Reaching the Haatiban Resort, which is 45 minutes drive from Kathmandu, is a pleasant experience in itself. Once out of the confines of the capital’s chaotic crowd and congested by-ways, the road smoothens out and slowly winds its way up along the side of Haatiban hill. There I noticed a distinct change in the scenery and environment as I felt the fresh aroma of the forest and the raw earth. The air was clearer and everything appeared much brighter.

As the road climbed and the trees and hedges whizzed by, I caught glimpses of the green and yellow checkered fields with the Bagmati river meandering among the fields of paddy, mustard and
wheat. As we came to the base camp of the resort, we changed our car for a four wheel drive belonging to the resort which took us up to the last two kilometre steep drive, through a pine forest, till we came across a clearing on the ridge where the resort is.

My first impression of the Haatiban Resort complex with its cottages was a sense of relief and a feeling of being one with nature. The very well maintained garden and lawns interspersed by the cozy residential cottages, made to blend with the natural background, excluded an air of elegant comfort.

We were warmly greeted at the main building gate by Mr. Mani Raj Basnet, the Resident Manager of the Resort who, to our surprise, personally escorted us up to our cottage room.

The room was spacious and comfortable with all the amenities of a deluxe hotel –king size bed, room heater, hot and cold water etc. – A standard feature of the room being the excellent view through large windows.

Despite the airness of the accommodation, the room retained its total privacy and aloofness. Perfect for honeymooners and couples for romantic outlet. I couldn’t manage to hold my children in the room as they had already noticed the Resort’s playground while coming. Indeed the children badly needed an open space tolet out their energy, without the fear of being running over by vehicle or engulfed by the capital’s smoke or garbage. For this, I found the Resort an ideal place with all the accessories found in a children’s park.

By 19:00 hrs we were hungry and proceeded towards the main building which has the reception, the dining hall, and the bar in the basement area. And there again we met the ever smiling Mr. Basnet who helped us in selecting the best from the long list of menu.

The octagonal main building is a master-piece of design with the comfort and pleasure of the guest in mind. The upper floor of this building serves as a restaurant, capable of seating about 60 persons, all of whom can have an excellent view of the surroundings. The lower floor which leads out to a garden terrace houses the bar, a library and a raised lobby on which stands a copper chimney for use in winter. The upper and lower floors are connected via stout wooden stairs behind which is a two storey high colourful oriental wall painting.

While we were dinning Mr. Basnet asked whether the children were interested to watch ‘Titanic’ in their mini vision hall. No sooner than said, they were enjoying Titanic. After the sumptuous dinner I proposed my wife for a stroll in the cool evening breeze around the resort. The clear skies, the heady aroma of pine trees and the roucous cawing of unknown noctural birds were casting their spell upon us when suddenly we both saw something and fell into oblivion. The entire Kathmandu Valley, its sister cities of Bhaktapur and Lalitpur and all interlying villages lied telescoped within a 160 degree panorama before us illuminated by millions or perhaps billions of lights sparkling like gold!! We spend an hour watching this scene, perhaps without blinking our eyes. Back in the room, the children joined us to clap eyes on the twinkling valley.

In the morning after breakfast, Mr. Basnet volunteered to take us to a tour of the Resort. We went to the observation tower. At an elevation of 1852 meters from the sea level, I saw no evidence of any human habitation nearby. Really the sprawling Haatiban complex is a place where it is easy to unwind; a place so hard to forget. The tower offers a panoramic view of the mountains that stand sentinal behind and above the valley, from Ganesh Himal in the west to Mount Everest in the East.

Briefing me, Mr. Basnet told that besides the spectacular view of Kathmandu city, Haatiban Resort also offers the visitor an excellent opportunity for environment conscious trekkers and mountaineers to acclimatize as well as undertake short hikes in the nearby hills prior to the real challenges of the Himalayas. One can also go for sight-seeing excursions to closeby Dakshinkali or visit the Newari villages of Khokana and Bungamati or go for an impromptu picnic in and among the many scenic spots around the Resort. All managed by the Resort itself, said Basnet.

After the briefing, we took lunch and got ready to bid farewell to the efficient and friendly staff who go out of their way to make the guest’s stay at the resort a really memorable one.

On way back to Kathmandu, I and my family unanimously agreed that Haatiban Resort has a therapeutic effect of refreshing the mind and invigorating the body. This is a perfect retreat from the hectic pace and the hustle and bustle of the city.