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Sunnymead was constructed at the turn of the last century and is one of the older surviving residences of Shimla.It’s design is an adaptation from an English architectural book by R.A. “Bungalow” Briggs, a copy of which is still present in the house.

Opened to guests in 2011 to enable the property to pay for its upkeep and maintenance, Sunnymead is first and foremost an attempt at conservation. Sunnymead is in essence a beloved family home that we would like to share with like-minded people.

VERNACULAR "DHAJJI" ARCHITECTURE

The building is unusual in modern day Shimla because its owners, have elected to maintain the traditional Dhajji architecture.
Rather than replace the mud plastered wood and stone structure with cheaper and quicker modern cement, mud and stone masons
were brought in from Hamirpur district in Himachal Pradesh and the 5 intricate layers of plaster were first stripped,
the structure repaired and the whole then re-plastered. The exterior paint is still the traditional lime wash.

OUR ECOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENTS

  • As much salvaged material from dismembered old colonial structures as possible (including the gatehouse of the Viceregal Lodge) was used during the restoration of the house. No new trees were felled for the renovation.
  • Sunnymead harvests roof rainwater and uses it for the WCs in guest bathrooms, for laundry as well as for the chemical pesticideand fertilizer free garden. We use natural pesticides and manure. The filteration systems for the rainwater harvesting structures are simple gravitational gravel filters.
  • We actively compost our bio-degradable waste and segregate and recycle our garbage. Sunnymead also funds community waste disposal for neighbours as well as regularly funds and supervises the cleaning of plastic waste from the surrounding natural waterways.
  • The fireplaces burn a mix of eco-friendly bamboo briquettes, dead wood and pine cones collected round the year.
  • Local produce is used as far as possible in the kitchen keeping our carbon footprint small.
  • Our mattresses and pillows are international standard "green latex". Springwel natural latex products are duly certified by ECO Umweltinstitut Cologne, Germany for their quality and purity.
  • Since water in the hills is scarce and precious, we change guest linen once every three days.
  • Guest bathrooms are stocked with organic natural soaps and Ayurvedic toiletries.