Mahatta Home Stay

Hidden behind a nondescript gate, in the pretty backstreets of Srinagar, lies a quaint haven of verdant lawns, paved pathways and flowerbeds bursting with roses. Anita Mehta, owner of Mahatta Home Stay, welcomes her guests with glasses of steaming kahwa and is full of stories about her ancestors: the Mehtas have lived in Kashmir since 1915 and their first business was a photography shop called Mehta and Co, which later expanded to include a café and a homestay. (The name was changed to Mahatta because, in Anita’s words, ‘for some strange reason, the Britishers couldn’t pronounce it’.) It may sound clichéd, but this is a real home from home; you meet the family and experience genuine hospitality. The rooms may have a few cracks and slightly temperamental showers, but they’re clean and comfortable, with wooden headboards, crimson walls, soft quilts, hand-embroidered curtains and black-and-white photographs of Kashmir, from as early as 1939, lining the walls. Another bonus of staying in a B&B? The home cooking. From the idli and samba enjoyed at gingham-covered breakfast tables to the typical Kashmiri dishes dished up under a pear tree in the garden, the food here is authentic and scrumptious.