Kolu Group of Houseboats

It was such an INCREDIBLE experience to stay in a houseboat at Kashmir, that too at Gulrose owned by Kolu Houseboats which was no less than a 5 star hotel in terms of services, food and amenities. Kolu Group of Houseboats has 2 houseboats- Gulrose and Jilwi and both the houseboats are so beautifully and aesthetically done overlooking the beautiful Dal Lake in Srinagar. Gulrose had the most luxurious stay. Floating on water, we had every amenity we could wish for. We had a butler and shikara 24*7 at our service if we wanted anything to eat or drink or had to go to the shore. Kolu Group of Houseboats has been in the business since 1962 amd have deluxe and special houseboats in Kashmir. At Gulrose, we were surrounded with home-cooked meals, candle light dinners, designer heritage furniture and so much more. While on a vacay, a buffet is luxurious, but a sit down meal with family is the most comforting thing. Little did I know that Gulrose, our lovely and luxurious houseboat would give me what I was yearning for. When I woke up at the houseboat, a yummy breakfast was waiting for me. All set at the dining table, the dishes included kashmiri breads, poha, parathas, toast, fruits, cookies, cakes, juice and much more. The meal was made by the amazing cook at Gulrose and was served with love and care by the staff. Honestly, it was one of the best meals I had at Kashmir. There was SO much variety. It was such a beautiful morning Another beautiful memory is the candle light dinners arranged for us. A beautiful table setting with Fresh vegetables, chicken, meat, desserts, and all the heritage local dishes of Kashmir for the best food experience ever in life. Yummy, tasty, delicious, well presented food in the best place on Earth that is Kashmir- a beauty with its old culture, tradition and authentic food. The three bedroom boats had 2 Luxury rooms and a suite. Elegant bedrooms with pleasing interiors and unique individual character made our stay even more memorable. Walls and ceiling adored very intricate work with fine detailing and indeed was very tastefully done be it the upholstery or the fabrics or the bed linen. The large bathroom had Italian marble and a Jacuzzi for relaxation.The entire houseboat was just like a palace with beautiful chandeliers and color combinations. The management of Kolu Houseboat also arranged an evening Shikara for us. We not only experienced beautiful views but also dining and shopping during the ride.

View from the houseboat is stunning. It is in prime location (in front of gate 13) Room/bed very comfortable. Toilet/bathroom clean Hospitality of staff amazing. Food is okay. Not much options Shikara ride from houseboat extremely refreshing

Dal lake is an unique experience in itself and house boat stay is a must to enjoy it to the fullest.Kolu group of house boats is a great choice for making the stay memorable Pros- 1. The service and hospitality is top notch. Right from the booking onwards they answered every query properly. Mr Kolu himself was there to welcome us and he supervises everything, his staff is just excellent. 2. The decor and styling used is rich and ornate and gives the authentic kashmiri feel during the stay 3. 5 stars for the food, it's without doubt the best we had in Kashmir Cons 1. It's pricey and there are lot of cheaper options , if you are budget conscious 2. The shikara ride is not suited for elderly and disabled, though staff did everything to help my father who has knee joint issues, the whole experience of getting in and out of the shikara ,(which is the only way you can access the boat ) was not very comfortable 3. Sunset ride in shikara is surreal, but they are taking an extra risk by not providing life jackets. None of the shikaras we saw are providing it, but considering the depth and vastness of the lake, this should be done 4. The wifi signal was pretty weak and this should be taken care of.

Was staying at the boathouse Kolu for a week in end March, overall service was very good, must say Thank you to our room steward, who were always there to help us regardless whatever our request is, from sending laundry for washing to send postcards at the post office. I will definitely be back for me in the near future, as Kashmir is such a beautiful place, Thank you!

I stayed at the Gulrose houseboat of Kolu group of houseboats. This booking was done online as the regular houseboats were all sold out. The house boat was quite expensive and costed me around 18k for 3 persons on MAP plan. Coming to the good part - the location is good, just across Ghat no 13, rooms are clean and comfortable, bathroom is clean and usable. The not so good part - The owners of this houseboat stay at Delhi and the houseboat is managed by staff and this makes all the difference. There is nothing like Kashmiri hospitality in this houseboat. For dinner we got Punjabi chicken inspite of requesting well in advance that we preferred local delicacies like Gushtaba etc. Breakfast was also not good with standard toast, undercooked omlette and poha. We wanted to try noon chai but the staff refused saying that it takes lot of time to make it. Even the Kahwa that was served didnt seemed authentic and was like the standard dip that we get in the cities. The houseboat does not serve water during dinner and breakfast and charged us 80 Rs for every bottle of water that we consumed at the dining table. I feel this should have been clarified at the beginning itself because even the most basic of houseboats serve water during dinner and breakfast and secondly charging 80/- for a 10/- bottle. So in short the houseboat does not justify its high price tag, there are several other houseboats around that are much reasonable with similar services. I will not return to this houseboat.

Me my wife and son had an amazing stay at Kolu Group of houseboats. Everything from the room to bathroom to the hall was superb and amazing hospitality. Mr. Hilal and Mr Irfan (care takers) are the sweetest people we have come across. We only gas breakfast and while the nos of items were less but was very very tasty. View from the houseboat is mesmerizing. Must visit when in Kashmir