How do I book the Shimla holiday home?

Register on eSampada with the correct applicant category, complete profile verification with your ID card or PPO, then select Shimla, your dates and your purpose of visit. Serving Central Government employees can book 60 days before check-in, pensioners 30 days, and State/PSU/autonomous body employees 15 days. Allotment is first-come, first-served and payment must succeed for the booking to confirm.

How many nights can I stay at Shimla?

Up to 5 nights, which is the general limit across the network. Only Mussoorie, Goa and Udaipur are restricted to 3 nights.

What does the Shimla holiday home cost?

Shimla is a Category A station. Category A is the top tariff tier, so this is among the more expensive stations in the network — which still means an employee rate starting around ₹150 a night. The exact rate is computed by eSampada from the city category, the room type and your occupant category — a serving or retired Central Government employee pays far less than a private guest in the same room. Room charges cover rent only; food is paid separately to the catering contractor at the property.

Can pensioners book the Shimla holiday home?

Yes. Retired Central Government employees can book at Shimla for themselves, their spouse, dependent family and guests, using their PPO or Pensioner Identity Card. The booking window is 30 days before check-in against 60 days for serving employees, so aim for the quieter months if the property is contested.

Holiday Home · Himachal Pradesh

Central Government Holiday Home, Shimla

Q: Is there a Central Government holiday home in Shimla?

Yes. There is one Directorate of Estates property at Shimla, Himachal Pradesh — Grand Hotel, Shimla. The property sits on The Mall itself, a few minutes' walk from Scandal Point, the Ridge and Christ Church. Toy-train arrivals at Shimla station are about 2 km below. Booking is only through the eSampada portal at esampada.mohua.gov.in.

The Grand Hotel on Mall Road — the best-known Central Government holiday home in India, and the hardest to book.

Holiday home in Shimla — the essentials

There is one Directorate of Estates property at Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. It is a Category A station with a maximum stay of 5 nights. Serving employees book 60 days ahead, pensioners 30 — and allotment is first-come, first-served.

City category: A
Max stay: 5 nights
Properties: 1

Shimla — address, phone & directions

Property	Address	Phone	Map
Grand Hotel, Shimla	The Mall Road, Shimla 171001	0177-2658121	Directions

Indicative details compiled from the Directorate of Estates station list — properties close for renovation and numbers change. Confirm live availability on esampada.mohua.gov.in. Last updated July 2026. See every station in the holiday home finder.

Where the Shimla property is

The property sits on The Mall itself, a few minutes' walk from Scandal Point, the Ridge and Christ Church. Toy-train arrivals at Shimla station are about 2 km below.

When to go — and when the rooms actually clear

April–June and late December are effectively decided in the first hour of day 60. September–November is the quiet window with identical tariffs and better weather.

What you will pay at Shimla

Shimla is a Category A station. Category A is the top tariff tier, so this is among the more expensive stations in the network — which still means an employee rate starting around ₹150 a night. eSampada computes the exact figure from city category, room type and occupant category, so a serving or retired Central Government employee pays substantially less than a private guest sharing the same room. Remember that room charges are rent only — catering at the property is arranged with the contractor and paid directly, usually in cash or UPI.

When does my booking window open?

Enter your intended check-in date. Allotment is first-come, first-served — for a peak property the room is decided in the first hour of the day your window opens.

Check-in date

Book only after your leave is sanctioned — eSampada has no refund, even if the room goes unoccupied or you leave early.

Booking the Shimla holiday home on eSampada

Booking is only through esampada.mohua.gov.in or the eSampada app — there is no agent, and any site charging a service fee is not affiliated with the Directorate of Estates. Register with the correct applicant category, complete profile verification with your ID card or PPO well before your window opens, then choose Shimla, your dates and your purpose of visit. A leave or LTC booking needs a Leave Sanction Order; a duty booking needs a Tour Order. Pay online — an unpaid application holds nothing — and carry the allotment letter plus original ID for every named occupant.

Two rules worth repeating before you pay: check-out is 9:00 AM, and there is no refund under any circumstance, including cancelled leave. Sanction the leave first, then book. The full ten-step walkthrough is in the eSampada booking guide, and if you are travelling on LTC the fare side is covered in the LTC complete guide.