Young Shahzada Group Of Houseboats

So nice to find this group on Google after 8 years 6 months. I visited with my wife in February 2011 just after marriage. It was -3 degrees and the person who came to pick us in shikara at around 9 PM of night was so much helpful. He gave us his Sigri as we were shivering. When we reached houseboat it didn't felt like hotel. It was like a home only. The room was warm and bed was having heater inside the mattress. First time ever I had seen something like that. Food was delicious and what added to the taste was the love with which it was served. I still remember the face of boy who took us around in Dal Lake in his Shikara. I found his photo in one of pic shared by one of reviewer Mayank Singh. Don't know whether he still remember me... But brother I still remember you and even my wife instantly recognised you by seeing your pic. Best stay for us.👍👍👍

We had a truly enjoyable 5-day stay at Young Shahzada Group of Houseboats in winter of Feb 2018. Ours was an all-girls trip – 7 of us to be exact. So you can imagine how noisy and fussy we were! Walking into the houseboat, we were instantly greeted with the pleasant atmosphere of a home; not a hotel, but a lovely home. The setting was tastefully done with a relaxing charm attached to it. The living room was the place we love the most – that's where the source of heat was! Gathered around the 'bukhari' (a traditional cylindrical shape heater, using wood & fire to generate heat), we had a good time sharing our stories of the day, laughed & sat back having a good time, and planning our next day adventure. Next to the living room was the dining room (read: food!). This was where we had sumptuous breakfast & dinner every day. Mehraj (one of the caretakers of the houseboats) cooked delicious yummy food. Breakfast was toast & omelette on the first 3 days; Aloo Paratha (bread with potato filling) on our 4th day and toast on our last day. It was so good that the taste still lingers in our minds up to this day. Dinner was something we excitedly look forward to after the whole day out exploring Kashmir. Rice with chicken curry was the one that I enjoyed the most. Dessert was fresh crunchy sweet fruits & vegetables – carrots, oranges, green peas, onions, bananas, etc. At the end of each meal, we were served with sweet Kashmiri chai – this is the one that I miss so much. And Kehwa tea is definitely a must-try. There were 3 rooms in the houseboat, each with an attached bathroom. Hot water was provided. Water pressure was good. The room can comfortably accommodate up to 3 adults. I remember the 1st time I saw 3 blankets on top of the electrical blanket in the bed. What?? Do we really need that many blankets? I said to myself disbelievingly. Well, when the night came, and the temperature dropped, those 3 blankets and electric blanket were no match to the icy cold air. But we came here to enjoy the winter season, and what is winter if it is not icily cold, right? Feel the moment! Mr Ghulam (owner of the group of houseboats) & his wife Mrs Rubeena were wonderful & accommodating hosts. Their sons Faisal & Rayees were expertly running the show, with dad eyeing each move in the background. Faisal & Rayees took the time & effort to check on us all the time, making sure we’re OK. The caretakers of the houseboats (3 of them) had colourful characters of their own – Ashraf ‘ooi’ ('ooi' was his own unique way of calling us, but it's not an annoying ‘ooi’ at all), easy smiling Aslam & super great cook Mehraj. They were always ready to offer a hand, always around to ensure we’re at ease and erasing any discomfort that we might have. We were even warmly greeted at the door every time when we reached the houseboat from the day outing (smile smile smile). The Shikara rides from the houseboat to the jetty (& vice versa) took about 15 minutes. The soft soothing sound of the water ripples every time the paddle dipped into the lake, the unobstructed view of the mighty snow-capped Zabarwan mountain range in the background and the calm serene Dal Lake in the foreground, pure fresh chilly morning air certainly brought total peace to the mind and soul. The rides & view never fail to fascinate me. Local folks can be seen paddling in smaller boats, getting around with their daily routine. All in all, I can happily say that I have no hesitation to recommend this place to other travellers. It was clear that cleanliness is on top of their list, safety of the guests is well taken care of and the houseboat is well maintained. We had happy faces, fond memories & definitely hope to come back here again someday.