Reviews from our community
1 review
Kila Dalijoda is, quite simply, extraordinary. We are a British-Australian family and have just stayed there for an incredible and adventurous four nights with wonderful hosts Debjit, Namrata and their daughter.
We flew into Bubaneshwar and were picked up by a car/driver Debjit had arranged. This took us across the Mahanadi River and out into the countryside to the former hunting lodge of "Kila Dalijoda". It is a welcoming home, a working farm, and a history project rolled into one. Surrounded by rice fields and fish ponds - there are geese and quail roaming. Bee hives and friendly dogs. Cows wandering and villagers coming and going about their business. You could sit and happily watch rural India for hours.
But there are also interesting trips to make and Debjit helped us plan an intinerary with a bit of everything. We walked early one morning out to a tribal viallage caught between a way of life in the forest and the government offer to move to a new location in the town. On another day we visited a village where small furnaces are used to bake clay, wax and brass into incredible ornaments. We met master weavers who spend years working on huge works of art that are beautiful and inspiring. And we travelled up to Bhitarkanika National Park to see kingfishers, crocodiles and "fishing cats" in the mangrove swamps.
Alongside all of this Debjit and his family made us so very welcome, providing masala tea and snacks just when they were needed, and introducing us to so many specialities of Odisha and Indian cooking from their kitchens we lost count. It was an adventure into Indian cooking as much as an adventure into hills and forests. They let us use their bicycles to explore the country lanes around them, and took us swimming in the ponds to cool off.
Finally, the house itself, which Debjit and Namrata have made a life project. I will not spoil their stories by repeating them - you need to go and hear them for yourself! But Debjit's family are intimately connected with the house, its temple and its restoration, they are not returning it to how it was in the 1930s, but building an entirely new chapter instead. It is incredible that you can go and be a part of this, with such welcoming and charming hosts. You will remember a visit to Kila Dalijoda for a lifetime.
We would recommend - a sense of adventure, a torch, hiring a car/driver, taking some books (wifi is slow as you are in the countryside), mossie repellent for dusk/dawn, checking on the weather (it would be hot and rainy in summer).
5 reviews
3 hotel reviews
7 helpful votes
We had an opportunity to stay at this beautiful homestay in March 2022...
An Old World Charm in the lap of the forest of Dalijoda range...
Our dog was also welcomed here which added alot more to our trip... Our 12 year old son enjoyed fishing at the pond, to long jungle treks...
From Spotting water snakes to beautiful birds... Swimming in the pond under the night sky, to visit to a 900 year old step well...
Farm to table fresh and delicious food cooked under the supervision of Mrs Deo...there are so many leisurely things to do around....
Debjit (host) enlightened us with the rich history of the place and made alot of efforts to ensure that we enjoyed our stay....
In all it is a trip worth taking.... Many Thanks to Debjit, Namrata and to their lovely Daughter for a memorable experience...
Would Love to visit again sometime... Thanks..
3 reviews
12 helpful votes
Kila Dalijoda a hidden gem just an hour drive from Bhubaneswar. The place is full of nostalgia and old world charm. Ideal place to get away from the hustle and bustle of big cities and enjoy nature in its pristine beauty.Debjit and Namrata are very warm and gracious hosts. Plan to visit again at the end of the year.
5 reviews
5 hotel reviews
1 helpful vote
I stayed with an indian friend at kila dajiloda for 2 nights/ 2 days in the middle of january.
It's a memorable experience. It's nice to sleep in a historic home with owners who continue to maintain their heritage.
But most of all Debjit and his wife are very nice and interesting hosts.
Of course, one may think that the stay with them is not among the cheapest but the explanations, the initiatives and the time spent by Debjit for his guests is really priceless. I learned a lot during these 2 days about Indian behavior, odhissa and India...
2 reviews I made a trip to Kila Dalijoda with my wife and 2 year old son. We were pleasantly surprised by the rich history of the place which was narrated by the passionate host Mr. Debjit SinghDeo. He is a descendant of the Panchkote King who built the mansion as hunting lodge. The property has a lot to offer - antiquity of the property, forest surroundings teeming with elephants, culture of the indigenous tribes of the region, the warmth of the hosts and the delicious food that includes organic vegetables, fish from the property's pond and free-range meat. I made a one night stay which I feel in hindsight should have been at least two nights because there is so much to explore around. My little son loved to run around the property with the pet dogs Coffee and Cookie. The rooms with high ceilings were roomy and exude old world charm.
