Holumba Haven

Hotel review

As its name suggests, this family-run guesthouse is a great place to kick back and relax for a few days. Owners Norden and Thinlay Pempahishey work hard to ensure your time here is comfortable. The property has been in the family for decades, but only opened as a homestay in 2004. Initially just one house, today, there are 16 rooms (in six cottages), dotted among two acres of botanical gardens where 250 species of orchid grow. The original building, Magnolia Cottage, has been a retreat for many writers, including Englishman Sangharakshita (born Dennis Lingwood), who wrote Facing Mount Kanchenjunga here. Although the décor is a little drab (peeling paint, dated furniture), the rooms are cosy, with vibrant curtains and pieces by local artists adorning the walls. The eerie creaking at night in some of the older rooms might put some people off, but others will appreciate their character. Bathrooms are basic, so expect hand-held showers, a mirror and a small basin. In the evenings, you can curl up with a newspaper in the chill-out area, before attentive staff members serve you three-course dinners in the adjacent dining room. Dishes such as dum aloo, curry and dim sum are created with ingredients straight from the organic vegetable garden.