20/04/2026
Glorious and Grand Past
The Bull's Head Hotel, now known as the Mount View Hotel, stands on the site of Dalhousie's first hotel, the Bull's Head. This hotel housed the Dalhousie Club, the second home of British officers.
The Bull's Head Hotel, once located at the Dalhousie bus stand, was Dalhousie's first hotel. This hotel was the site of meetings for British officers and also the site of secret plots for the Shimla-Lahore conflict. The building where Dalhousie's first hotel was built—today known as the Mount View Hotel—but its walls tell stories of that glorious past.
When the British government established Dalhousie as a military retreat in 1854, a large number of British officers and their families began visiting Dalhousie. The Bull's Head Hotel, Dalhousie's first hotel, was built to accommodate the British officers. The name Bull's Head may have been inspired by British tradition or a local legend.
Bulls Head Hotel became Dalhousie's most prestigious destination. British officers not only stayed there, but it also served as an informal club and mess for them. They would gather there in the evenings, drinking and playing cards. At that time, there was no large British military cantonment in Dalhousie.
Bulls Head Hotel served as a social and strategic hub for them. It also provided a respite for British officers who fled the heat of Lahore, Amritsar, or other plains. Amidst the cool breezes and pine forests, this hotel became their "second home."
Bulls Head's "Dalhousie Club"
Another important aspect of the Bulls Head Hotel was the establishment of the "Dalhousie Club." The club was initially named the Chamba Club, as Dalhousie was then part of the Chamba princely state. The club was the center of British society in Dalhousie. Games of whist and bridge, literary discussions, and occasional dance and music events were held here.
Membership in the Dalhousie Club was a symbol of prestige.
Today, the Dalhousie Club exists in a separate building, with roots connected to the Bulls Head Hotel. Over time, the Bulls Head Hotel underwent several transformations. Today, the building is known as the Hotel Mount View, located at the Dalhousie bus stand. Its architecture has undergone numerous changes.
Courtesy: Vinod Bhawuk, Himachal Business, Dalhousie
