Radisson Auli Residency

The Radisson Auli Residency is the sort of dated mountain lodge that feels more like a climber’s hostel than a five‑star resort, its timber beams stripped of varnish and the lobby wallpaper peeling in the same dignified layers as the snow outside. Arrive in early December, when Auli’s ski season is just waking and the resort’s half‑price lift tickets make the expense of a night here marginally tolerable; mid‑January brings crowds and the only perk is a longer run of powder. The rooms with river‑view balconies—room 416 in particular—offer a decent, if frosted, pane of glass to watch the sun set over the Garhwal peaks, but the standard blocks on the ground floor are plagued by thin walls that let the boiler’s clank echo through the night. Breakfast is a functional spread of paratha, boiled eggs and masala chai on a chipped ceramic tray; the only dish worth ordering is the gundruk thali at the on‑site restaurant, which, surprisingly, outshines most eateries in Auli. Skip the spa—its hydro‑massage jets sputter more than they soothe—and instead spend an hour dragging your skis to the nearby Jump Point trail, where the view of the Chandrabhaga glacier is worth the frostbite. For a roof‑top sit‑down, claim the small terrace behind the front desk after 5 p.m.; it’s rarely busy and the chilli‑spiced hot chocolate you can coax from the bar staff is the only thing that makes the dusty décor tolerable. Two nights is honest if you’re using Auli as a base for winter trekking; three lets you endure the lazy afternoons when the lift shuts early and you’re left to stare at the same beige carpet until the next day’s snowfall.