Women-run historic homestays that captivate 

The charms of a homestay multiply manifold when you have an expert lady host at the helm of things. Add to this a generational home and voila! You’ve got the right mix of history and hospitality that should make your holiday to a locale that much more enjoyable. So plan your next outing to one of these three historic holiday homes and you’re guaranteed a vacation that will beat the socks off a conventional hotel holiday. 

Shri Krishna Guesthouse, Dehradun

Run by the effervescent Renee Dwarkadas, the Shri Krishna Guesthouse is one of those sprawling bungalows located in Dehradun’s upmarket upper Rajpur Road. Bordering the Malsi forest, this property is visited by various species of birds, deer and the occasional curious leopard.

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“In 1991 my husband Jayant and I took over the running of the guesthouse. This was a year after my father passed away. My father started running it in 1986 and my mother didn’t want to live in Dehradun after him,” recalls Renee, who currently lives on the property with her husband. The primary charm of this B&B is its old-world appeal at a time when so many old Dehradun mansions are being destroyed to build multi-storied buildings. 

The house offers three guest rooms done up tastefully by Renee. Guests have access to her stocked kitchen, the common sitting room with its bukhari, the verandahs skirting the property, and gardens on all four sides.

“Since the time I took over, the journey has been amazing. I learn so much from each guest,” says Renee, when asked about her experience of running the property. “We have some famous people, and some infamous ones too, who come to live with us,” she jokes.

The couple makes great sightseeing recommendations and often accompanies their guests to local and nearby attractions. The quaint village of Rajpur is a stone’s throw from here and many guests enjoy hiking up to Mussoorie with Renee. The Asan Barrage, Tapkeshwar, Robber’s Cave, and the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology are a must-visit for those who love nature. 

The rooms are priced between Rs 3500 and Rs 4500 per night including access to breakfast supplies. You can email reneejb1@gmail.com for more information. 

Judge’s Court, Puri

Located just off Puri’s VIP Road, a stone’s throw from the beaches of the vicinity is the 70-year-old family home known as Judge’s Court. Run as a B&B by Archana Mahapatra, the fourth generation of her family to enjoy this property, the establishment stands out for its unmatched food and hospitality. 

“My father started Judge’s Court in 2015 as a way of keeping himself occupied, and also with a need to revive his grandfather’s old summer holiday home. The property was not in great shape due to its age and the climate, so it took two years to restore it up to a reasonable standard,” reveals Archana. 

During the COVID pandemic, she relocated from New Delhi to Bhubaneshwar to help him in the running of the B&B. Unfortunately, he passed in 2023. Now Archana, along with her mother, is striving to make it a success.

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“Our primary aim is to retain and maintain the heritage charm of the property for our extended family along with offering the facility to those who appreciate the old-school slow-paced life during a break,” says Archana. To that end, her three helpers, who live on the property, pull out all the stops to ensure that you return to Puri for Judge’s Court, more than anything else! 

From arranging the famous bhog of the Jagganath Puri temple at the property, procuring the local delicacy khaja, to arranging day trips to rural locales outside Puri – Archana and her staff have it all figured out. 

“It’s been a boon that as a woman I can connect and make a holiday a lasting memory,” says Archana, about being the woman boss at the helm of her homestay. She curates experiences for her guests that range from the must-do Raghurajpur artists’ village to places like Nimapara, Kakatpur, Alarnath, Chilika, Ganjam, Naupatna, Koraput and Mayurbhanja. 

“Some of these places are an overnight trip away from Puri, but our guests are happy to undertake these expeditions from our B&B because they enjoy staying here so much,” reveals Archana. 

The four guest rooms in this property cost between Rs 2500 and Rs 6000, with breakfast. You can email archana.mahapatra@gmail.com for more information. 

Atithi Parinay, Ratnagiri 

Medha and her mother Vasudha Sahasrabudhe turned their family home, a mere 15 km from Maharashtra’s Ratnagiri, into a homestay at the insistence of friends about 15 years ago. Since then the mother-daughter duo have welcomed numerous guests to their 10-bedroom farm in the village of Kotawade, giving them an authentic taste of Konkani culture. 

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“Being women, running this homestay isn’t easy. There are times when stags pretend to be a family and turn up at our doorstep,” confides Medha. “There’s also a huge gap in people’s understanding of what a homestay experience is in India. Often, people don’t even say thank you to us for our hospitality,” she laments. 

Despite the challenges, Medha and her mother soldier on, offering an idyllic farm-like experience to those who want to enjoy a slow-paced holiday. “Many guests want to wander off to the beach and go see Ganpatipule or the temples nearby. I encourage them to take it easy, spend time on the property and learn more about the local way of life,” she says. 

A vacation here means a strict no-alcohol policy and pure vegetarian food – a good portion of it without onions and garlic. “We want to showcase our culture and share it with those visiting us,” offers Medha, who believes that she invites guests not just to the property, but to a way of life. 

“After all, it’s our family home, and people should come for the experience of it rather than expect a hotel-like ambiance,” she says, further adding that guests can enjoy the occasional non-vegetarian meal at the many local eateries offering such food. 

So when you’re not taking lessons in making modak (a Maharashtrian sweet), playing board games in-house, and mingling with the all-women staff, you can take a rickshaw ride to the village, sit by a stream that runs by the property, or go to beaches like Aare and Ware, just 5 km away. 

Rooms are priced at Rs 8000 a night, including breakfast, dinner, tea and taxes. You can email atithiparinay@gmail.com for more information. 

Also read: Live like a tribal at these Bastar homestays

The lead image on top depicts the Judge’s Court homestay in Puri, Odisha. 

Smriti Mukerji is a freelance journalist based out of New Delhi.