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Why live in a hostel than hotels in Mussoorie ?

We love travelling on Budget like most of you. And like most of you want to travel more while saving on accommodation. Of course, that comes with a bargain, bargain to let go few mandatory services of a hotel. But who minds that as long as the rooms and toilets are clean and hot water is available in the toilet. So far if you are travelling to Mussoorie, its only hostel, Bunkotel, fits the bill. Because, Bunkotel is the cheap hotel in Mussoorie.

Budget Hotels in Mussoorie

Hostels give you “no frills” (no frills - means letting go TV, service, breakfast, room service) experience for a number of advantages. We thought to list those. Budget hotels in Mussoorie are far and few and often match the cleanliness that Bunkotel offers. If you really need to persuade yourself and your group of friends or family, read the mentioned points.

Value for money

Hostels are budget, come any time of the year, you will find them cheaper than your average hotel. It is always economical for a group of friend or large family. If you are on a long journey then you should specifically look for budget options like a hostel where you just intend to stay for just sleeping through the night.

Range of budgets

Some hotels give options of privacy as well (Bunkotel has all private rooms). Other hostels might give offer you shared space dormitories which are even if you want to compromise on privacy.

Flexibility

While you are a vagabond you might not actually book any rooms chances are that you might end up getting a place to sleep. But do not expect to get a room on the high season as even the hostels are already packed.  But no doubt the hostels and the staff alike are pretty flexible.

Insider Access

Hostel’s staff are often local and they know in and around the area. Where to get cheap bikes, where to get buses, where to eat on budget. They are a plethora of knowledge as far as the city is concerned, which somehow professionals of the hotel miss. They are always genuinely ready to help.

Trips and Tours

Hostels tie-up with trekking and tour startups (Bunkotel has one) which can offer you a range of trips and tours. You can do that on your own but whats bad in getting somethings at your doorstep.

Hostels are fun

Hostels are the place where the majority of people that you encounter are young. They share common interests and purposes. Interaction with them can gain you more friends and contacts. And who knows what might start a story?

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Why should you, minimise Social Media use!

Remember when being social and connected meant actually meeting and enjoying with your close family and friends. Yes the “pre-social media” era, wow those were the days when you actually went to travel without "check-in on Facebook, telling the world about it on twitter and eating that pie before posting its pic on Instagram. Although it has become an integral part of the lives but trust me, you losing your time “here” can gain you some life “there”.

1. Content is the key!

Not that content but being content and happy actually. Don’t you think that there is a rat race in social media to prove to the world that they are better than others or if not better, equal? Life is not social media timeline but how you line your time to benefit out of it. Minimise your time in the virtual world so that you can live in happiness in the real world.

2. More Productive? oh Yes!

Just close your eyes and remind your self when did you last hear somebody saying that they are bored. Yes, you are right chances are pretty slim that you will find that moment. It is because being bored is replaced by scrolling. Invest your time in something meaningful instead like learning a new language, piano lesson, swimming, cycling, whatever. Just remember to kill scrolling. Because it is actually like opening your refrigerator again and again only expecting to find something that is not there.

3. Life is beautiful

Did you ever notice that social media despite its tall claims of connecting the world actually made you more jealous, dis-content, envious, sad and unhappy? This is because you just are in comparison mode. Just respect small things in life like how lucky you are to inhale fresh air, have food, water, clothes and work. There are millions out there who cannot boast of these simple pleasures. Life is indeed beautiful if you take it that way. Limit virtual life, say hello to real life.

4. Real Connections

Allow me to tell you a real story, Once a friend of mine who boasted of four thousand social media friends was telling me the power of social media and how it can help gain good things in life and save you from a crisis. I kept mum and kept listening to his tall claims only to find him one day, coming to me and asking for a few thousand rupees. I did not mean to hurt him but what happened to the tall claims of so many connections? Try to physically connect with real friends whenever possible and you will cherish it.

5. Our world will be so beautiful, again

Shun the social media and travel. Travel to collect memories, not photos and posts. While travelling just travel without your phones constant beep, beep, beep. You will actually notice how short and insignificant you are in this huge beautiful world. Travel in budget and travel far and wide. Try to stay in hostels to save on accommodation, because it is one of the budget hotels or stay for backpackers or group travelers. Try Bunkotel, in Mussoorie if you are in North India.  Beaches, forest, mountains, snow, rains all will be beautiful again.

6. You will be smarter and wiser and Innovative

Take a “time out” from social media and you use the power of the internet for learning new things, reading meaningful books and doing useful things that will make you wiser. You will have time for that actual workout that was long overdue. Your mind, body and soul will be refreshed. You will become smarter, wiser and often more innovative in dealing life as it comes.

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Travel Budget = Travel More

While coming from work the other day, My eyes encountered a “bunk bed” in my local furniture shops, and immediately it made me nostalgic about my hostel days. In fact, my parents were so fond of the space-saving bunk beds that they just bought a similar home which me and my sister shared for good 14 years till the time we moved out of the house.

Thankfully Hostels around the world, have taken the very bed and used it to grant the “frugal tribe” a boon for budget travel. Some people have the deep aversion to living and travelling on a budget but the tribe which swears by travelling on the budget so that they can travel more. And secondly, the lack of funds should be the last thing for us to travel to the length and breadths of this unique world. This is a guide to tell you five-pointer so that you get inspired to travel budget and travel more. 1. Hostels are great : While travelling on a budget or otherwise one thing that pinches budget conscious fellow travellers is expensive rooms. Budget-friendly clean and cheap friendly hostels are a respite to the tribe. Needless to stay this also an opportunity to make new amazing friends.  Hostels ?? Umm, remember dormitory or your school hostel? Staying here is similar to that. You have to compromise on space and quietness, but you are surrounded by your fellow tribe members.  Hotels are conventional while Hostels are unconventional and unique. You can meet different characters while staying at a hostel, and who knows that friendship can be of a lifetime. Hotels are conventional while Hostels are unconventional and unique. 2.Transportation is one unique experience in itself : We know, it is certainly not possible to just take a bus or train for intercontinental travel. But while travelling within certain well-connected continents, intra-country you should if you have time, go for buses and trains than planes. You get to see so many unique picturesque locales, cosy nook and corners that will surely be missed by flights. Needless to say, it is a way to make new connections. And of course, many times trains and buses are subsidized by the government in many countries so are cheaper than air travel. A sure shot way to save that extra. 3.Try to walk : When you walk on foot rather than local transport in any city life slowly come to a halt. It in a way lets you explore the city and taste the local architecture and way of life. Plus it is an easy way to catch on your missed workout sessions. People eat and gorge on local food which are loaded with calories while on a holiday and if you walk instead of taking buses, taxis, trams you can easily leave those extra kilos which comes with high-calorie food. So tie your laces, fill the air in your lungs and march on! 4.Street food = Authentic culture : Continental food is for your home city, to save money while experiencing authentic cultural experience street food is the best option. Try to find out with you local hostel what unique eats, the city has to offer. Fine dining, regular run of mill restaurant are ok but to really taste the city, you should really master the art of finding and savouring street food. Just watch for a little relative hygiene though! 5.Miss those “tourist spots” and be a little rebel ! : This can be a little tricky and stressful, going to Agra and not visiting Taj Mahal? A little awkward in one sense but if you think of the whole experience you generally encounter in a cliche tourist spot like overpriced attraction and million tourists- not exactly what you wished for. Tourist spots for most of us have become mundane and tick in the box rather than exploration spots. There is certainly no wish to fret, you just have to pacify and train your mind to think beyond obvious. To save a few important monies just try to walk and explore things which are not in your guidebook like Lonely Planet. To know about a city go to places where the tourist is not present.Try to travel with a limited budget and your mind will become creative and full of ideas. This stretches your imagination more than a regular tourist mind and perspective. Try to miss that expensive Starbucks for a local cafe, buses for walks, fine dining for street vends, cliche tourist spots for unique and free experiences in the city.After talking so much about the goodies that budget travel offers to let me talk about the downsides, the lack of space, long transportation, taxing walks  -but the benefits of budget travel will let you save to travel more and experience more. Remember you are cheap on your budget, not your experiences!

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Top 5 haunted places in  Mussoorie

Bunkotel’s Guide to top 5 haunted places in Mussoorie

Mussoorie like any other hill station set-up by Britishers has its fair share of Haunting stories and places to share. If you are a ghost buster or have the itch to become one then these are the top 5 locations for you. We warn you though to not go there alone. 1. Lambi Dhar Mines : The Himalayan region as a whole is full of limestones, an ideal ingredient in the manufacturing cement. This limestone is dug from quarries. These quarries are situated in Lambi Dhar area of Mussoorie. Many limestone diggers and labourers used to live in nearby quarters when it was a full-fledged quarry. Legend has it that labourers and miners died there while some mishaps. Their voices and screams and cries can be heard even after sunset! Even the mighty and braves have run after dark from there. The whole township is scenic and haunting at the same place if you visit the place in peak Monsoons. 2. Pari Tibba : Whole Uttarakhand is filled tales of fairies “Aachris” in the local language.; Pari Tibba Literally means “Fairies Hill”. Legend has it that these hills are frequented by fairies. But don’t confuse these fairies as the one you read tales about in your childhood. The tales that you will often hear from the locals are of haunting, blood-sucking, vicious fairies. Visit it if you want to spot one or two! Nevertheless, this place is pristine in beauty. 3. Hotel Mullingar : This hotel was one of the first settlements in the area of Mussoorie and Landour. This place was full of horse riding Englishmen at the times of the Raj. Today this is a majority Tibetan settlement. Legend around the town is that this flat that you can see in the photo is the starting point of a headless horse rider who wields a naked sword and goes on a horse ride till clock tower every full moonlight. Go on a full moonlight and see if you might spot him! 4. Hotel Savoy : The first hotel in the city is also the most haunted! Hotel Savoy was too many Murders in the city. One lady Last Garnet had come to stay and was found murdered under mysterious circumstances. Legend has it that she roams about asking about her murderer to innocent guests. 5. Cemetery in Camel’s Backroad : This cemetery is now not in use ! So you can easily imagine how old it might be. The place has graves of John Lang the famous Australian lawyer of Rani Lakshmi Bai, Famous Pahadi Wilson amongst its final resident. The graves although not haunting in particular literally, can be quite intimidating to watch just by the adjacent road on a thunderous, stormy, monsoon night when under lightning you have the courage to see the graves under the canopy of thick deodar trees. Not everyone can take the dare !

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Top 5 haunted places in Mussoorie !

Bunkotel’s Guide to top 5 haunted places in Mussoorie

Mussoorie like any other hill station set-up by Britishers has its fair share of Haunting stories and places to share. If you are a ghost buster or have the itch to become one then these are the top 5 locations for you. We warn you though to not go there alone. 1. Lambi Dhar Mines : The Himalayan region as a whole is full of limestones, an ideal ingredient in the manufacturing cement. This limestone is dug from quarries. These quarries are situated in Lambi Dhar area of Mussoorie. Many limestone diggers and labourers used to live in nearby quarters when it was a full-fledged quarry. Legend has it that labourers and miners died there while some mishaps. Their voices and screams and cries can be heard even after sunset! Even the mighty and braves have run after dark from there. The whole township is scenic and haunting at the same place if you visit the place in peak Monsoons. 2. Pari Tibba : Whole Uttarakhand is filled tales of fairies “Aachris” in the local language.; Pari Tibba Literally means “Fairies Hill”. Legend has it that these hills are frequented by fairies. But don’t confuse these fairies as the one you read tales about in your childhood. The tales that you will often hear from the locals are of haunting, blood-sucking, vicious fairies. Visit it if you want to spot one or two! Nevertheless, this place is pristine in beauty. 3. Hotel Mullingar : This hotel was one of the first settlements in the area of Mussoorie and Landour. This place was full of horse riding Englishmen at the times of the Raj. Today this is a majority Tibetan settlement. Legend around the town is that this flat that you can see in the photo is the starting point of a headless horse rider who wields a naked sword and goes on a horse ride till clock tower every full moonlight. Go on a full moonlight and see if you might spot him! 4. Hotel Savoy : The first hotel in the city is also the most haunted! Hotel Savoy was too many Murders in the city. One lady Last Garnet had come to stay and was found murdered under mysterious circumstances. Legend has it that she roams about asking about her murderer to innocent guests. 5. Cemetery in Camel’s Backroad : This cemetery is now not in use ! So you can easily imagine how old it might be. The place has graves of John Lang the famous Australian lawyer of Rani Lakshmi Bai, Famous Pahadi Wilson amongst its final resident. The graves although not haunting in particular literally, can be quite intimidating to watch just by the adjacent road on a thunderous, stormy, monsoon night when under lightning you have the courage to see the graves under the canopy of thick deodar trees. Not everyone can take the dare !

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Top Seven Reason to Visit Mussoorie

Mussoorie is a beautiful hill station of Uttarakhand, India. It is also called “Queen of Hills“. There are so many reasons to visit Mussoorie. We are giving you following Seven Reasons :

1. Mall Road : The Mall Road is famous local market. It is situated in the heart of town. Every visitor of Mussoorie must visit the beautiful Mall Road which starts from Picture Palace at east to the Library at the west. It is very famous for viewing the Doon Valley and visitors can buy some memento at the shops from both side of the Mall Road. There are many hotels around this area and some hotels offers very different kinds of accommodation.

2. Gun Hill : Gun Hill is a very popular tourist attraction and it also has historical significance. It is the second highest peak of Mussoorie, located at 400 ft above The Mall. It also provides a 360-degree view of Himalayan range. The biggest attraction of the Gun Hill is its scenic beauty and rope-way ride .

3. Landour : Landour is the area which provides the peaceful environment and if you prefer some peace away from your hectic life you must visit this place. There are many budget hotles near Landour.

4. Dhanaulti : Dhanaulti is 24 km from Mussoorie. It is very famous for it’s nature beauty. The main attraction of Dhanaulti is Eco Park. There are two Eco Parks,”Amber” and “Dhara”. You can also visit Surkanda Devi Temple a shaktipeeth, 8 km far from Dhanaulti.

5. Kempty Falls : Kempty Falls is 13 km from Mussoorie on the Chakrata road. It is developed by British Officer John Mekinan in 1835. Kempty name derived from the word ‘Camp & Tea’. The stream of water running from village Banglow Ki Kandi and falls from 4500 ft splitting into five others cascades, the water falls a further 40 ft.

6.Company Garden : Garden with a man made waterfall, lake and rides for kids make Company Garden an ideal place to hangout with family. There is also a Wax Museum here which maintain properly.

7. Clouds End : Clouds End is a land mark to the ending area of Mussoorie. It is 7 km far from Mussoorie city known for beautiful scenic views and heart warming climate. There is also a heritage building built by British in 1838.

So, if you are planning to visit Mussoorie you must visit all of the above mention places. You must prebook the accommodation in Mussoorie because at the season time city is fully packed with tourists from different places and it is very difficult to find a good accommodation there.