Close to Shimla is a hill-station that is truly secluded, peaceful and drop-dead gorgeous. Away from the hustle and bustle of popular holiday spots- here silence is only broken by the chirping of birds…AutoCar (May ’09) takes a small vacation.

Around 361km from Delhi – AutoCar (May ’09) took the route from Delhi to Karnal to Kalka to Solan to Shimla ending at Mashobra. The entire journey takes around 9 hours to complete. The flyovers on Nh1 greatly help but the road till Shimla is a little crowded. Good places to stop for a quick snack are Zhilmil Dhaba at Karnal and Giani Dhaba at Dharampur. The road from Kufri to Mashobra is narrow and the last two kilometers are broken and bumpy so it would pay to take it easy.

Violet Hill is essentially a home. Very tastefully done up and set in a splendid location it is a place where you can spend some quality time with friends and family. Prettily painted in white and violet with glass and wooden windows, airy verandahs and a slate roof – the boutique hotel gives out a colonial feel. The theme is further strengthened by the old-world wrought iron benches that abound on the lawns spread out over two levels. Inside, the villa is tastefully furnished with antique furniture blending in with modern art. The two bedrooms upstairs have adjoining rooms where children can sleep and one of them even has a loft.

Violet Hill is a hotel but is essentially a home and you can actually feel the affection and care with which it has been done up. It’s just the place to watch classic DVD’s or bird watch or idle with a book or barbecue tikki’s in the night. One can also visit Wildflower Hall which is hardly a distance away for a fancy meal or have a few rounds of golf at Naldhera course which is again very near.

But whatever you doo and however you choose to spend your time at Violet Hill, AutoCar (May ’09) promises that you will be sad to leave this charming little house in the hills, plug into the grid and put your nose to the grind again.