Span Resort & Spa

Overview

About this property

Span Resort & Spa is a resort on the banks of the Beas river, between Kullu and Manali, at Katrain on the Kullu-Manali highway. Its own site says it was established in 1981, and it calls itself one of the oldest and largest luxury resorts in the valley. It sits among walnut orchards, with deodar and pine forests and mountains around it.

The resort is spread out, not tall and tight. Its own gallery lists blocks with names like the Elite Block, the Premier Room Block and the Residence, along with gardens, a riverside area and an aerial view of the grounds. That open layout suits people who like space, gardens and river air, rather than a single tall hotel block in town.

Span suits families and groups who want a quiet riverside stay. Couples on a calm holiday, families who want lawns and activities for children, and anyone who likes to sit by a river will feel at home here. It is not in the middle of Manali town, so it is calmer than a Mall Road hotel, but Manali town is still easy to reach by road.

The resort also has a healing and wellness side, as its own site describes it. The spa, the yoga retreats and the meditation spaces listed in its gallery point to a slower kind of stay, where rest matters as much as sightseeing. If you want a busy town hotel, this is not it. If you want river, trees and quiet, it fits well.

If you want a riverside resort near Manali, with a pool, a spa and several places to eat, Span Resort & Spa is a good pick. It has been around since 1981, and its grounds, river front and orchards are the main reasons people come back.

At a glance

What you get here

Everything above is taken from the hotel's own website. If something is not listed here, it means we could not confirm it from the official site, so we have not written it.

Rooms

Rooms made for rest

The rooms and suites at Span Resort & Spa, as shown in the resort's own gallery, include the Premier Room, the Elite Room, the Elite Superior Room, the Span Suite and the Residence. The gallery also shows the Premier Room with a patio, the Elite Room block and the Residence garden, so the rooms sit in blocks around the grounds, not in one tower.

The rooms are made for a quiet mountain stay, with garden views from the grounds around them. The Residence gives more space, which helps if you are travelling with family or staying for more than a couple of nights. The Span Suite is the suite option listed in the gallery, for people who want extra room.

If you want a river view, ask the resort when you book. The gallery lists a riverside view and an Elite Superior Room with a river outlook, but views differ by room, so it is worth asking for the view you want rather than assuming every room has it.

Room types and prices change with the season, so the resort's own website will have the latest list. We do not show prices here because they change often, and we do not want to show you an old price.

Food & drink

Where to eat

The Riverside Restaurant is the resort's main place to eat, as listed in the resort's own gallery. Eating by the river is the main draw here, and the restaurant sits in that riverside setting. For a lighter meal or a coffee, there is Bedrock Cafe, also listed in the gallery, and the Sports Cafe for a casual bite.

For drinks, there is Zing Zing Bar, listed in the resort's gallery, and the Pool Bar, beside the swimming pool. A drink by the pool in the afternoon, or a quiet drink in the evening, both fit the slow pace of this resort.

One small tip: try to have at least one meal at the Riverside Restaurant during your stay. The river, the trees and the mountain air together are part of the experience here, and a meal by the river is the simplest way to enjoy them. For your other meals, the cafes give you lighter options without leaving the grounds.

If you are staying for more than one night, plan your meals around your days out. Eat at the resort on the days you stay in the grounds, and eat in Manali town or Naggar on the days you go out. That way you get both the resort's food and the town's cafes.

Things to do

A slow day at the resort

A good day at Span Resort & Spa starts with breakfast, then a walk through the walnut orchards and gardens around the resort. The resort's own gallery shows the garden area, the riverside and an aerial view of the grounds, and those open spaces are the best way to start a mountain morning.

In the late morning, the river is the place to be. Sit by the Beas, watch the water go by, and take a slow walk along the riverside paths. The resort's site describes the Beas as a mighty, gushing river, and even a short time beside it is calming after a long drive up from the plains.

In the afternoon, the swimming pool is a good place to rest, especially in the warmer months. The resort's gallery shows the pool, the pool bar and the riverside view from the pool area. The spa is there too, if you want a quiet hour, and the library lounge is a good place for a book and a rest.

The resort's gallery also lists a long set of activities: croquet, lawn tennis, badminton, archery, shooting, darts, billiards, a jogging track, a children park, cycling, rock climbing, skiing, fishing, river rafting and paragliding, along with yoga retreats and meditation spaces. You do not need to try them all. Pick one or two that suit your group, and leave the rest for another visit.

In the evening, a bonfire is listed in the resort's gallery, and it is a good way to end the day. Sit by the fire, have dinner at the Riverside Restaurant, and enjoy the quiet of the grounds after dark. If you have another day, use it for Manali town, Hadimba Temple or Naggar, all easy by road from the resort, and come back to the river in the evening.

Amenities

Most popular amenities

These are the amenities confirmed on the hotel's own website. Anything not listed here means we could not confirm it from the official site, so we have not written it.

Location

Where it is, and what is near

Manali is a mountain town in Himachal Pradesh, in the Kullu Valley. The hotels on this page are near Hadimba Road and the old town area, close to the main sights. From here, Mall Road, Hadimba Temple and Old Manali are easy to reach.

If this is your first time in Manali, these are the places most people visit: Hadimba Temple, the Mall Road, Old Manali with its cafes, Vashisht village with its hot springs, and Solang Valley for mountain views and adventure activities. Rohtang Pass, when it is open in the summer season, is a full-day trip on its own.

We have not written distances here on purpose. Mountain roads and traffic change travel time a lot, so a fixed number would go out of date fast. Ask your driver for the time on the day you travel.

Old Manali itself is worth a slow evening. It has small cafes, shops and guesthouses along narrow lanes, and it feels very different from the main Mall Road. If you like quiet places, spend an evening there.

Getting here

How to reach the hotel

Most guests reach Manali by road from Delhi or Chandigarh. It is a long drive up into the mountains, and most people break the journey with a night halt on the way. Cheapcab runs Delhi to Manali taxis, and the route pages on this site show the fare.

You can also fly to Bhuntar airport, near Kullu, and then take a taxi to Manali. Keep your hotel's name and address ready on your phone, and share it with your driver before you start, as mountain addresses can be confusing.

One practical tip: if you are coming in winter, check the road conditions before you travel, as snow can close the higher passes. If you are coming in summer, leave early in the morning to avoid the day traffic on the mountain roads.

Best time

Best time to visit Manali

The best time to visit Manali is from March to June. The weather is pleasant, the valleys are green, and the high passes start to open. This is also the busiest time, so book your hotel a few weeks ahead.

October to February brings cold weather and snow in the higher areas. If you want to see snowfall and enjoy a quiet mountain town, winter is a good time, but pack very warm clothes.

July to September brings rain. The mountains look fresh and green, and there are fewer tourists. But rain can slow down travel on mountain roads, so keep some extra time in hand if you come in the monsoon.

Good to know

Before you book

Cheapcab does not book hotels. You book a hotel on its own official website, using the button on this page. Prices, room types, check-in time and cancellation rules are all on the hotel's site, and they change with the season. Always read them there before you pay.

The photos on this page are from the hotel's official website, and the source link is given under the photo gallery. We do not use photos from booking sites or stock photo sites for hotels.

If you need a taxi to reach the hotel, or to go from Delhi to Manali, you can book it from Cheapcab. The taxi fare and the hotel stay are separate. Your taxi driver will not charge you for the hotel, and the hotel will not charge you for the taxi.

One last practical tip for Manali: carry warm clothes in every season, as mountain evenings get cold even in summer. Wear comfortable walking shoes, because the town and the temples are best explored on foot. Take it slow on your first day, as the altitude is high and your body needs time to adjust.

Span is not in Manali town, so plan your days around that. It sits at Katrain on the Kullu-Manali highway, between Kullu and Manali, as its own site says. Keep your taxi or car for the day if you plan to go into Manali town, and come back to the river in the evening, when the grounds are quiet.

Activities at the resort depend on the season. The resort's own gallery lists a long set, from croquet and lawn tennis to skiing, fishing, river rafting and paragliding, but snow activities need snow, and river activities need the right river conditions. Ask the resort what is running on your dates, rather than assuming everything on the list is open.

The Riverside Restaurant is the place to eat at least once during your stay, as the river setting is the main draw of this resort. For other meals, the cafes on site give you lighter options, and Manali town and Naggar give you more choice on the days you go out.

If you want a river view, ask for it by name when you book. The resort's gallery lists a riverside view and river-view rooms, but views differ by room, and the rooms sit in blocks around the grounds, so the room you pick decides the view you get.

The resort's gallery also lists a library lounge, a children park and a jogging track, which suit a slow day in the grounds. If you have children with you, the children park and the open lawns give them space to play safely, while you sit nearby, and the library lounge gives adults a quiet place to read in the afternoon.

FAQs

Frequently asked questions

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Hotels are not included in the taxi fare — book them directly. Hotel photos unki official websites se li gayi hain.