Some holidays you plan. Others you keep putting off, telling yourself there’s always next summer.
This is the one worth planning.
Tucked into the Kumaon hills of Uttarakhand, Haut Monde Xanadu Resort, Majkhali is a hillside retreat that quietly delivers everything a family summer holiday should, cool mountain air, open spaces, unhurried mornings, and a setting so naturally beautiful that children put their devices down without being asked.
Located just 12 km from Ranikhet on the Ranikhet–Almora Highway (NH-109) and roughly 120 km from Nainital, the resort sits amidst dense oak, pine, and cedar forests with sweeping views of the Himalayas. Among resorts in Ranikhet and the wider Kumaon belt, it stands apart, not for its size, but for the quality of quiet it offers. While most of the country swelters through summer, temperatures here hold gently between 15°C and 25°C, cool enough for a light blanket at night, perfect for long days spent outdoors.
Why Summer in the Kumaon Hills Is Different
The Kumaon region has always had a loyal following among those who know it. The landscapes are quieter, the crowds thinner, and the experience of being in these hills has a texture that’s harder to find than it used to be. Travellers who’ve previously explored resorts near Nainital often discover Majkhali and Ranikhet as a natural next step, same mountains, same Kumaon air, but with far more room to breathe.
Majkhali, in particular, is one of Kumaon’s best-kept secrets. A small village perched at altitude with unobstructed sightlines toward Trishul, Nanda Devi and Panchachuli, three of India’s most iconic Himalayan peaks, it offers the kind of views that make you feel like you’ve genuinely arrived somewhere, not just checked in somewhere.
April through June is the sweet spot. The Kumaon summer is mild and genuinely pleasant: warm enough to be comfortable outdoors all day, cool enough to feel like a proper escape. The forest is lush, the skies are mostly clear, and on good mornings the Himalayan panorama is startlingly close. The rains, when they eventually arrive in July, bring their own beauty, but summer is when the hills are at their most welcoming for families with children.
What Makes It Right for Families
A good family resort doesn’t just tolerate children, it’s designed around how families actually travel. There’s a difference, and it shows.
Rooms That Fit a Family
Travelling with four people shouldn’t mean paying for two separate rooms and hoping for a connecting door. Xanadu’s Family Rooms are built for exactly this spacious, with two double beds, private balconies, wooden flooring, air conditioning, and all the comforts of a well-appointed room. Up to four guests, one clean and comfortable space.
For families with younger children, the Super Deluxe Garden View Rooms are particularly well-suited ground-floor rooms that open directly onto the garden through a private sit-out. The resort offers 21 rooms across four categories, Super Deluxe, Super Deluxe Garden View, Premium, and Family giving different kinds of families a room that genuinely fits.
Space That Changes the Mood
There’s something about open space that shifts how a family holiday feels. Xanadu’s expansive lawns aren’t there for aesthetics, they’re where the holiday actually happens. Children run freely, families spread out after lunch, and the evenings take on a life of their own. The absence of walls and schedules does something to the mood that’s hard to engineer and easy to feel.
Mornings Worth Waking Up For
Summer mornings in the Kumaon hills are a specific kind of pleasure. The air is cool and sharp, the forest is already alive with birdsong, and the light through the trees has a quality that no screen quite captures. Families at Xanadu often say it’s the mornings they remember most, unhurried breakfasts, chai on the balcony, children already awake and ready to be outside. There’s no alarm needed. The hills take care of that.
Views That Stay With You
The resort is positioned to make the most of the Himalayan skyline. On clear summer mornings common in May and early June, the peaks of Trishul, Nanda Devi, and Panchachuli are visible with rare clarity. Watching children see these snow-capped giants for the first time from a balcony is one of those small, unrepeatable travel moments. It tends to stay with people.
Activities: Something for Every Age
A common quiet worry about a hill holiday is what everyone will actually do all day. At Xanadu, this worry tends to resolve itself within a few hours of arriving.
In the open air:
• Cricket and badminton on the expansive resort lawns
• Nature walks through cedar and rhododendron forest
• Birding along the bridle paths, the Kumaon hills host a remarkable range of Himalayan and migratory species
Long, exploratory walks that children initially resist and then never want to end
Indoors:
• Table tennis, carrom, chess, darts, and a full range of indoor games
• These shared, offline activities bring families together in ways no itinerary quite plans for
Evenings — the bonfire:
This is the one that guests talk about most. As the Kumaon evening settles in and the temperature drops just enough to feel it, gathering around the resort’s dedicated bonfire area becomes the unplanned highlight of the stay. Stories come out. Laughter carries. Children drag chairs closer. Parents don’t want the night to end.
Dining: Made for Mountain Appetites
The resort’s multi-cuisine restaurant serves through the day, with a menu built around variety and warmth, familiar Indian comfort food, local Kumaoni flavours, lighter bites, and heartier meals for the days when the outdoors has done its work. After a morning on the forest trails and an afternoon of lawn games, sitting down to a warm meal with hills in the window is a pleasure that simply works.
Getting There
Haut Monde Xanadu Resort is well-connected by both road and rail, and sits within comfortable reach of several major Kumaon destinations. It’s approximately 120 km from Nainital and just 12 km from Ranikhet town, making it an ideal base for families who want to explore the wider region, or simply stay put and let the resort do all the work.
Families looking for resorts near Nainital often find that Majkhali offers everything Nainital has — the hills, the forest, the cool summer air, without the crowds. And for those specifically searching for resorts in Ranikhet, Xanadu sits at a short, scenic distance from town while feeling entirely removed from it.
The nearest major railway station is Kathgodam, approximately 80 km from the resort and connected to major cities across India. From Kathgodam, the resort is roughly a two-hour drive through the scenic Kumaon foothills. The resort provides taxi service on request.
Address: Village Talli Riyuni, PO Majkhali, Ranikhet–Almora Highway (NH-109), Majkhali, Uttarakhand – 263652
A Few Things Worth Knowing Before You Book
• Check-in: 2:00 PM | Check-out: 11:00 AM
• All rooms include complimentary Wi-Fi, air conditioning, wooden flooring, modern bathrooms, and 24×7 security
• Ample parking, power backup, doctor on call, luggage assistance, and ironing service
• Taxi service available on request for local sightseeing and travel
• Summer books fast — 21 rooms fill quickly during the April–June window. Early reservations are strongly recommended
The Holiday That Brings You Back
There’s a version of a family holiday that’s exhausting in a different way from daily life, too much moving, too many sights, too little rest. And then there’s this.
A few days where the schedule is loose, the air is genuinely cool, the mountains are visible from breakfast, and the biggest question of the afternoon is whether to play badminton before or after the bonfire.
Haut Monde Xanadu Resort, Majkhali is built for that second kind of holiday. The kind where someone in the family, usually a child, but not always, asks on the last morning if you can stay one more day.
The hills are ready when you are.
Plan Your Summer Escape
Website: hautmondehotels.com/xanadu-resort-ranikhet
Reservations: +91 8588055446
Email: info@hautmondehotels.com
