Reviews of Houseboat Lily of Nageen

So glad we began our trip to Kashmir here. The boat is beautiful and peaceful with a glorious outlook over the lake. Sunrise and sunsets were knockout and the rooms are spacious with en suite shower rooms. Breakfast was included and different every day, We met Ajaz at Srinagar airport and knew immediately we had made a good choice. He was helpful and knowledgeable, with lots of great local stories which gave the whole experience an extra dimension. The boat itself is beautiful and so spacious; it's a wonderful place to birdwatch and we spent hours looking at egrets, kingfishers and herons as they came so close to where we were sitting. Sounds like a cliché but it really did feel like a home from home. Wonderful.

The food was very good and their hospitality is wonderful.Mr imtiyaz is great host ...The staff is also co-operative.We stayed their fir one night and wished we could have more days to spend their......................................

It’s a very quaint and peaceful houseboat with all the basic amenities well provided for . We stayed here for few days during the time which it both rained and was sunny and both the times it was a wonderful memorable experience with the views of the lake being exquisite in both the rainy and sunny days . The houseboat is located on the banks of the nageen lake and is accessible via a cute public garden . Best thing about this place is easy accessiblity to land as you don’t need to hire a boat everytime you want to commute as it’s right on the banks . If anyone wants a Shikara ride it can be arranged easily with the boat coming for pick up right at the main deck / balcony . The houseboat is big with spacious living room .. dining .. and 2 bedrooms with attached bath . A big family can comfortably stay here . We occupied one room which can easily accommodate 3 people and its windows directly opened on the lake which was really scenic. You can even sit out on the roof or the deck and enjoy the scenery . As far as the hospitality is concerned it is so warm and welcoming..everyone made us feel like family and took care of all our needs. And we had both breakfast and dinner at the boat and the dinners were impeccable with the taste still lingering on in memory. All in all it was a memorable stay with no complaints and I would personally thank all the hosts and owners for making our stay such a pleasure.

We drove all the way from Lucknow- our destination being Leh/Ladakh.....entry through Kashmir and exit through Himachal Pradesh! Our first main stoppage was Srinagar at Lily of Nageen-! Very congenial staff, neat and clean room, hygienically smart washroom. Food served to us was authentically Kashmiri dishes- and my husband and I relished them. The caretakers ( there are 3 houseboats that belong under the name- Lily of Nageen) are very approachable and helpful. It was a pleasure to stay there.....gives one a sense of security. Kudos to the owner and the helpers!

Great few days staying with Ajaz on the Lily. Staff couldn’t be more helpful , nothing was too much trouble . Food was excellent . Would highly recommend this houseboat on the quieter Nageen Lake as opposed to the hustle and bustle of Dal Lake where the houseboats are shoulder to shoulder . Would certainly return.

When we decided to go to Kashmir for a trip with my family and Friends, I thought about Lily of Nageen first as one of my close friends stayed in this houseboat(few years back) and she has written a blog about her stay, and she mentioned that her stay and people over there are awesome. With this feedback, I thought let me also approach Ajaz (owner of this property) and check for bookings. Talk with him was so comfortable and he provided us lot of suggestions on where to go, which time is good etc. We finally decided to stay here for around 4 days which was the best decision we made. Facilities in the boat are good, and dinner cooked by his family made us feel like home food. Mehraj who is the caretaker of this property always made us feel we are at home and Nadeem bhai who took us to all the places around was knowledgeable of surroundings. We literally explored Srinagar locals, street food, Sunday bazar in Lal chowk, Mosque, Church and Shankaracharya on one day without feeling stressed. We felt it is really worth the money and we really enjoyed wakening every morning with bird chirps and wonderful feel when we sit in the balcony of this boat with lake view. We really had good time and looking forward for next visit in future to the same property.

Stayed at lily of nageen from 24th to 26th sep 2024. Amazing location and scrumptious food. It's a place where you enjoy your stay. The Karnai family makes you feel not only welcome but takes care of you as a family. They make travel arrangements for you and also recommends a good itinerary. Thank you for making our stay a memorable one.

Extraordinary exerience to stay at the lovely house boat. Extremly helpfull family provides exellent food and services and organizes trips to the mountains and ancient sites. Chillout at the lake with a Shikara or visit the fort, masjids or shrines!

We had a lovely peaceful stay, loved looking at the lake and also felt we were really well looked after. We organized a city tour and shikara ride with our hosts as well as eating lovely food prepared for us for breakfast and supper. We would love to come back and recommend Lily if Nigeen, and her hosts, to everyone.

My husband and I spent a wonderful 5 days in Kashmir, hosted by Ajaz & his lovely family at Lily of Nageen at the end of December 2023. It was the most amazing experience, and I've listed down the highlights & some watch outs below: Highlights: - the warm hospitality shown by the family - from the detailed itinerary planning by Ajaz (who arranged for all flights & transportation), the delicious home-cooked food by his sister Sameena, the housekeeper Mehraj who was always on hand to help keep the houseboat warm during the freezing winter days & Nadeem who was our excellent driver & guide. All of them are so friendly & we were treated like family in their beautiful home. - We were fortunate to have the whole houseboat to ourselves so we had privacy. We loved the exquisite & intricate wood carvings, wood panelings and cozy ambience, although in winter it was freezing cold! I loved sipping my masala or kahwa tea at the patio area watching the shikaras pass by though. - The houseboat was so serene & peaceful. It was lovely to be woken up by the sounds of birds. The garden behind the houseboat was also very nice although in winter was very bare. We also happened to be there when Srinagar was going thru very thick fog but that didn't deter us from exploring the gardens. - During our stay there was a nice *** selling beautiful pashmina shawls that go houseboat to houseboat selling his wares via shikara. We bought many lovely shawls at a good price from him. There was also a jewelry salesman that dropped by. Watch outs: - it was extremely cold in end December - while we were bundled up warm outside, we were not really prepared that the houseboat was also freezing inside. The room we stayed had a traditional Kashmiri bukhari wood fire heater but it took a long time to heat the room. Unfortunately electricity was also very sporadic. The electric blanket was such a much needed relief to keep warm but it only worked when there was electricity. Most nights we slept with our winter coats on! However the water heater worked and the wifi was very strong throughout our stay. Overall, despite the freezing weather we would love to come back in a heartbeat! Although we are more inclined to visit in spring next time

It was a great stay and wonderful experience. Caretaker- Zahid was amazing. He takes care of every little thing. Most importantly you will no where feel like you are staying in a hotel infact feeling would be like you are staying at home. Very cosy ambience and food. Moreover, the owner Imtiaz would make your stay, food and travel as comfortable as possible. Highly recommended. Please go for it

We really had a good a time in lily of Nageen houseboat. Stay was very comfortable. It was very peaceful and food was very comforting just like home. Host and caretaker both are very nice person they took good care of us. We will definitely visit them again.🤩

The stay at Lily of Nageen encapsulated my entire experience of Kashmir. It was beautiful, warm, safe and welcoming. Perfect for solo travellers. Especially if you’re travelling alone for the first time. The food needs a special mention, take a bow Samina!

So glad we were pointed to the Lily of Nageen by friends. It’s on the much quieter Lake Nageen which connects to Dal Lake by shikara (Kashmiri ‘gondolas’. Do Not miss taking a placid, motor-free cruise on one of these ‘chaise lounges’ on water). Charm and local character describe the houseboat. Comfortable, good WiFi ( for those who must), private, cooked to order meals, and warm, welcoming hosts. Family run, our two day stay was entirely in the entertaining hands of Tariq. Srinagar in Jammu & Kashmir state is not an easy place to negotiate, especially for foreigners. The airport is a long ways away and we had zero phone service. In communication with brother Ajaz before arrival I mentioned our need for airport pickup and that we were open to their insights into local sightseeing. We needn’t have worried. Immediately upon arriving after a hectic 30 minute ride from the airport, Tariq and attendant Mehraj, who also prepared our meals, greeted us with tea and sweets, then shuffled my cousin and I off the back porch onto a waiting shikara on which we lounged and relaxed in the placid calm and glorious scenery for the next three hours. What an amazing antidote for crazy, overcrowded India!! We also saw the tulip festival across the lake in the golden hour, drove up into the mountains and hiked at Naranag, and did a private walking tour through old Srinagar including two gorgeous mosques. We wouldn’t have been able to arrange any of these excursions on our own, so wow!! In April, it was chilly at night (45°F) to sunny, fresh 60-75° during the day. Lots of blankets (one electric) and plentiful hot water made our stay cozy and comfortable. The magic of the Lily of Nageen is its location. It sits parallel to the shore, not stacked side by side by side like most of the Dal Lake boats. A dramatic view of Hari Parbat fort looms across Lake Nageen, and the sound of evening (and very early morning) prayers wafting across the water from all the local mosques is something I will never forget. I hesitate to rave any more, or I’ll never be able to book this place again. But you should go at least once in your life.