The Living Woods- Royal Wooden Cottage . This is a retreat in the middle of an apple orchard, 25 km beyond Shimla. Our cottage and Villa are newly built retreat in Cheog, Himachal. It's a perfect blend of village life, apple trees, the whistling pines. The only sound one could hear is of the chirping of birds, an occasional vehicle and some one and a half dogs. Summers are pleasant though winters are cold. It can snow anytime from Mid December- March. Snowfall can be mild to heavy. It's a new property having 3 single room cottages with attached toilets , a separate dining hall ( pretty spacious) with kitchen attached. Fresh and hot,home made, food is served, on advance intimation. Breakfast will be served between 8.30 am to 10am. ( Rs 300/- per person ) Lunch will be served between 1 pm to 2.30 pm ( Veg 350/- ) Non Veg chicken 250/- (per person, per dish, if ordered, will be charged extra and Rs 400/- for Mutton dish (per person, per dish) ,if ordered, will be charged extra. Rs 600/ - per person, per plate, for boneless fish dish, if ordered, will be charged extra. Dinner will be served between 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm ( Veg 350/- ) Non Veg chicken 250/- (per person, per dish, if ordered, will be charged extra and Rs 400/- for Mutton dish (per person, per dish) ,if ordered, will be charged extra. Rs 600/ - per person, per plate, for boneless fish dish, if ordered, will be charged extra. Food / snacks are served in the dining hall only. The cottages and our home is right in the middle of an apple orchard. If you happen to be at our place during the apple season, you will see trees laden with apples all over the property. You will witness the entire orchard blooming with blossoms in the first week of April. The sight is not only pleasing to the eye but also symbolises new beginning and announces the commencement of Spring. The brief beauty of petals is really a sight to see. It carries a very subtle, soft ,sweet and floral scent. The light breeze helps odour molecules travel ! To add to this, one can see the bumble bees and hear their buzzing sound. Not to miss out on the honey bees and their humming sounds and differently coloured, butterflies ! All these help in pollination !!! Apples normally mature within 130- 150 days after the full bloom stage, depending on the variety grown. One can see the apples grow in various sizes anytime from end April till the harvesting season which begins from Mid August and lasts till about the last week of September. You could witness the plucking of apples, grading and packing them in the boxes. We have two machans where one can sit and bask in the sun. Sip in a beer or two. Have a soft drink or a juice. Parking is available inside the property. Our apple orchard is surrounded by dense deodar forest with no immediate neighbors. The best part of staying here is that it re - connects with nature. You are away from the distractions of daily life, yet close enough to the main town of Shimla to not feel too disconnected. It is best suited for people who prefer serenity, isolation, privacy, nature and tranquility. Locals here engage in intensive apple and vegetable farming. Respecting local sentiments will be highly appreciated. Though the place has no immediate neighbors, sound does travel fast and clear in a place where one can hear chirping of birds and whistling of the pines quite distinctly. Thus, loud music or loud noises, which may disturb the locals, will not be appreciated, specially in the night. The village market is just about 500 meters away and has good 25 odd shops, SBI bank, ATM, couple of Chemists and a doctor's clinic. There is also a government ayurvedic hospital and a Higher Secondary School. If you are a keen walker and love nature walks, you can go for treks ( short or long ) around the property or just stroll around to enjoy the flora and the scenic beauty. We have board games like, ludo, chess, tambola, scrabble, carrom for your enjoyment. One can enjoy bonfire facility, at an additional cost, under the clear sky. Barbeque facility is available at the property, at an additional cost. (Rs 700/- per kg and 400/- for half kg both Chicken and Paneer).We provide marinated Chicken / paneer, barbeque with coal. The guests have to do the roasting part on their own. It's a wonderful experience, which is enjoyed by our guests. Shimla generally has serious water crisis during the summer season. We, fortunately have perennial water supply from a water spring, with good storage capacity. At an altitude of 7000 feet, you do not require fans even in peak summer time. The place is pretty cold in the winters and you could see snow fall anytime from December to end February or even early March.Snowfall could be mild to heavy. We have wooden cottages with glasswool insulated roofs and semi carpeted floors to keep the rooms warm. We request our guests not to wear outdoor shoes inside the room. Slippers are provided to be used indoors only. During the winters we provide electric blankets, room heaters and if need be, hot water bottles to keep our guests warm. However, we strictly advise you to carry warm clothes during the winter time. All three cottages have solar water heaters to provide hot water in the bathrooms. On cloudy days you could switch the electric geyser, installed in the bathrooms. Alternately, we provide hot water in buckets for you to have your bath, just in case there is a power failure due to inclement weather. As of now,we do not have a power back up. Our retreat is a perfect getaway and if you are looking for rejuvenation and a surreal experience with luxury, this should be your holiday destination. The place  is suitable for bird watching/ photography and an ideal place for writers, poets, painters, musicians, foreigners, people into meditation, yoga etc. People who intend staying in a peaceful and a pollution free place for longer durations are offered special discounts The clear night skies can be a delight for star gazing.  The Cottages : We have one Villa with two independent rooms and one separate Cottage. Our rooms- “Rich- Red Wooden Bide” can accommodate two guests with one additional mattress. “Red- Royal Wooden Bide” can also accommodate two guests, with one additional mattresses. “Royal Wooden Cottage” is perfect for a family of four. Smoking and drinking in the rooms is strictly prohibited.  All the rooms have a balcony attached. One can bask in the sun here throughout the day, specially in the summers. However, in winters, the sun is available for a shorter duration ( 9am to 2.30 pm) at the property. We have pets ( 2 dogs) in our house who stay in a separate place. However, we do not allow guests to bring their pets as pets are not allowed to stay in the rooms. You will encounter a pretty wide " kachha" road of 500 metres leading to my home. The entire apple orchard has a solar electric fence and CCTV cameras installed. Both are operational round the clock. Last, but not the least, to the best of our abilities , we assure you of a comfortable and a homely stay with complete privacy. We believe, you go back home with lots of good memories, cherish them , share them with your near and dear ones and remember us, in your prayers !