Wildflower Hall History

"This country villa of ours is 1,000 feet higher than Shimla. It is on top of a hill and in the midst of the most sweet smelling pinewoods, where the mountain views are magnificent." - Description of Wildflower Hall by Lady Dufferin in "Our Viceregal Life in India"

At one time Wildflower Hall was a country escape for omnifarious Viceroys and high-ranking officials. However, Lord Kitchener was Wildflower Hall's most distinguished resident, and it retains its strong association as Lord Kitchener's former home.

Lord Kitchener cherished Wildflower Hall. He devoted an incredible amount of time and money to designing the gardens, and indulged a love of shooting and camping.

In the grounds of Wildflower Hall, Lord Kitchener built a snow-pit. This pit produced ice long before refrigeration. Sited in a shady position, the pit was packed with snow, and covered. Gradually, the snow was compacted into ice and supplied the Wildflower Hall kitchens with ice throughout the year.

When Lord Kitchener left India in 1909, Robert Hotz and his wife purchased the hall. Hotz was an experienced hotelier, and owned the The Oberoi Cecil in its early days. Mrs. Hotz demolished the old house and then erected an attractive, three-storey hotel in 1925, which became a popular retreat.

The hotel was taken over by the Indian Government after independence, and it then became the property of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation. In 1993 it was burnt down, after five years the hall was delightfully renovated as an Oberoi deluxe mountain resort.

Although an attractive six-storey building, Wildflower Hall has retained the spirit of the original bungalow in its external aspect. Utilising traditional construction methods of dhajji or lath and plaster and restored to the highest standard, Wildflower Hall successfully amalgamates the allure and beauty of the local area with modern-day comforts.