# Nest and Hives Naukuchiatal Review: 9 Honest Stay Notes

- Link: https://foodandtraveltales.com/nest-and-hives-naukuchiatal-review/
- Published: 2026-09-20T16:07:15+05:30
- Author: Naveen Kumar

I chose Nest and Hives because I wanted space, quiet and a proper view, not a compact
hotel room that happened to face the hills. We were travelling with our small child,
Aryan, on his first trip to a new place, so a busy Mall Road atmosphere was not 
the priority. The suite gave us Naukuchiatal Lake in front, a green valley behind
and enough room to slow down for two or three days.

My complete Nest and Hives Naukuchiatal suite tour, views, breakfast and meals.

This Nest and Hives Naukuchiatal review is based on our own stay and the room shown
in the video. It is not a review of every room category. The property has several
categories, and the view changes according to where your room sits on the slope.
That distinction matters more here than it might at a flat city hotel.

Table of Contents

 [Toggle](https://foodandtraveltales.com/nest-and-hives-naukuchiatal-review/#)

 * [Nest and Hives Naukuchiatal review: the quick answer](https://foodandtraveltales.com/nest-and-hives-naukuchiatal-review/#Nest_and_Hives_Naukuchiatal_review_the_quick_answer)
 * [Why I picked Nest and Hives instead of a busier hotel](https://foodandtraveltales.com/nest-and-hives-naukuchiatal-review/#Why_I_picked_Nest_and_Hives_instead_of_a_busier_hotel)
 * [Our suite had the best part of the property](https://foodandtraveltales.com/nest-and-hives-naukuchiatal-review/#Our_suite_had_the_best_part_of_the_property)
 * [Inside the suite: space that made family travel easier](https://foodandtraveltales.com/nest-and-hives-naukuchiatal-review/#Inside_the_suite_space_that_made_family_travel_easier)
 * [Room position changes the view](https://foodandtraveltales.com/nest-and-hives-naukuchiatal-review/#Room_position_changes_the_view)
 * [Breakfast, dinner and what we actually ate](https://foodandtraveltales.com/nest-and-hives-naukuchiatal-review/#Breakfast_dinner_and_what_we_actually_ate)
 * [Service during our stay](https://foodandtraveltales.com/nest-and-hives-naukuchiatal-review/#Service_during_our_stay)
 * [What we could see and do from here](https://foodandtraveltales.com/nest-and-hives-naukuchiatal-review/#What_we_could_see_and_do_from_here)
 * [How I would choose a room at Nest and Hives](https://foodandtraveltales.com/nest-and-hives-naukuchiatal-review/#How_I_would_choose_a_room_at_Nest_and_Hives)
 * [Who will enjoy this Naukuchiatal stay?](https://foodandtraveltales.com/nest-and-hives-naukuchiatal-review/#Who_will_enjoy_this_Naukuchiatal_stay)
 * [My honest verdict after settling in](https://foodandtraveltales.com/nest-and-hives-naukuchiatal-review/#My_honest_verdict_after_settling_in)

## Nest and Hives Naukuchiatal review: the quick answer

Yes. The suite worked well for our family because it was spacious, clean and peaceful,
with two balconies and a small kitchenette. Check-in was smooth, the staff and caretaker
were attentive, and breakfast was included in our booking. The strongest reason 
to choose it, though, is the setting.

It is not the place I would pick for somebody who wants cafés, shopping and constant
activity outside the door. Nainital has more of that. Here the attraction was being
able to sit outside, hear birds instead of traffic and look down at the lake. With
a small child, that slower rhythm suited us.

![Nest and Hives Naukuchiatal review sunrise view over the lake and hills](https://
foodandtraveltales.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/nest-hives-naukuchiatal-sunrise-
lake-view.webp)

Sunrise over Naukuchiatal Lake from the property.

## Why I picked Nest and Hives instead of a busier hotel

I had looked at other properties around the lake. Some highly rated options appeared
to have smaller rooms, and three people in a tight room can quickly feel crowded.
A polished hotel has its own advantages, but I did not want to travel this far only
to spend most of the time inside a box-like room.

Nest and Hives had more open space around the cottages. The property is spread down
a hillside rather than packed into one building. That gave us a resort-like layout,
garden areas and separation between rooms. From the suite at the top, I could see
the lake on one side and the valley on the other.

Our earlier [Delhi to Naukuchiatal drive with a baby](https://foodandtraveltales.com/delhi-to-naukuchiatal-road-trip-with-baby/)
was already a long day. Once we arrived, I did not want to chase a checklist. I 
wanted a base where staying in could be part of the trip, and this property made
that possible.

![Aerial view of Nest and Hives cottages arranged across a hillside in Naukuchiatal](
https://foodandtraveltales.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/nest-hives-naukuchiatal-
hillside-cottages.webp)

The cottages are placed at different levels on the hillside.

## Our suite had the best part of the property

The suite category shown in my video has three rooms at the upper level. Our room
had a large front balcony facing Naukuchiatal Lake. It was wide enough for the family
to sit together without squeezing chairs into a corner. The rear balcony looked 
into the valley, so the room did not depend on a single window for its sense of 
space.

The direction of the light changed the experience through the day. Sunrise appeared
toward the rear side, while the evening light and sunset were visible from the lake-
facing side. I could step from one view to the other without leaving the room. On
a clear morning, the first sunlight slowly reached the lake and nearby hills. It
was quiet enough that I stopped speaking in the video for a few seconds just to 
record the birds.

That quiet was the real luxury for me. There was no constant traffic noise or loud
crowd around our room during the moments I filmed. Smoke rose from homes across 
the hillside in the evening, the lake sat below us, and the mountains layered into
the distance. It felt removed without feeling cut off.

![Sunset over Naukuchiatal Lake seen from the suite balcony railing](https://foodandtraveltales.
com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/naukuchiatal-lake-sunset-from-suite-balcony.webp)

The lake-facing side catches the evening light and sunset.

## Inside the suite: space that made family travel easier

The room included a bed, sofa, television, work desk, dining table and wardrobe.
Extra blankets were kept in the wardrobe. The decoration was simple and tidy, and
the room felt clean when we checked in. I am careful about making sweeping hygiene
claims, so this is only what I observed in our suite during this stay.

The work desk was useful even on a leisure trip. I could keep equipment and smaller
items in one place rather than covering the dining table. The sofa created a separate
sitting area, which mattered when somebody wanted to rest and somebody else was 
handling the baby or food.

The kitchenette was the practical surprise. We had a microwave, drinking water and
a small selection of utensils. It was not a full cooking setup, and I would not 
present it as one. Its real value was simpler: we could order food, reheat it if
needed and use proper plates at the dining table. Families carrying baby food or
dealing with different meal times will understand why that is useful.

There was room to spread out without the suite feeling cluttered. Aryan was on his
first trip to a new place, and children can take time to adjust. He did not give
us any major trouble, but having a calm room made the transition easier for everyone.

![Chairs and tables on the suite balcony overlooking Naukuchiatal Lake](https://
foodandtraveltales.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/nest-hives-lake-view-suite-balcony-
seating.webp)

The large front balcony was one of the suite’s best features.

## Room position changes the view

This is the main detail I would check before booking. The restaurant and reception
are near the lower part of the property, with parking below. The rooms then continue
upward along the slope. The suite rooms shown at the top have the most open position
and can get both lake and valley views.

Rooms lower down can still face the lake, but trees and the buildings above or below
may enter the frame. From the restaurant, I could see the lake clearly, yet it was
not the same uninterrupted angle we had from the upper suite. If the view is the
reason you are booking, ask which category and level you are getting. Do not assume
every photograph applies to every room.

The same hillside layout creates a practical consideration. Reaching higher rooms
involves moving up through the property. I did not record this as a problem for 
us, but a guest with limited mobility, knee trouble or lots of luggage should ask
the property about the route to the assigned room before paying. The upper position
rewards you with a better outlook, but it is still an upper position.

This is why my Nest and Hives Naukuchiatal review separates the upper suite from
the lower room categories. The name of the property stays the same, but the outlook
and walking involved can be different.

![Hillside layout and paths between the rooms at Nest and Hives Naukuchiatal](https://
foodandtraveltales.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/nest-hives-naukuchiatal-hillside-
layout.webp)

The sloping layout is worth considering when choosing a room.

## Breakfast, dinner and what we actually ate

Breakfast was included in our booking. At the property restaurant, we had hot parathas
with curd, pickle and Amul butter. Puri bhaji was also served. The restaurant itself
looked toward Naukuchiatal Lake, so breakfast did not mean giving up the view and
sitting in a closed room.

Our other meals were not included, but the property had ordering options. The staff
told us food could be ordered until 9:00 pm during our stay. Timings can change,
so I would confirm the current kitchen cut-off after check-in instead of planning
around this one visit.

One dinner included chole, rice, pahadi raita, paneer bhurji, salad and hot rotis.
Another meal had kadai paneer, jeera aloo or aloo gutke, kheer, coriander-mint chutney,
rotis, salad and pickle. I am listing these because they are visible in our video,
not because I am promising a fixed menu.

The meals were convenient when we did not want to take the child out again. I would
still leave room in the plan to eat elsewhere around the lake. Naukuchiatal is quiet,
but it is not a place where you must depend on one kitchen for every meal.

For recent opinions beyond our own visit, you can compare current guest reports 
on the [Nest and Hives Tripadvisor listing](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g1047700-d13002980-Reviews-Nest_And_Hives-Naukuchiatal_Nainital_District_Uttarakhand.html).
Treat changing ratings and individual reviews as third-party material, not as evidence
of what happened during our stay.

![Breakfast with tea and snacks served inside the Nest and Hives suite](https://
foodandtraveltales.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/nest-hives-naukuchiatal-breakfast-
in-suite.webp)

Food could also be eaten inside when staying in suited us better.

## Service during our stay

Our check-in was smooth. The caretaker and staff were polite and attentive, and 
the service felt responsive during the first part of the stay shown in the vlog.
I did not face a dramatic issue that needed escalation, and I am not going to invent
one to make the review sound balanced.

The balance comes from the property itself. This is a peaceful hillside stay, not
a hotel in the middle of a busy tourist strip. Its spread-out plan and higher suites
are part of its appeal, yet they may be less convenient for someone who wants everything
on one level. Likewise, choosing Naukuchiatal means fewer cafés and less evening
activity than Nainital. That was a benefit for us, not a universal advantage.

## What we could see and do from here

Naukuchiatal Lake was visible directly from the front balcony and from the restaurant.
Boating activity could be seen on the water from our room. We planned to go down
toward the lake, but the property was comfortable enough that there was no pressure
to leave first thing in the morning.

For the wider family experience, read my [Naukuchiatal family trip and lake-view stay diary](https://foodandtraveltales.com/naukuchiatal-family-trip-lake-view-stay/).
It covers the slower pace we chose with Aryan and why this destination worked better
for us than trying to fill every hour.

Nainital and Bhimtal can both be part of a trip through this region, but they offer
a different rhythm. Nainital has Mall Road, more cafés and more movement. Naukuchiatal
gave us fresh air, a quieter lake setting and fewer people around the property. 
If your priority is nightlife or easy shopping, the trade is obvious. If your priority
is sitting outside with a view while a child settles into a trip, it makes sense.

## How I would choose a room at Nest and Hives

I would start with the view, then check space and access. Ask the property to identify
the exact room category, whether it is on an upper or lower level, and whether it
has lake view only or lake plus valley views. If you are travelling as three people,
confirm the sleeping arrangement rather than judging capacity from a wide-angle 
image.

The suite suited us because the large balcony, sofa, dining table and kitchenette
were all useful. A couple spending most of the day outside might not need the same
amount of room. Somebody travelling with parents may value an easier route more 
than the highest viewpoint.

That is also the clearest booking lesson from this Nest and Hives Naukuchiatal review:
choose the room position deliberately. The suite is not merely a larger version 
of every other room. Its higher placement is part of what you are paying for.

I also would not quote the price from one trip as though it were permanent. Rates
vary with dates, demand and room category. The creator evidence supports a relative
judgment: our suite felt reasonably priced compared with the more expensive hotel
options I had considered, and it did not feel like a major compromise on cleanliness
or comfort. Check the current rate for your dates on the booking channel you trust,
then compare the exact category.

## Who will enjoy this Naukuchiatal stay?

Families who want more usable room, couples looking for a quiet balcony, and travellers
who treat the view as part of the holiday are the clearest fit. It also works for
someone who wants to remain near Nainital and Bhimtal without staying in their busier
centres.

I would be more cautious if you need a flat property, want to walk straight into
a market, or expect every room to match the suite view shown in the video. Ask those
questions first. A good stay starts with booking the property as it is, not the 
version imagined from its best photograph.

![A family standing on the balcony of a private hillside suite at Nest and Hives](
https://foodandtraveltales.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/nest-hives-naukuchiatal-
family-suite-aerial.webp)

Our suite sat high on the hillside with open space around it.

## My honest verdict after settling in

Nest and Hives got the important things right for this particular trip. The suite
was clean, the check-in was easy, the staff paid attention and breakfast was included.
More than that, the room gave us space to stay put without feeling trapped indoors.

My Nest and Hives Naukuchiatal review is positive because the stay matched the quiet
family break I wanted, not because every traveller should make the same choice. 
The hill, the quieter location and the limited activity nearby need to suit your
own plan.

The strongest memory is not a facility list. It is standing on the front balcony
at sunset, then waking to soft light on the other side of the room, with birds audible
in the gap between those moments. That is what I had travelled to Naukuchiatal for.

I would choose the upper suite again if the current price suited my dates. I would
not book blindly based on the word “lake view,” because the level and room category
change how open that view feels. Make that one check, be honest about how much activity
you want nearby, and this can be a very comfortable base for a slow Naukuchiatal
break.