Kolu Group Of Houseboats

Not any thing which you can like or its different from other houseboats, all middle class house boat are sam as it is

We called kolugroup house boat around 12.30 PM for checkin . They told me that check in time is 2.00 PM while agoda was showing 12.00 PM timing. We called them again after few minutes and then they agreed for check in . So this was not a good experience.

Apart from this ,every thing was good. Breakfast was good, sikara driver was good and really helpful.

View from the houseboat is stunning. It is in prime location (in front of gate 13)

Room/bed very comfortable. Toilet/bathroom clean

Hospitality of staff amazing.

Food is okay. Not much options

Shikara ride from houseboat extremely refreshing

Our stay at the Kolu houseboat was exceptional. Hilal was an amazing host and all of the staff were very accommodating. The food was made fresh for us to order and was incredible! The room was very clean. We wouldn’t hesitate to stay here again.

It was such an INCREDIBLE experience to stay in a houseboat at Kashmir, that too at Gulrose owned by Kolu Houseboats which was no less than a 5 star hotel in terms of services, food and amenities.

Kolu Group of Houseboats has 2 houseboats- Gulrose and Jilwi and both the houseboats are so beautifully and aesthetically done overlooking the beautiful Dal Lake in Srinagar. Gulrose had the most luxurious stay. Floating on water, we had every amenity we could wish for. We had a butler and shikara 24*7 at our service if we wanted anything to eat or drink or had to go to the shore.

Kolu Group of Houseboats has been in the business since 1962 amd have deluxe and special houseboats in Kashmir. At Gulrose, we were surrounded with home-cooked meals, candle light dinners, designer heritage furniture and so much more.

While on a vacay, a buffet is luxurious, but a sit down meal with family is the most comforting thing. Little did I know that Gulrose, our lovely and luxurious houseboat would give me what I was yearning for. When I woke up at the houseboat, a yummy breakfast was waiting for me. All set at the dining table, the dishes included kashmiri breads, poha, parathas, toast, fruits, cookies, cakes, juice and much more. The meal was made by the amazing cook at Gulrose and was served with love and care by the staff. Honestly, it was one of the best meals I had at Kashmir. There was SO much variety. It was such a beautiful morning

Another beautiful memory is the candle light dinners arranged for us. A beautiful table setting with Fresh vegetables, chicken, meat, desserts, and all the heritage local dishes of Kashmir for the best food experience ever in life. Yummy, tasty, delicious, well presented food in the best place on Earth that is Kashmir- a beauty with its old culture, tradition and authentic food.

The three bedroom boats had 2 Luxury rooms and a suite. Elegant bedrooms with pleasing interiors and unique individual character made our stay even more memorable. Walls and ceiling adored very intricate work with fine detailing and indeed was very tastefully done be it the upholstery or the fabrics or the bed linen. The large bathroom had Italian marble and a Jacuzzi for relaxation.The entire houseboat was just like a palace with beautiful chandeliers and color combinations.

The management of Kolu Houseboat also arranged an evening Shikara for us. We not only experienced beautiful views but also dining and shopping during the ride.

Very beautiful property and friendly staff. Excellent food and good quantity. The interior was very clean and eye to details

I stayed at the Gulrose houseboat of Kolu group of houseboats. This booking was done online as the regular houseboats were all sold out. The house boat was quite expensive and costed me around 18k for 3 persons on MAP plan.
Coming to the good part - the location is good, just across Ghat no 13, rooms are clean and comfortable, bathroom is clean and usable.
The not so good part - The owners of this houseboat stay at Delhi and the houseboat is managed by staff and this makes all the difference. There is nothing like Kashmiri hospitality in this houseboat. For dinner we got Punjabi chicken inspite of requesting well in advance that we preferred local delicacies like Gushtaba etc. Breakfast was also not good with standard toast, undercooked omlette and poha. We wanted to try noon chai but the staff refused saying that it takes lot of time to make it. Even the Kahwa that was served didnt seemed authentic and was like the standard dip that we get in the cities. The houseboat does not serve water during dinner and breakfast and charged us 80 Rs for every bottle of water that we consumed at the dining table. I feel this should have been clarified at the beginning itself because even the most basic of houseboats serve water during dinner and breakfast and secondly charging 80/- for a 10/- bottle.
So in short the houseboat does not justify its high price tag, there are several other houseboats around that are much reasonable with similar services.
I will not return to this houseboat.

Me my wife and son had an amazing stay at Kolu Group of houseboats. Everything from the room to bathroom to the hall was superb and amazing hospitality. Mr. Hilal and Mr Irfan (care takers) are the sweetest people we have come across. We only gas breakfast and while the nos of items were less but was very very tasty. View from the houseboat is mesmerizing. Must visit when in Kashmir

Fully hype
1. room
Booking time mentioned “dal lake view” what you get eventually dirty water full of stagnant stuffs and suffocating room
2. Not cleaned properly and we got allergy
3. Caretaker “Irfan” guy started texting my wife as if he knows her for long time . Asked her name in what’s app and also texted why she is taking long time for replying. We got scared and had to leave the boat at night 8 pm fearing this guy can do more illicit things with us .

Not worth for money and advise to avoid this boat.

Dal lake is an unique experience in itself and house boat stay is a must to enjoy it to the fullest.Kolu group of house boats is a great choice for making the stay memorable

Pros- 1. The service and hospitality is top notch. Right from the booking onwards they answered every query properly. Mr Kolu himself was there to welcome us and he supervises everything, his staff is just excellent.

2. The decor and styling used is rich and ornate and gives the authentic kashmiri feel during the stay

3. 5 stars for the food, it's without doubt the best we had in Kashmir

Cons
1. It's pricey and there are lot of cheaper options , if you are budget conscious
2. The shikara ride is not suited for elderly and disabled, though staff did everything to help my father who has knee joint issues, the whole experience of getting in and out of the shikara ,(which is the only way you can access the boat ) was not very comfortable

3. Sunset ride in shikara is surreal, but they are taking an extra risk by not providing life jackets. None of the shikaras we saw are providing it, but considering the depth and vastness of the lake, this should be done

4. The wifi signal was pretty weak and this should be taken care of.

Staff is very good i must say, but other than this everything is over priced. No tv available in room. Noise from other rooms were there. I had my breakfast there which was ok but not up to that mark. Shikara facility is there. Overall its average

Was staying at the boathouse Kolu for a week in end March, overall service was very good, must say Thank you to our room steward, who were always there to help us regardless whatever our request is, from sending laundry for washing to send postcards at the post office.

I will definitely be back for me in the near future, as Kashmir is such a beautiful place, Thank you!

The houseboat stay is the highlight of my Kashmir visit. I stayed for one week and the experience is above expectation with great service provided by the crew. Breakfast was sumptuous and many details were attended with personal touch. I’m missing my stay now and will sure be back for more. Thank you Kolu Houseboat, I will be back.

One of the best places we stayed in.The staff was very polite and courteous.The houseboats give you an instant warm and fuzzy feel as soon as you step in.They welcome you with the traditional Kashmiri Kahwa and some delectable cookies.
The room was very elegant and well equipped.I loved the outer sitting area where one can enjoy some lone time whilst looking out on the Dal lake or have fun if you are with family.
The food they served was ok- nothing over the top.
I would love to stay here once again.

A pleasant stay with Kolu Group of Houseboats, well furnished room, excellent room service, proper entertainment & a warm welcome for everyone.
A beautiful place for an awsome stay in Dal Lake,
Nearby activities are more like motor boat riding, surfing & localite dress photoshoot., Etc

We stayed in kolu houseboat for a night stay.. stay was wonderful.. ambience was excellent.. Hameed sir Hilal sir were too good.. they recieved us like a family.. they provided what all we asked for.. will definitely suggest this houseboat for all our friends and family

This houseboat is very beautiful from inside. The night view is amazing. You will get all the services.
Heating was perfect, breakfast and dinner was amazing. The caretaker are very helpful and friendly and always available. The best part is the room and the way it is maintained IT’S PERFECT😍.
The bathroom are well maintained.You will be happy and satisfied when you will be leaving the property.

After traveling across 4 places in Kashmir valley, we decided to end our Kashmir journey with a stay at the houseboat. We were very apprehensive about the kind of room house boats have and our previous experience in early 2010, but nonetheless we decided to stay @kolu houseboat.
The suite was amazing, I think one of the best across all the houseboats that we saw. The toiletries were superb. The assortment of tea and coffee mixes provided in the room were even better then any 5 star hotel in Srinagar. The food not to miss was personalized and really yummy, our best food experience in Kashmir valley. Keep it up Kolu group of houseboats. We shall be back soon 😊

Kolu group of houseboats have different categories of rooms in different houseboats. There highest category houseboat Gulrose has bathing tubs or jacuzzi in bathrooms. Though I explored it, I decided to stay in deluxe houseboat named as Jilwi along my family, relatives and friends, which also gives you a feel of luxury on Dal lake.
Both of these houseboats are ultra neat and clean. I was told that these were renovated recently.
The houseboats equipped with modern fittings have a wooden platform in front side where you can relish your tea, drinks or meals enjoying the beautiful ake and green hills.

The owner Mr Hilal Kolu, a thorough gentleman is professional who does not mind making extra efforts to make his guests feel comfortable.
As people witnessed scorching heat this summer in Srinagar, the work on installation of air conditioners was started in houseboats when we left on August 7.

We stayed at Kolu Houseboats for 2 nights. Would definitely recommend atleast a night's stay there.

Pros:
1. Owner and staff were very helpful. They exceeded our expectations with their efforts to provide us a good experience and helped us with a few things beyond the stay at houseboat too.
2. Good ambiance and spacious rooms & bathrooms
3. Good food and plenty of options.
4. Quick service

Cons:
1. No air conditioner unlike advertised on TripAdvisor and booking.com. So keep that in mind during warm weather conditions.