Kashmir 5 days 2 pax minIn short
Mascot Houseboats lies on the west side of Nigeen Lake in Srinagar, and its own site, read on 6 November 2026, lists five room types from 350 to 550 sq ft and describes a fifth-generation family business. Soun Kashmir books a night here on its own or inside a package with a cab.
Updated
At a glance
- Lake and side
- Nigeen Lake, west side, Srinagar 190006, says the operator; a booking listing adds "opposite Nigeen Club"
- Family business
- Fifth generation, led by the sons of Mr Azim Tuman, says the operator; its own pages give the start as 1880 and as the early 19th century
- Rooms listed
- Premium Lake View Room (350 sq ft), Theme Lake View Room (450 sq ft) and the Kohinoor, Shamah and Emperor suites
- Suites
- Kohinoor and Shamah list a private Jacuzzi; the Emperor Suite (550 sq ft) lists an 84 sq ft lounge and a private lake-facing deck
- Interiors
- The operator describes hand-carved walnut wood, arches and Chinar wood panels, in houseboats of carved cedar
- Setting
- The operator calls Nigeen calm and less crowded; Wikipedia calls its water relatively pristine compared with Dal Lake
- Check-in and out
- A booking listing gives check-in from 2 PM and check-out at 12 noon; the operator's pages print neither, so ask
- Rates
- Not printed here: they change with the season and the room, so ask for a quote for your dates
- With Soun Kashmir
- A night on its own or inside a package, with a cab and sightseeing
Which lake is Mascot Houseboats on?
Mascot Houseboats is moored on Nigeen Lake, on the west side, in Srinagar. The operator's contact page gives the address as Nigeen Lake West Side, Srinagar 190006, and the HotelPlanner listing places it opposite the Nigeen Club. The two lakes are joined, which is why a boat here is sometimes described as being on Dal Lake, but the address is Nigeen.
| Source | What it says |
|---|---|
| Mascot Houseboats (operator) | Nigeen Lake West Side; rooms "overlooking Nigeen Lake"; "calm and less crowded Nigeen Lake" |
| HotelPlanner (booking listing) | Opposite Nigeen Club, Nigeen Lake, 190006 |
| Wikipedia, Nigeen Lake | A lake in Srinagar that is sometimes considered part of Dal Lake and is joined to it by a narrow strait |
| Wikipedia, Dal Lake | Divides the wetland into four basins, one of them Nigeen, though Nigeen is also considered an independent lake |
Who runs Mascot Houseboats, and how old is the business?
The operator's About page calls Mascot a fifth-generation enterprise led by the sons of Mr Azim Tuman. It says the Tuman family built carved houseboats in the early 19th century and holds written guest testimonials from the 1880s. The site's headings mention 1880 as the start, which sits beside the "early 19th century" in the text, so the founding date depends on which line you read.
No outside source confirms either date. Read the history as the family's own account, and ask the owner which boats are the original ones and which have been added or rebuilt.
Which rooms and suites does Mascot list?
| Room | Size and features the operator lists | Worth asking |
|---|---|---|
| Premium Lake View Room | 350 sq ft; handcrafted wooden interiors, king-size bedding, panoramic lake views | Whether it is on the water side of the boat |
| Theme Lake View Room | 450 sq ft; a handcrafted Chinar wood panel and walnut wood interiors | How it differs from the Premium room |
| Kohinoor Lake View Suite | Hand-carved walnut wood walls, a king-size bed, a seating area and a private Jacuzzi | Whether the Jacuzzi is in the room or on a deck, and the hot-water supply |
| Shamah Lake View Suite | 450 sq ft; a four-post king bed, a dressing area and a 72 sq ft bathroom with a Jacuzzi and a separate shower | Whether a child's bed can be added |
| Emperor Lake View Suite | 550 sq ft; an 84 sq ft Minar Lounge, a dressing room and a private lake-facing deck | Whether the deck and the lounge belong to this suite alone |
The operator describes intricate walnut wood carvings and arches inspired by classical architecture in its houseboats, and adds that modern comforts have been integrated. The HotelPlanner listing counts 9 rooms in one place and 11 air-conditioned rooms in another, so go by the operator's five room types and ask for the number of rooms in your boat.
How does Nigeen Lake differ from Dal Lake for a houseboat stay?
| Point | Nigeen Lake | Dal Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Size | About 2.7 km long and 0.82 km wide at the widest, 1,582 m above sea level | Covers 18 sq km as a lake and 21.1 sq km as a wetland |
| Water and mood | A major tourist attraction known for relatively pristine water compared with Dal Lake; houseboats and shikaras are common | Houseboats mostly moored along the western edge near the lakeside boulevard and Dal Gate, and on small islands |
| Trees | Willow and poplar trees surround the lake | Mughal gardens, parks and hotels line a shore of about 15.5 km |
| Houseboat count | 80 houseboats reported on Nigeen by an LCMA official on 25 September 2023 | No single current count in the sources |
The operator calls Nigeen calm and less crowded, and the HotelPlanner listing puts Dal Lake within a 10-minute drive, so the larger lake is a short trip away. Our shikara booking on Dal Lake page explains a ride on the larger lake.
How far is it from the airport, and what are the check-in times?
The HotelPlanner listing puts Srinagar airport at 9.3 miles, about 15 km, and Hari Parbat Fort 3.1 km away, and puts Dal Lake and Nigeen Lake about a 10-minute drive away. It gives check-in from 2 PM and check-out at 12 noon. The operator's pages print none of these figures, so confirm the times and the landing point in writing, especially if your flight lands early. Our Srinagar airport taxi page explains how a pickup is set up.
Are Nigeen houseboats connected to sewage treatment?
Rising Kashmir reported on 25 September 2023 that an official of the Lakes Conservation and Management Authority said all 80 houseboats on Nigeen Lake had been connected to sewage treatment plants, with one plant at Nallah Amirkhan serving them. That is a lake-wide figure from 2023, so ask Mascot how its own boats are connected today.
How do you book Mascot Houseboats with Soun Kashmir?
Send your dates, the number of guests and the nights you want through the contact page, by phone or on WhatsApp. Ask the planner to compare the options, explain what each rate includes and confirm the room before you pay. A planner can add a cab and a shikara ride to the same quote.
Soun Kashmir is an independent travel company and is not part of Mascot Houseboats, so the stay is confirmed with the operator and its terms apply. Families can start from our Kashmir Family Trip, listed at ₹13,250 for 5 days, and ask for a quote that includes a night on the lake. Other boats are on the hotels list, and New Jacquline Heritage Houseboats is also on Nigeen Lake.
Where do the facts on this page come from?
On 6 November 2026 we read the home, rooms, contact, about and attractions pages of the Mascot Houseboats website, the HotelPlanner listing for the boat, Wikipedia's articles on Nigeen Lake and Dal Lake, and Rising Kashmir of 25 September 2023. The operator's rating and the booking listing's template text are not repeated. Rooms, rates, check-in rules and the lake's houseboat figures change, so confirm them with the operator when you book.
Questions and answers
Is Mascot Houseboats on Dal Lake or Nigeen Lake?
On Nigeen Lake, west side, according to the operator's contact page and the HotelPlanner listing. Wikipedia says Nigeen is sometimes counted as part of Dal Lake and is joined to it by a narrow strait.
What room types does Mascot Houseboats have?
The operator lists a Premium Lake View Room, a Theme Lake View Room and the Kohinoor, Shamah and Emperor suites, from 350 to 550 sq ft. Ask which one your quote covers.
Do any Mascot suites have a private deck?
The operator lists a private lake-facing deck for the Emperor Lake View Suite and a private Jacuzzi for the Kohinoor and Shamah suites. It names no deck for the other rooms, so ask before you assume one.
How old is Mascot Houseboats?
The operator calls it a fifth-generation family business. Its pages give the start as 1880 and as the early 19th century, so the date is the family's own account and not confirmed elsewhere.
What are the check-in and check-out times?
A booking listing gives check-in from 2 PM and check-out at 12 noon. The operator's pages do not print them, so ask Mascot or Soun Kashmir to confirm both in writing.
Is Nigeen Lake quieter than Dal Lake?
Wikipedia calls Nigeen a major attraction with relatively pristine water compared with Dal Lake, and the operator calls it calm and less crowded. These are descriptions, not noise measurements.
Can Soun Kashmir book Mascot Houseboats with a cab?
Yes. A night can be booked on its own or with a cab, an airport pickup and sightseeing, and the quote lists exactly which pieces are in the price.
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