Nestled in the lower Himalayas, just 60kms away from Chandigarh, Kasauli has always been popular with travellers who look beyond crowded hill stations. With an old bazaar, colonial churches, gabled homes and many hiking trails, Kasauli is for those who want to travel slowly—and Southgate Kasauli, a private home nestled in the Kasauli hills, is the ideal place to experience the town the old-fashioned way.
About Southgate Kasauli
The home, spread over three floors, offers multiple lodging options: you can book a single room, a floor, or the entire place with two floors, four bedrooms, two living rooms and multiple balconies. The owner, Gautam Dhawan lives on the top floor.“Southgate was built by my parents after they had to sell our family home, a sprawling colonial mansion in Shimla called Southgate, post our grandparent’s passing,” informs Dhawan. “We named this place after the original Southgate and have retained parts of it here. It also overlooks the hills where the original house once stood,” he adds.
The basic layout of the rooms is minimal but the design elements set them apart from each other. “We have kept the basics simple but have played around with lighting, furniture, art and decor that give each room a distinct character,” says Dhawan. The living areas are accented with installations from Dhawan’s own home decor brand, Exhibit D, along with family heirlooms and collectibles. “Southgate has an eclectic mix of elements and bits of all our homes: some vintage furniture from Calcutta, Shimla and Delhi and many small and big vignettes from our travels over the years.” And so, you find modern chairs sitting next to vintage tables, edgy art next to traditional handicrafts, brass accents next to fine porcelain. Together they not only reflect Dhawan’s design sensibilities but also make the space deeply personal.
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