality at its highest level. Mr and Mrs Pradhan were very friendly during the entire stay. We also enjoyed the food - limited but very delicious. Overall a very pleasant and memorable stay.

Very well appointed rooms with modern facilities, fantastic location for scenic views: can see the Kunchenjungha and the Teesta river in 1 frame. Food is excellent, just like home cooked. Very clean and well maintained. Very prompt service. Points of improvements: Games room for children, wifi to be stronger at all spots, credit card payments must be allowed, rules around dinner timings etc can be little flexible.

Wonderful homely stay with very courteous & friendly hosts. Property is extremely well maintained with a lovely view of the valley.. Service staffs very polite & efficient.. Nice home cooked food. Experience worth revisiting… Will surely visit again…