1) Largest (Telescope (pvt owned) – 20 inch Dobsonian
2) Highest (Altitude 8032 ft)
3) Darkest (Skies; Bortle Scale : 2
(Kindly book your Astronomy session at the time of booking. Min people : 6 . 1900 per person for. 90min session)
1)We have segregated spaces for all guests so kindly do not venture into any common areas. The guests would not be expected to linger on the stairs (for photos etc ) while entering and exiting the building.
2) There will be extra bed-linen, towels etc kept in your room for the duration of your stay. There will be no room-service (changing linen, room cleaning) or any other housekeeping task by which physical distancing is compromised.
3)Kindly ensure that everyone including kids are wearing masks on arrival and departure. Kindly do not linger on the main road (for photos etc) during departure or arrival.
4)Guests are expected to sanitize their hands at the sanitiser at the gate, before entering the building.
5)We would prefer if you come with a Covid-19 negative certificate from a certified lab.
6)All guests including children will be thermally scanned during checkin. If a guest is running temperature , he shall be referred to the designated medical facility. The booking will be cancelled and the guest refunded fully.
(Please remember you are coming to a Green-zone. Hope you will appreciate that for your safety and ours, we have to follow the Covid-19 guidelines strictly)
1) The bungalow has two bedrooms on the first floor  with attached bathrooms. Encircling them are large lounging and living areas with single beds and settees to accommodate more people.On the ground floor are two more bedrooms with attached bathrooms. There is also a room in the attic and a hall with a TT table.  In all the bungalow has over 5 single beds besides the 4 bedrooms and can accommodate over 16 people.
2) The bungalow is great for family get togethers, reunions, parties etc. There is a sun-room with skylights adjoining the kitchen.
3) The sunroom also has a fireplace.
4) Because it is in the middle of an orchard, one has to walk about 150 meters through the apple orchard to reach it from the road.
5) The Apple Orchard House is also suitable for bird-watching (or bird photography). The property also has a telescope and can be put to good use scanning the clear night skies.
6) The bungalow is in Ratnari village – a famous apple belt in Himachal -where the locals engage in intensive apple farming. Ratnari is not a tourist area, like the Tirthan Valley etc.  It’s a prosperous but closed society not used to tourists, therefore it would be appreciated if you don’t intrude in the lives of locals in anyway. (Take photos of locals for example).
7) The village market is a kilometre away and has few provision stores stocking the usual daily needs items. The closest big town is Narkanda, 17kms away.
8) If you are a good trekker you can trek upto the famous Hatu Peak ( 4km trek one way.) Alternatively one can go on small treks to the adjoining forest five minutes walk away.
1)You have full access to the Meena Bagh Orchard, the lawns and the farms , an area of over 14 bighas. However during the duration of your stay you would not be able to venture outside to the main road, or the forest where there is a risk of meeting locals. The caretaker will show you the Meena Bagh boundary on arrival.
2) There will be extra bed-linen, towels etc kept in your room for the duration of your stay. There will be no room-service (changing linin, food-beverage orders etc) or any other task by which physical distancing is compromised.
3) For mutual safety, we would not expect you to sit in the sunroom- wear masks in the Sunroom/ kitchen while our staff is present there to prepare meals.
4)Kindly do not enter the kitchen area (open fridge/shelves/microwave etc)
5)Kindly ensure you have taken everything from your car as you wont be able to make trips to the car once parked on the main road.
6)Kindly ensure that everyone including kids is wearing masks on arrival and departure. Kindly do not linger on the main road (for photos etc) during departure or arrival.
7) Kindly sanitise your hands with the sanitiser at the entrance before entering the property.
