The paradise we found a couple of hours from Mumbai in lush green, naturistic Silvassa - the Kanvel Resort is a perfect place for an idyllic lifestyle to unwind with family or friends…. here’s sharing the aspects that made our stay at the resort an unforgettable experience.
The check-in into our cottage was super quick and hassle-free and was absolutely comfortable for the four of us with two full-sized double beds. The exteriors were inviting and the Indian style thatched roofs mixed with modern interiors made it perfect. A swing in the balcony area made it an instant win with the kids and they refused to every step down from the swing for hours and continued to enjoy the scenic beauty of the hills and the river.
Once our check-in was done we stepped out to explore the property and absolutely loved the pool and play area for the kids. Installations of a life-size chess board, the gait of horses, a couple in the rainfall all are absolutely mesmerising and photo worthy. Thought with the kids the first thing we did was take a dip in the pool to unwind from the journey. As it was mid-day the water was warm and the kids played for quite a while and after freshening up we headed to the kids play area where we spent a good few hours followed by loads of photo-sessions all around the property.
The Resort’s restaurant - Emerald Room is a perfect place to tantalise your tastebuds as every meal is a delicious assortment of cuisines ranging from Gujarati, Marwari, Kathiawadi and Punjabi to Chinese and Continental; all perfectly cooked vegetarian meals. A special mention warrants for the amazing desserts that are on the buffet, which pushed a no-dessert person like me to a second helping.
No holiday is complete without a spa session to relax those tense mom-dad bodies. N and I took turns to go to the in-house spa at the resort and enjoyed a number of services. We spent the afternoon with professional technicians who worked on our concern areas and gave us a new lease of stress-free bodies. I would absolutely suggest booking in advance as the spa is almost booked at all times and last-minute requests might not be possible. Take the couple spa if possible.
Adventures
N and I were surprised to know that not only within the resort but even around the resort there are so many things that we could do. Of course due to the limited time we had on our hands we picked carefully to include a plethora of activities. We went to the Butterfly Park - home to a large species of butterflies, a truly wonderful experience for the kids. Then we headed to the Satmalia Deer Park - a wildlife sanctuary to a wide variety of Deer species, including Sambhar, Nilgai, and Chital. Heer was also keen to know the history of Silvassa so we visited the Tribal Museum to marvel on artefacts and portraits about the lives of the local tribes who live in the early 1900s. We ended our outing with a bird’s eye view of the Madhuban Dam, a spectacular watchtower that offers a breathtaking view of the area.
We ended our trip with an amazing AVT Adventure ride, that Heer took with N, and then the little boy in N wanted a ride again. Such simple things make a man and a kid, super happy.
The staycation at the Khanvel Resort has renewed my energies and I’m already planning a longer visit to this amazing property in the summers.
Until next time,
~ Heena
