Hotel Pineview Shimla

The rooms are good, though the balcony is tiny and the view is almost nothing since it faces a busy road. It's close to Mall Road, but getting there means a lot of uphill walking. We chose it because we were tired and it was getting dark, but the price is like a 4-star hotel and breakfast isn't included. You're paying for the location, and I'm sure you can find a better hotel for less.

The front rooms look out over pine trees and the valley, and the rooms themselves have lovely wooden interiors. It's a comfortable, safe place for families, with plenty of car parking. The staff are humble and soft spoken, and Mall Road is a 10-minute walk away. Try their tea while you're there :)

We came to Hotel Pineview for its Kashmiri food festival with Chor Bizarre, and left disappointed by most of what we ate. Bhindi yakhni was the one dish that tasted right, and the only reason I gave a star. Nadru palak had just 4 to 5 pieces of nadru with lots of masala, while the average phirni was nothing special. The kahwah was a joke, with no saffron or spice flavor. Cheap kahwah tea bags taste better. The lamb and other ingredients were well below average for the price. Goshtaba had oddly tasting, very firm meatballs and poor gravy. The lamb seekh kebabs were dry, firm, and chewy instead of juicy and tender. Methi maaz had no fenugreek taste, and seemed to be all masala rather than the tripe, intestine, and small meat pieces the dish should have. Kashmiri food can be so flavorful, which made this meal an even bigger letdown. We ordered bhindi yakhni, nadru palak, Kashmiri seekh kebab, goshtaba, methi maaz, Kashmiri phirni, and kahwah.

I didn't like the rooms for what they cost, and the staff weren't helpful. We asked for cutlery in our room and they refused, saying we had to order something first. It was a really bad, uncomfortable stay, and I can't recommend this hotel.