Sitara Himalaya
Maximalist Indian design meets Himalayan spiritual retreat. Think hand-spun Banarasi silk on the walls, Tibetan rugs, reverse glass paintings, crystal chandeliers from the Netherlands, and brass panels by Vikram Goyal — all inside a hill house designed to blend with local vernacular architecture. The atmosphere is house-party intimate rather than formal hotel.
Book well in advance — with only 10 rooms, it fills up fast, especially in peak summer (June–August)
Why It Matters
Two Michelin Keys (2025). Relais & Châteaux member since 2024. Designed and owned by Good Earth founder Anita Lal — widely considered India's pre-eminent lifestyle design figure. Only 10 rooms, all on a sacred hill believed to be where ancient sage Rishi Ved Vyas meditated for 12 years. No printed menu — ever.
Sitara Himalaya is a ten-room private mountain lodge perched at 8,200 feet in the Himalayas, about 13km north of Manali on the road toward Lahaul and Spiti. Anita Lal, founder of India's revered lifestyle brand Good Earth, built it as an extension of her own holiday home — every room, every fabric, every brass fitting chosen by her personally. The result is something that feels genuinely like being invited into a very stylish friend's house in the mountains, except with Relais & Châteaux-calibre service and a Two Michelin Keys rating.
Where You'll Stay
5 room types available
Deodar Room
Named for the Himalayan Deodar cedar tree that defines the forests around Sitara. One of the ten spacious guestrooms arranged across two floors of the main house — five downstairs, five upstairs. Like all rooms, it comes with the signature Banarasi silk wallpaper, a daybed, mountain views, and Paro bathroom products. The Deodar is one of the sacred trees of the Himalayas, and its fragrant oil is also used in the property's hot water plunge pool.
Jamun Room
Named for the deep purple-red of the Indian jamun berry — a colour used extensively in the Good Earth design vocabulary. The rooms at Sitara all vary in their silk wallpaper shades and detailing while sharing the same core language: plush daybeds, lacquered pieces, campaign-style furniture, and bathrooms furnished with Paro scented oils. Anita Lal has described the colour palette as 'the colours of my soul' — teal, cerise, jade, and aquamarine.
Neela Room
Named for its deep blue colour palette — 'Neela' means blue in Hindi. Like all rooms at Sitara Himalaya, it is wrapped in varying shades of hand-spun Banarasi silk wallpaper and features Anita Lal's signature layering of ornate wallpapers, campaign furniture, Chinese-style lamps, and an intimate daybed. Five rooms sit on the ground floor and five on the upper floor; the Neela Room offers the same panoramic snow-capped peak views common to all.
Sarovar Room
One of the named guestrooms at Sitara Himalaya, featuring the property's signature hand-spun Banarasi silk wallpaper depicting sacred Buddhist motifs in shades of teal and blue. Opens to views of snow-capped peaks. Furnished with a daybed piled with plush cushions, campaign-style furniture, Chinese-style lamps, and lacquered pieces. Bathroom stocked with exquisitely scented oils and washes from Paro (Simran Lal's brand), plus a 'Clarify' and 'Deep Sleep' essential oil turn-down ritual.
Skylight Room
A unique glass-roofed room that allows guests to lie in bed and gaze directly up at the Milky Way. Stargazing from your bed at 8,200 feet in the Himalayas with zero light pollution is as good as it sounds. Same design language as the other rooms — Banarasi silk, daybeds, campaign furniture, Paro amenities — but with an architectural trick that sets it entirely apart.
The Property
Eat & Drink
1 venue on property
Restaurant
Spa & Wellness
Treatment Menu
On Property
How you'll actually spend your days.
The in-house sutradhar (storyteller/musician) Navarino Narah plays guitar for guests in the evenings. One of those unexpected touches that makes Sitara feel like a private house party rather than a hotel.
The property's English-style garden — designed by landscape designer Taera Chowna to shift colour each month — is planted with magnolias, apple blossoms, carnations, and camellias. Guests can arrange group or solo picnics on the grounds.
A guided or self-guided meditative walk through the dense cedar and pine forests surrounding the property. The area's spiritual significance — believed to be where sage Rishi Ved Vyas meditated for 12 years — makes this more than just a stroll.
A bracing walk along the river below the property — fresh air, moving water, and Himalayan scenery without any serious elevation gain.
A hike from the property up to a torrential waterfall in the surrounding mountains. The terrain is spectacular and the route passes through dense cedar and pine forest.
At 8,200 feet with minimal light pollution, the night sky here is extraordinary. The Skylight Room offers in-bed Milky Way viewing, but stargazing from the terraces and gardens is equally spectacular.
A traditional fire ritual rooted in Vedic practice, offered through the Paro Svasthi wellness space. Said to rebalance the Panch Mahabhutas — the five elements — through the transformative energy of Agni (fire).
Amenities & Practical Info
The details that matter for planning.
A common lounge area with a piano — one of the characterful social spaces that gives Sitara its house-party atmosphere.
The entire property is available for private bookings — ideal for small weddings, family gatherings, or corporate retreats. Contact reservations@sitarahimalaya.com.
The kitchen is supplied by local orchards and fertile farmland surrounding the property in Palchan village. All ingredients are in season and grown locally — used daily in the no-menu kitchen.
A calming library space described as having a monastic air — in keeping with the property's Vedic design ethos.
A warm, sun-drenched terrace above the main central building offering unobstructed views of the Himalayan peaks. The 'Florida room' is a glass-enclosed warm lounge adjacent to the spa level.
A seasonally planted English-style garden designed to change colour each month — magnolias, apple blossoms, carnations, camellias. Set against Himalayan mountain backdrops.
An on-property space or viewpoint — featured as a distinct gallery category on the official website. Likely a named outdoor sitting area or lookout with elevated Himalayan views.
Full wellness facility at the highest point of the property: Shantih Yogshala, infra-red sauna, plunge pool, and steam room. See spa section for details.
An on-site fitness facility, described by Greaves India as 'a temple of balance'.
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Rooms, dining, spa, and resort experiences — organized into one trip plan.
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