ICynosure: Hotel and Resort Review

Mumbai is a land of dreams, the city that never sleeps, is a dynamic, electrifying, exciting concrete jungle. The chaotic life Mumbaikars lead with an insane amount of hustle and bustle every single day calls for an escape that leads to nature to calm the nerves. And the best way to achieve that kind of inner peace is to take a weekend away from the city and spend some quality time with your family or friends, or maybe even on your own. Apart from the zillion things that make Mumbai the 'it' place to be at, an additional positive is that it is close to numerous weekend getaways that allows you to #ExploreNature. Resorts near Mumbai are easily accessible both by road and rail, starting from Karjat which is a mere 60 km from Mumbai to Phaltan that is 250 km. It is easy to plan your weekend getaways from Mumbai for its naturally gifted and beautiful landscapes by the Western Ghats.

So for International Father’s Day weekend, when Sterling Holidays invited us to experience one of their prime eco-friendly properties, the Nature Trail Resorts, Durshet Forest Lodge, we threw caution to the wind and headed out. For the two-day getaway, we checked into the place that offered a quaint and serene place to unwind and get close to nature. The lodge merely a few hours from Mumbai is set against the stunning Sahyadri mountain ranges and beautifully caresses the Amba river to give a glimpse of what tranquillity really is.

During our stay, we lodged in a super luxury tent cottage with the best of urbane comforts and breathtaking views. In case travellers are looking for varied accommodation options, the lodge also offers Cocoon and Cottage rooms, Dome Tents and Dormitories. It boasts of a perennial waterfall and a 35-acre natural forest that serves as a nature trail for adventure activities like rappelling, kayaking, zip lining, Burma bridge, and much more. These activities are covered within the room tariff and can be enjoyed free of cost. However, if travellers are looking to enjoy just a day-out, the lodge also offers a ‘Nature Break Without Room’ adventure option. There are numerous activities for kids as well as adults that will keep you away from all your gadgets for the day. To know all about the tariff plans and activity costs, check here.

The father-daughter duo hiked up the hilly terrain with gusto and participated in the thrilling activities, much to my amazement.

As we retired for the day, it was wonderful just to sit outside the cottages sipping some green tea, gazing into the night sky counting stars.

The next morning we headed to the Kundalika Rafting Camp in Kolad to experience the White Water Rafting over Kundalika river, for a stretch of 13 km. The rafting activity is coordinated with the release of water through the dam controlling the river flow. Once the water is released, the rafting experience is nothing short of enticing with sailing past the mountain ranges of the Sahyadris, creating Grade 2 and Grade 3 rapids. Apart from rafting, activities like rappelling, kayaking, river and valley crossing, etc are also offered under the supervision of an expert. Since the activity is for kids above the age of 12, we decided to let Daddy enjoy the Kolad Rafting activity while momma and princess went on to explore the other offerings of the Nature Trails. The company operates properties in four unexplored yet easily accessible destinations close to Mumbai, Pune and Nashik.

So the next weekend, do not let any excuse work in his favour, pack your bags and head to a luxurious property in the lap of nature to #ExploreNaturalTrails.

Until next time,
~ Heena

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Set in the cool climes of Nuwara Eliya, surrounded by mountains and hills, way above sea-levels, the Heritance Tea Factory Hotel is the first factory to have been converted into a hotel in Sri Lanka, earning a UNESCO Merit Award for its restoration. A modern architectural masterpiece, the old tea factory used under the British rule, boasts of a great ambience highlighting the Colonial times while offering the best services to make our family getaway filled with the luxury of history.

We arrived at the hotel after a few hectic days in Kandy and were greeted with the rustic quaint, cooler than the rest of the country; breeze. The staff welcomed us with warm towels followed by a traditional Sinhalese welcome. The elaborate welcome made us feel like modern day royals; as we firmly wrapped our overcoats to protect ourselves from the dropping temperature. We waited for our rooms to be assigned while being serenaded with a variety of tea flavours from the hotel’s own tea estate. DH sipped on Vanilla tea while I warmed up to a cup of Broken Orange Pekoe tea infused with a handful of spices.

The hotel is indeed ‘on top of the world’ at 3600 meters above sea-level, almost dancing into the clouds. The backdrop changes colours every second of the day, from a sunshine yellow to a burning orange, melting into a teal blue and finally seeping into a grey hollow. Needless to say, we spent one of our three days just gazing into the skyline against the plush green stage offered by the plantation.

The owners have done an amazing job with preserving the heritage of the factory while re-modelling it to meet the needs of the new age traveller. Instead of taking down the original machinery they have created installations out of them to overwhelm the visitor. One of the most bewitching visuals that as a hotel guest we witnessed was the minute-long running of the original engine that powered the factory, placed in the basement. The hooting and the force we felt from the top floor of the hotel is still as real as when we took the pictures that day.

Another win for the hotel is responsible tourism. The overall facility leaves little to no carbon footprints with their own water management system to waste reduction initiatives; organic farming to utilising local produce and generating local employment. All around the premises we saw numerous placards explaining the importance of that particular feature or in-room material emphasising ways and means of preserving natural resources. The hotel is the perfect example of luxury combined with eco-friendliness, which otherwise is a rarity.

If we thought that we had seen and experienced everything that the hotel had to offer, we were so wrong. As soon as we entered our room, we were amazed by the spacious Flowerdew Suite, which included a master bedroom, a kid’s bedroom and a sitting area with the best views of the Ragala and Randeingala reservoirs. And to top it all, we had a twin bathtub in the master bedroom opening into a Jacuzzi; overlooking the hills. It was indeed heavenly, perfect to relax and unwind at the end of a super cold day.

As vegetarians, we were restricted in terms of cuisines in the island country with so much of sea-food in abundance. However at the Heritance Tea Factory Hotel’s main restaurant Kenmare, there was a full-buffet for vegetarians as well as a large a la carte menu. We tried the buffet and were pleasantly surprised at how tea-themed dishes can add flavour to the palate. One afternoon, we indulged in a unique dining experience at the TCK 6685 restaurant, a 1930’s train carriage that was initially used to transport tea from the factory to mainland, now converted into dining chambers. The experience is unique with the Head Chef understanding the culinary preferences of each ‘passenger-on-board’, and then serving dishes specifically made for the guest with ‘whistle-blowing’ antics by the attendants immaculately dressed in railway uniforms. It is definitely a must-do at the hotel.

The hotel has a lot of activities organised within the facility as well as in the surrounding areas. A spa along with a gym, games room, library, and a putting green form recreational activities within the hotel, while they also arrange activities such as pony rides, nature trekking, bird-watching and tea factory tours. We signed up for a couple of an eco-tours including plucking-your-own tea leaves experience and #PrincessHeer took to the pony riding adventure with her dad. However, with the volatile nature of climate, we had to cut out on a few activities, though we did not want to miss out on the beauty of the hills so we ventured out for short walks even during the slightly drizzly day. It was by far the most beautiful and romantic part of our stay at the hotel ….. walking through a gorgeous place in the rain. The hotel’s guide, Anniken was a pro and knew practically everything about the hills, the history, and the village. He also narrated stories about wild boars, leopards and mountain lions during our trek over the hills.

Doesn’t that make you want to plan your trip to Nuwara Eliya’s Heritance Tea Factory Hotel right now?

Until next time,  even #PrincessHeer says ciao!

- Heena

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To be honest we didn’t even know anything about Phaltan until Jakson Inns invited us for a weekend escape to the gorgeous location. Living in Mumbai, we always desperately seek to explore untouched locations that are a far cry away from the mundane, oh-so predictable and characterless destinations that most vacation spots are fast turning into. Phaltan at a driving distance of about 4 hours from Western Mumbai, is the answer to all the experiences you seek. The ancient capital city of Maharashtra, Phaltan is the birthplace of Shivaji Maharaj’s first wife Saibai; thus having a close connection to the rich heritage and history of the state.

As we drove down to Phaltan nothing could have prepared us for the beauty of the rugged place that is as yet so untouched. The gorgeous property nestled amidst serene sugarcane fields and fruit orchards, The Jakson Inns Phaltan is India’s first 3-star LEED GREEN platinum rated hotel. Though from the outside the hotel will look like a regular stay option, we were amazed with the six acres boutique property with 60 deluxe rooms and 4 suites. Most modern facilities and amenities are available at the Inn, with special stay provisions for lady travelers, business travelers, family vacationers as well as larger groups. One thing that really amazed us was the installation of solar panels which accounts for the electricity requirements of almost one floor of the hotel.

With a combination of contemporary design and modern facilities, the Jakson Inns Phaltan is a dream property to relax at. We were seamlessly checked in for a quick siesta post which we took the hotel tour. We were pretty impressed with the Kundalini spa, the Burn gym as well as the Green Bean restaurant and the Fulltoon bar.

The summer heat was intense, but that didn’t stop us from exploring around the hotel. One question that really kept popping in our mind was why someone would choose to come to a barren land to relax even though the property is great. The answer to that question came from the unique experiences that we had during our stay at the hotel. Though a host of activities are organized for vacationers to choose from; we decided to skip the regular run-of-the-mills holiday activities to explore some unique experiences that the Inn is promoting in and around Phaltan.

A morning at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra

KVK Baramati is a leading agricultural technology haven founded by Sharad Pawar and now managed by Dr. Appasaheb Pawar for the upliftment of the farming community. KVK is a playground where scientists and agriculturalists experiment to deliver demand driven products and services to the agricultural community. Infused with demonstration plots, exhibits of farming technology and equipment and soil testing laboratories, KVK is the perfect place for experiential learning.

An afternoon at the fields

Late afternoon, we headed for a tour of the sugarcane field and fruit orchard just besides the hotel and then settled in for a fiesta. A lavish spread set up across 20 acres of plantation while we relaxed on the traditional charpai was a scene just out of a Bollywood movie. Running around in the paddy fields and posing against the freshly ploughed read soil awakened our senses.

An evening under the windmills

How close can one think about going to a windmill? We went so close that we could hear the gentle swishing of the air, the ferocious wing pass an inch away and the breeze playing chaos with my hair. A short drive from Jakson Inn and we were lapping in the beauty of the neatly attacked row of windmills snuggled in the backdrop of the lush countryside. The highlight of the stay, which we cherish to date; the evening spent at Pusagaon sipping red wine under the gorgeously lit sun-kissed evening sky just looking at the windmills dance to the tune of the wind is something that can only be experienced. Nothing, absolutely nothing can help you visualize it; expect the pictures we took there.

During the short trip, we did experience a few unique things; however for the traditional there are a few things to do as well. For our next trip there we sure want to visit the Royal Rajwada (Palace), the Aundh Museum, and the Ajinkya Tara.

Yes, we are already planning our next visit to the Jakson Inns for their unrivalled service. The staff is beyond exemplary with their on-point service, knowledge about the property and the information about the history and heritage of the place. And not to forget the food, the Green Bean restaurant tosses dishes of your choice in a jiffy, if it is not already a part of their humungous buffet spread.

Are you packing already?
- Heena

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