The homestay, run by former tour company employee and Darjeeling native Ujjawal Chettri, is an extension of an older not-for-profit women-focused livelihood project of the same name. Reyso means a strand of spun yarn or wool and through the not-for-profit unemployed women of the area find a source of income by making hand knit wool products.
While the livelihood project was started in 2014, it was in 2017 that Ujjawal, who was earlier a tour leader with companies like Intrepid and Cox and Kings, converted his family home in the outskirts of Darjeeling into a homestay.
The homestay is located in a semi-urban part of town that is not really on the tourist circuit. However, guests at the homestay get a chance to have a truly local experience and see first hand how the local residents live their lives.
Reyso offers four cosy wood panelled rooms for guests, including a pretty attic room for all those who wanted to live in one as kids after reading Enid Blyton and other children’s books that heavily featured attic rooms.
The rooms are large and comfortable. The lounge doubles up as a dining room. The family is vegetarian and so only vegetarian food is served. Ujjawal’s mother, the inspiration behind Reyso, oversees the cooking and guests can expect authentic Nepali meals during their stay here. Apart from the main common kitchen, the homestay also offers an outdoor kitchen for when guests want to participate in the cooking.
How to Reach
By Air
Bagdodara is the nearest airport to Darjeeling. It is connected to Kolkata, Delhi and Guwahati.
By Train
New Jalpaiguri (NJP) near Siliguri is the nearest station on the main inter-city line.
By Road
The road distances are Kolkata 651 km, Gangtok 100 km and Kalimpong 51 km.
