excellent place and very well kept,I didnt stay here but had tea....I loved the way it was served my a maid dressed in full uniform and cream and cake:),so English and cozy.The fireplace was running where they served tea,the hotel is beautifully managed and maintained but its a bit steep in terms of pricing you could stay at a better and cheaper places such as The Mayfair or The New Elgin both superb choices too.They were the only hotel who were charging 25% over and above the room cost during new years,no other top class hotel was charging that much extra so in effect if you room was for 9000 rupees you would end up paying 11250 + taxes which would be anther 15-18% etc.So be careful when choosing to stay with these guys best to stay in off season I would seriosuly recommend Mayfair/Elgin Hotels.The upside is its run by welcome heritage who have the best heritage properties in India and also its really close to chaurasta which is pretty much where all the action is.

we briefly stayed in this really unique place for colonial style lovers back in Nov 2010 with business friends overnight on the way to Tiger Hill. Have to say it was my only hotel room so far with a chimney - and a warm open fire burning when we entered the room. Really enjoyed all the old-fashioned objects and the wooden colonial buildings. service staff very friendly and good breakfast. Would definitely visit again.

This hotel is excellent in every way. The staff are efficient and hepful, always smiling, trying to do their best for the guests.Rooms are spacious and very comfortable, with coal fires to keep out the chilly winter weather..
It is a heritage hotel with all the photos and atmosphere of days of another era.
The lounges are chintzy and colourful with coal fires. Afternoon tea is served in the lounge where guests can get to know each other.
The food is plentiful, breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner.European and Indian food served.Always a great choice on the menu.
A very nice bar,comfortable a place where you can chat and make friends from all round the world
There is a lovely ambience, friendly and warm.Christmas and New Year is a great time to visit. The garden, and main rooms are all decorated,Christmas tree and entertainment.
Just a fantastic place to be. Suitable for all ages

I just got back from my first trip to Darjeeling and I am really glad we chose to stay at the Windamere. This is my first review on Tripadvisor, and I felt this is the least I could do for having had such a nice experience at the Windamere.

First, I have to say that I have traveled extensively across 4 continents and stayed at some of the best hotels for business and holiday around the world. And the service at the Windamere was amongst the best I've experienced.

I traveled there with my family (wife and 15 month old son), parents and my brother's family and spent 5 days there this November (2011).
The staff was very attentive and caring. They were very friendly and in fact it didnt feel like we were staying at a hotel. They accommodated many of our special requests for my 16 month old son (specially cooked rice and vegetables; ginger juice for a cold) and were always polite despite numerous requests.

This was definitely not the kind of experience one would expect to have at a 5 star hotel, but it was different. It was a nice English experience and reminiscent of my experience growing up at some air force bases in India, only better.

The food was very good - there were 3 meals a day - with options for English and Indian food for lunch and dinner, and an afternoon tea that included cake and scones. The food and service was so good that we never felt like going to eat anywhere else except the one time when we wanted to try some local food (momos and noodles).

The location is on the top of an area called Observatory Hill. You can't see the Kanchenjunga from there, but otherwise the views are stunning. The dining hall has some pretty spectacular views of snowcapped mountains and deep valleys. I enjoyed looking out of the window at the mountains having my breakfast. It is very close to the Square and a 3-4 minute walk from several shops and some decent restaurants and also a short walk access to some back trails that can take you down into the valley.

The only negative I would say about our experience was that there was no access to a washer and dryer. With a baby staying with us, it was important for us. Since laundry service was a bit expensive, we washed our baby's clothes the staff was kind enough to help us dry the clothes for us.

We will definitely be back some day.