The Naini Retreat is a 5-star IHCL SeleQtions resort on the Ayarpatta slopes, Nainital, with 52 rooms, Naini Lake views, a Jiva Spa and forest grounds.
Pick which sources FlightGPT queries. Toggle a source off to skip it during search.
Fares and prices quoted in this guide are indicative estimates only — illustrative, not live quotes, and may be out of date. Search FlightGPT for current fares before booking.
The Naini Retreat is a 5-star IHCL SeleQtions resort on the Ayarpatta slopes above Nainital, with 52 rooms, Naini Lake and Himalaya views, a Jiva Spa and forest grounds, about 70 km from Pantnagar Airport.
Live rates and availability confirmed at booking. All prices indicative — updated June 2026.
The Naini Retreat occupies a heritage property on the Ayarpatta slopes above Nainital, looking down over the Naini Lake and out to the Himalaya. Once a colonial-era retreat and long run by Leisure Hotels Group, it relaunched under the IHCL SeleQtions banner following a renovation announced in 2021. It is a 52-key resort spread across more than five acres of gardens and forest canopy, which gives it a quiet, leafy feel above the bustle of the lakeside town.
The appeal here is the combination of old-world character and a hillside position with genuine views. It sits close enough to walk down to the Mall Road and the lake, yet high enough on the Ayarpatta slope to feel apart from the crowds that fill Nainital's centre in season.
The nearest airport is Pantnagar, about 70 km away, a drive of roughly two and a half to three hours through Haldwani and up the winding Kathgodam-Nainital road. Flights into Pantnagar are limited; many travellers instead arrive by train at Kathgodam, about 35 km below, and drive the final climb, or come up by road from Delhi over a longer journey. Once at the resort, the Naini Lake and Naina Devi Temple are around 1–2 km below, with the Snow View ropeway and Tiffin Top within a few kilometres.
The 52 rooms and suites carry a heritage style updated with contemporary comforts. Deluxe Rooms look over the gardens or valley; Lake View Rooms are positioned to capture the Naini Lake and Himalaya outlook, which is the category most guests come for; and Suites add a sitting area for families and longer stays. The renovation under SeleQtions modernised the rooms while keeping the period feel of the building. Given the slope, room location affects the view considerably, so it is worth requesting a lake-facing room at booking.
Dining is built around an all-day diner serving multi-cuisine fare — Indian, continental and Chinese, with the kind of broad spread that suits family groups — and a bar for drinks in the evening. The setting, on a forested slope with lake views, is as much the draw as the menu, and the conservatory-style spaces make the most of the daylight and the outlook.
Because the resort sits above the town on the Ayarpatta slope, many guests choose to eat in, particularly in the evenings when the climb back up the hill is less appealing. That said, the Mall Road's eateries and Nainital's street-food stalls are a short trip down for those wanting to explore the town's food scene, and the resort can arrange transport down and back.
Wellness is handled by a Jiva Spa, IHCL's signature spa concept, offering Indian-rooted therapies, alongside a fitness centre. There are recreation and indoor-games facilities, gardens and forest grounds to walk, and a banquet hall with meeting rooms for events and small gatherings. The property's strengths are its setting, its spa and its heritage character rather than a large pool-and-leisure complex, so confirm current facility details when booking if a pool is important to you.
Nainital's draws cluster around its lake. The Naini Lake itself, with rowing boats and the yacht club, is about 1 km below the resort; the Naina Devi Temple, one of the Shakti Peethas, sits on its northern shore; and the Mall Road runs along the water with shops, cafes and the evening promenade that defines a Nainital trip. The Snow View Point, reached by an aerial ropeway, and Tiffin Top, also called Dorothy's Seat, offer panoramas of the lake and the high Himalaya beyond.
The Tibetan Market at The Flats is popular for woollens and shopping, and the boat club and lakeside walks fill an unhurried afternoon. Beyond the town, the wider Kumaon hills hold a string of quieter lakes — Sattal, Bhimtal and Naukuchiatal among them — that make easy half-day excursions, along with the high-altitude Mukteshwar and the cable car at Snow View. The resort's travel desk can arrange these trips, a driver and guided sightseeing, which is helpful given Nainital's narrow, often busy hill roads.
The Naini Retreat suits travellers wanting a lake-view stay with heritage character, honeymooners after a quiet hillside perch, and families who value gardens, a spa and proximity to Nainital's sights without being in the thick of the lakeside crowds. The combination of an IHCL SeleQtions service standard and a genuinely characterful old building is the property's particular appeal, and the five-acre forested grounds give it space that town hotels cannot match.
It is a strong fit if a real view of the Naini Lake matters to you — worth securing a lake-facing room at booking. Those wanting a brand-new resort, a large pool-led property or a hotel right on the Mall Road should weigh its heritage nature and hillside position first, but for atmosphere and outlook it stands among Nainital's best addresses.
| Room | What you get |
|---|---|
| Deluxe Room | Heritage-styled rooms with valley or garden views and contemporary comforts. |
| Lake View Room | Rooms positioned to take in the Naini Lake and Himalaya outlook. |
| Suite | Larger suites with a sitting area, suited to families and longer hill stays. |
| Outlet | Cuisine / type |
|---|---|
| All-day diner | Multi-cuisine restaurant |
| Bar | Cocktails and lounge |
| Landmark | Distance | Approx. on foot |
|---|---|---|
| Naini Lake | 1 km | ~12 min walk |
| Mall Road, Nainital | 2 km | ~24 min walk |
| Naina Devi Temple | 2 km | ~24 min walk |
| Snow View Point (ropeway) | 3 km | short taxi/auto |
| Tiffin Top (Dorothy's Seat) | 4 km | short taxi/auto |
| The Flats / Tibetan Market | 2 km | ~24 min walk |
Distances are straight-line estimates; walking times assume roughly 12 minutes per km. Confirm routes locally.
It is on the Ayarpatta slopes in Mallital, Nainital, above the Naini Lake, about 1–2 km from the lake and Mall Road. The postal code is 263001.
Pantnagar Airport is about 70 km away, a drive of roughly two and a half to three hours. Many travellers instead arrive by train at Kathgodam, around 35 km below, and drive up.
It is a 52-key resort, with Deluxe Rooms, Lake View Rooms and Suites, set across more than five acres of gardens and forest.
Yes. Lake View Rooms are positioned to take in the Naini Lake and the Himalaya; request a lake-facing room when booking, as the view varies by room location.
Yes, a Jiva Spa offering Indian-rooted therapies, plus a fitness centre and recreation facilities.
Standard check-in is from 2:00 PM and check-out is by 12:00 noon. Confirm any flexibility directly with the resort.