Take a weekend break at this splendid estate which used to be a part of an indigo plantation in the Raj era. The antique furniture, Lazarus snooker table, the antlers on the wall and the vast columns will give you major Downtown Abbey feels. Neel Kothi or Indigo House is a heritage home stay in a 200-year-old mansion in the middle of what used to be indigo plantations with 16 acre of orchards and farmlands. It is located in Nabadwip in Nadia district of West Bengal.
Mull on life and enjoy the breeze on the vast 2,000-square feet columned verandah overlooking the driveway and the grounds. Or go for leisurely walks on the estate’s orchards full of mango, litchi and guava trees. Indulge your latent brown sahib and play snooker or billiards on the vintage table made by Lazarus & Company, try your hand at darts, ping pong or carrom.
Settle down with a book (they have a library) on a deckchair in the vast gardens with flowering trees as old as the house itself. Or take an early morning cruise on the River Jalangi. The details around the house will remind you of a colonial, landed gentry past, from the antlers on the walls of the snooker room, to the marble-topped tables, antique recliners and the vintage snooker table. Rooms are INR 3,500 to INR 4,500 per night for double occupancy, including breakfast.