Host Labs Homestay, Bhimtal · Travel guide
Bhimtal or Nainital: where to stay?
Bhimtal and Nainital are lake towns in the same Kumaon hills, in Nainital district. Nainital is the busier one, built round Naini Lake and the Mall Road; Bhimtal is the quieter one, with more space and the other lakes, temples and Kathgodam station closer. From Host Labs Homestay, Nainital is 16 km, about 40 min by car.
The short answer
Stay in Nainital if you want to walk out of your door onto the Mall Road and Naini Lake, and do not mind the crowds and the traffic of the holidays.
Stay in Bhimtal if you want a quieter base with views of the hills, free parking and room to slow down, and plan to see Nainital, Sattal and Kainchi Dham as easy day trips.
What is within an hour of a Bhimtal stay
Road distances and usual drive times from Host Labs Homestay. Holiday traffic adds more, most of all on the road into Nainital.
- Golu Devta Temple (ghorakhal, the temple of bells): 3.3 km, about 10 min by car
- Bhowali (market, fruit stalls and taxis): 4.1 km, about 10 min by car
- Bhimtal Lake (boating and the lakeside): 5.2 km, about 15 min by car
- Sattal (seven lakes in an oak forest): 7 km, about 20 min by car
- Kainchi Dham (neem Karoli Baba ashram): 14 km, about 30 min by car
- Nainital (naini Lake and the Mall Road): 16 km, about 40 min by car
- Ramgarh (orchards and Himalayan views): 17 km, about 40 min by car
- Kathgodam (railway station): 25 km, about 55 min by car
Why people stay in Nainital
Naini Lake, the Mall Road, the shops and restaurants are all on foot. It is the busiest town in the district: on weekends, holidays and in the summer the roads into town are slow and the lakeside is crowded.
Why people stay in Bhimtal
Bhimtal is calmer, with its own lake, 5.2 km from our house, and Sattal's seven lakes 7 km away. Kainchi Dham is 14 km from the house and Kathgodam station 25 km, so it suits a visit by train.
At Host Labs Homestay there are rooms with views of the hills and the lake, home-cooked meals, free parking on site and fast Wi-Fi for anyone who has to work.
Nainital as a day trip from Bhimtal
Leave early, above all on weekends: Nainital is 16 km, about 40 min by car from the homestay. Spend the morning on Naini Lake and the Mall Road, and be back in Bhimtal for a quiet evening.
Questions
Is Bhimtal better than Nainital?
For a quieter stay with more space, yes; for being on foot from the Mall Road and Naini Lake, Nainital. Many travellers stay in Bhimtal and visit Nainital for the day.
How far is Nainital from Bhimtal?
From Host Labs Homestay in Bhimtal, Nainital is 16 km, about 40 min by car.
Can I stay in Bhimtal and visit Nainital?
Yes. Nainital is about 40 min by car from the homestay; leave early on weekends and holidays.
Is Bhimtal less crowded than Nainital?
Yes. Bhimtal is the quieter lake town; Nainital, with the Mall Road, draws the biggest crowds in the hills.
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