About

Fagunia Farmstay is an ecofriendly, award winning homestay that we, Aditi & Anil, a Pahadi-Telugu couple, created to share our home and joy of living sustainably and in close proximity to nature with like minded travelers. Our rustic mountain home with a minimalist aesthetic is perfect for a small family or couples wanting a quiet stay amidst pristine forests.

Fagunia Farmstay is an oasis of bliss and peace amidst verdant greens and earthy browns. It is the perfect place for discerning travelers who are looking for something off the beaten track, literally. Go on long walks in the surrounding sun dappled forests in search of colorful birds and butterflies. Or experience the soothing healing touch of a vibrant forest through some therapeutic forest bathing. Lend a helping hand on the farm. Observe the unhurried pace of village life. Write your next great book or come up with a life changing idea. Or just find a serene corner, slow down, put up your feet, stare at the beautiful vista, take a deep breath of pristine mountain air, relax and let go of all your worries. Hope your stay at this labor of love of ours will help you make memories for a lifetime.

Life at Fagunia Farmstay

At Fagunia Farmstay, we are trying to lead a slow, mindful, and self-sufficient life and we are serious about living sustainably. We are not a resort or a hotel or a villa or a luxury home. We love to host guests who are mindful, responsible, and want to learn more about sustainable living.

We are an owner run and managed small operation with limited staff in a remote, rural, and hard to reach forest location without direct road access. You will be staying in and sharing our home where we also live so do expect a home like stay experience.

As a stay at our homestay may not be suitable for everyone, please read this article before booking a stay, especially if you have anyone with mobility/medical issues or children younger than 10 years of age in your group, to understand what you can expect from a stay with us and whether that will work for you and your loved ones.

Location

Surrounded by a beautiful forest and a seasonal waterfall on one side, farms on another side and with spectacular views of the mountains of Pangot and Nainital in front, we are sure you will fall in love with the place like we did. Nestled in a quiet little hamlet and accessed by a beautiful but adventurous drive through an enchanting forest that is full of birds and British era arched bridges over seasonal waterfalls, this little piece of heaven is about 15 km from Nainital. Read here more about our remote, rural, off the road location along with videos of our forest track and walking path. Please note that we do not have direct road access.

Electricity

Fagunia Farmstay is a fully solar powered home. We also use only a solar powered inverter for power backup which provides basic light backup for about 4 hours in case of a power cut. In case of longer power cuts after dark, once the inverter runs out of battery, please use the provided candles and bear with the lack of power until mains power comes back.

Water

We get our water from an underground mountain spring from the forest next to us. We filter and serve it in copper vessels. We use a centralized solar water heater for providing running hot water in the bathrooms. In case there is no sun during your stay, hot water can be provided on request every morning (8-10 am). To help us save water, please take bucket baths and also use water very judiciously as it is a precious resource in the mountains.

Permaculture Farm

Our home is located on an active permaculture farm where we are trying to grow as much of our food as possible using a natural and regenerative permaculture approach to agriculture. We will be happy to take you on a farm walk during your stay and share what we are doing if you are interested.

Guest Interaction

We live in the upper part of the house and if we are around during your stay, we will come over to say hello. But we love giving guests privacy so that you get quality time for yourself and your loved ones so you will only see us when necessary!

Layout

Uniquely built across different levels, Fagunia Farmstay’s layout expands on but largely follows the original layout of the traditional Kumaoni house that existed on the site to minimize our construction footprint and reuse most of the original stone and wood. There is a common kitchen and a semi al fresco communal dining area on one side that overlooks the adjacent forest and a large common garden on the front side with an outdoor BBQ station and a wood fired pizza oven. There are also extensive garden and other outdoor relaxation areas with private nooks and niches where you can leave the world behind and imbibe the peace and quiet.

Rooms

Fagunia Farmstay has three rooms, a spacious suite: Barbet and two independent double rooms: Starling and Sparrow. Each of the homestay’s rooms are specially curated around the bird it is named after and furnished with handpicked antique furniture, furnishings and art pieces to make your stay comfortable and memorable.

Barbet Suite-Middle Level

Located on the middle level of the homestay, our suite consists of an expansive drawing room with a distinctive fireplace, an attic and a bright master bedroom with an ensuite toilet. The master bedroom has an antique, queen sized, four poster bed.

The cute and cosy, low height, attic sleeping area is accessed through an internal wooden staircase from the drawing room. The attic comes with a queen sized floor mattress and has beautiful pine forest and mountain views. Please note that the low height entrance into the attic has no door.

Both the master bedroom and the drawing room of the suite open out on to an expansive private balcony that offers glorious 180° mountain, forest and valley views. This suite can sleep 4 people maximum, including children.

Starling Room-Lower Level

The comfy Starling Room features huge picture windows, offering beautiful views of the garden and the mountains in front, while also letting in ample light. Located on the lowest level of the homestay, the room comes with 2 single beds, an ensuite bathroom and two window seating nooks along with a seating area. The large common garden on the side offers ample space to laze about. This room can sleep 2 people.

Sparrow Room-Lower Level

Located next to Starling Room, the cosy Sparrow Room comes with 2 single beds, an ensuite bathroom, a seating area and a huge picture window with a seating nook. The picture window which offers views of the mountains and forests is the ideal place to get lost in a book. This room can sleep 2 people.

Note: The Starling Room and Sparrow Room are located right below the Barbet Suite and are separated by a traditional wooden floor/ceiling and therefore there may be some sound transfer through the floor/ceiling between the rooms.

Driver/Staff Accommodation

We do not have driver or staff accommodation. If you let us know in advance, we can suggest a nearby local hotel (~4 km away), charges for which will be additional and need to be paid to that hotel directly.

Pricing

The total cost will be inclusive of all veg meals for the booked number of guests. We prefer to host a maximum of 4 people, including children. When hosting 4 guests, we set up 2 rooms: Barbet Suite and Starling Room, and keep the third room locked. Please add your total number of adults, children and dates in the reservation form above to check availability and the total pricing for your stay. Please note that we may require a minimum of 48 hours notice to host guests due to our remote, off the road location.

Eco-friendly Initiatives

By staying at Fagunia Farmstay, you are also helping to reduce your impact on the local environment. Read more about the ecofriendly measures we have adopted in running and maintaining our homestay here.