Hotel Kalra Regency

I’ve been working as the G.M. at Hotel Kalra Regency in Chotta Shimla for quite a while now. Living and working in the hills is different than the plains. You have to deal with the cold winters and the winding roads. Our place is right there in the 171002 zip code area. It’s a steep walk up sometimes, and the monkeys can be a bit of a nuisance if you leave a window open. The hotel is a straightforward place. We don’t have fancy elevators that talk to you, just good rooms and a view of the mountains. I spend my mornings checking on the kitchen and making sure the water heaters are working. In Shimla, that’s the most important thing for the guests. We get a lot of families coming up from Delhi to escape the heat. The lobby is small but cozy. Sometimes the fog rolls in so thick you can’t see the road, and we all just hunker down inside with some hot tea. My staff and I are local people for the most part. We know the shortcuts around town and where to get the best supplies. It’s not a perfect building, it has its quirks and the floors creak a bit, but it feels like a real home. We just try to make sure people are comfortable and that the blankets are thick enough for the night. It's just a regular hotel run by regular people.