If you want to soak in nature and savor village life with sylvan surrounding, Babli – a wilderness farm- near Santiniketan is a perfect tourist destination.
This is not a resort, though. Food is not expensive and members of the staff are hospitable. Rooms are neat. However, room service is not available.
I appreciate the management’s strict adherence to discipline and cleanliness.
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I spent 4 weeks in Kolkata working non stop. I was of need of a break! A dear friend suggested I visit B.A.B.L.I. I was met with warmth and kindness and spent three wonderful nights in the quiet. It was heaven!!! The staff were very loving and caring. The cook was AMAZING! I ate the best Bengali Food I had ever eaten!
This place became my, Home Away from Home within three days!!
I have traveled the world, solo and with family. I was solo this trip and never once felt alone(which was a lovely thing for me!) My room was perfect! Clean, big and beautiful in an authentic way. The surroundings lend themselves to reading under a tree, drawing a sleeping dog or a plante, meditating to the sounds of nature.
If you are looking for a quiet place to demcompress from city sounds and smells, this is your place. AND the food was DELICIOUS!!!
I Highly recommend this establishment to those looking for a quiet, lovely escape. Good for families, travelers, artists, and those seeking an authentic expereince.
we've visited last week of dec'18 BABLI. Rooms interior is good , but ambience was not good ...the behaviour of the Manager Was very rude and sometimes he used very harsh language and that is not at all tolerable ....
By the way... drinks allowed inside the premises!! although notice board is saying otherwise.
Plus, he demanded two times rental car fare from us because we had lunch in 'BANALAKHMI ', a famous Bengali Cuisine Place, and that's why he was not ready to rent us a car, on our way back, leaving us utterly helpless.
Our website clearly shows (repeated numerous times) that we are NOT A 'RESORT"...
Visitors who come with a 'tourist mindset' tend to find a lot of things to be different from their expectation - because, our Farmstay/ Guesthouse is really meant for TRAVELLERS, who leave all their 'baggage' at home!
Anyway, it is always an unpleasant experience, for both parties, when there is such a mismatch of expectations!
We are sorry that your stay wasn't a pleasant one.
However, your comment calls for a number of CLARIFICATIONS :-
1) "By the way... drinks allowed inside the premises!! although notice board is saying otherwise"
Yes, drinks are allowed within the premises - but they are to be consumed RESPONSIBLY, within the private rooms where visitors are staying - NO, none of our notice boards say that drinks are not allowed - they inform visitors that drinks are not allowed in the COMMON AREAS of the project.
2) "Plus, he demanded two times rental car fare from us because we had lunch in 'BANALAKHMI '"
No, we did not 'demand' any such thing - YOU were unclear about the car-hiring system for 'Local Trips' (which is what you had availed) - And you wanted to go back and forth between Shantiniketan and Daronda (our village, where Banalakshmi is also located) TWICE, since you wanted to come all the way back (13 kms) from the city to the village for lunch - and then go back AGAIN to the city.
In any case, the hired-cars are only ARRANGED by us - for YOUR convenience - and they are provided by EXTERNAL providers, based on THEIR terms, which are CLEARLY mentioned on our website.
Also, Banalakshmi is a very good FRIEND of ours - their restaurant was started with help from our founding Partner - and our project was started with intimate help and support from their organisation!
So, the question of our 'harassing' you because you had lunch at Banalakshmi is TOTALLY ABSURD!
The place was developed based on a terrific concept of its original owner of total self sufficiency. Ideally, you could witness the entire food production and employment on a sustainable organic basis and yet be in a secluded environment, far from the madding crowd. But the current operator has all but decimated everything. All that remains are the ramshackle ruins of the erstwhile infrastructure and facilities along with a dozen poorly maintained cottages.
to spend some time in nature, Babli is the best option.we took a mud hut to stay there.room was clean with all the facilities. they don't have air condition but the room was good enough to stay. loved the two storied mud houses of them.
the food was very tasty
Bolpur, as always, was charming. Babli, the nature retreat near Daronda village was equally so. Let the forest grow - as they say their motto to be, the place exudes a natural charm that no human hand can ensure. Manicured lawns and gardens are one thing but letting the wild nature rule your land is something very different. Thanks to Aditya, the man behind the whole establishment, Babli is infused with a life of its own. Blending in the natural and the local with an organic attempt to exist with nature, this place has a strong restorative power.
Last week of January was our second trip to Babli and it was as special as the first. My 9year old just didn't want to leave the place where he could cuddle puppies, run after sheep and goats, find hens and roosters lurking around corners or simply stand looking at the cows in the cow shed. The food is to die for and as long as their kitchen is in the able hands of Sahadeb babu, lip smacking, simple home made food awaits at the table.
