A Chat with Siddharth: Part II

A Chat with Siddharth: Part II

The Orchard is a passion project that has evolved beautifully over time. We have come a long way and wanted to share some information and insights from the founding director of this boutique hotel, Siddharth Bansal. Due to the positive reactions from our readers towards our previous blog post, we felt it was pertinent to do another chat which throws light on what has been going on, what you probably wouldn’t know and what you can expect in 2019.

Q. What are your memories growing up visiting Uttarakhand? At what age did you first visit? Any standout moments you would like to share?

Siddharth: The first time I ever visited Uttarakhand was in 1995 when I was just 2 or 3 years old. Our family bought a small apartment in Nainital so that we could take a break from city living and be close to the mountains. Some of my favourite memories from Nainital include boating on the lake, horse-riding to Tiffin Top, visiting the video game parlour in the Tibetan market and spending cozy evenings with my family at the Boat House Club. Nainital had a wonderful charm to it because of how tightly knit the community was. Everyone knew everyone and the atmosphere was friendly and welcoming.

Q. List a few of your favourite things you may have come across and why these attractions appeal to you.

Siddharth: Kainchi Temple is one of my favourite spots in the world. The amount of peace and energy I have personally felt at this temple has changed the way I think and lead my life. It has been a very important part of my personal journey and because of this I make sure I visit Kainchi at least once whenever I visit The Orchard.

Simple pleasures like walking and trekking through the forests is a luxury we do not get to enjoy in the city. I love being outdoors and soaking in the beautiful green forests, crystal clear skies and pure air. Most of my day at The Orchard is spent hanging out with Gabbar and Simba, who are two of the most caring and affectionate mountain dogs. I am barely indoors at The Orchard because we don’t get to enjoy the outdoors too much in Delhi.

 Q. Since The Orchard has been running, what’s your favourite memory been at the hotel? What been the best event hosted, memories with the family, etc. 

Siddharth: The first time we welcomed guests to The Orchard was on my mother’s birthday. We had our entire family join in as the occasion was very special and auspicious. For me, it has always been touching to see big families gather around and spend time with each other. Often, we have families booking out the entire hotel and it is really nice to see them interacting without phones, televisions and other distractions. Rather we see them playing board games and musical instruments, singing, watching the stars & planets and enjoying each other’s company. This is something that warms the cockles of my heart as we don’t get to see this often anymore and always makes me nostalgic about the simpler times where kids grew up without the incessant disturbances of mobile phones and iPads.

 

Q. With the year coming to a close, what has been one standout highlight at The Orchard this year? What’s been something you have planned and successfully achieved this year? What is something we can look forward to at The Orchard in 2019? 

Siddharth:  January 26th, 2018 was a big weekend for us. We had the Porsche Club of India visit us at The Orchard with a few sports cars and SUVs. The cars were put on a truck in New Delhi and offloaded just before the climb starts in Kaladhungi. Supercar owners are often frustrated because they don’t get to enjoy their cars properly in New Delhi because of road conditions, traffic, and pollution. The roads in Uttarakhand, are pristine and the frequent curves and bends make for perfect conditions for a supercar. The owners of these cars were elated to get an opportunity to enjoy their convertibles in the crisp January weather and pure fresh air.

In the new year, on 26th January which falls on a weekend, we are organizing an event with World X Series. The plan is to bring 8 super cars to The Orchard for two nights. This time the cars are not limited to Porsches so there should be variety. Also the number of cars participating has doubled from last time. I am personally super excited for this event and look forward to taking part!

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