Set 2,000 metres high on a misty ridge in Periyar’s wildlife-rich Cardamom Hills, this beautiful, eco-friendly resort is a relaxed retreat. The hotel lies just outside Periyar Tiger Reserve and is styled like a mountain tribal village, with individual cottages dotted among fragrant landscaped spice gardens. The cottage roofs are thatched with elephant grass, identical to those on the region’s tribal huts, and there is no air-conditioning here; instead the rooms are cooled naturally with natural stone floors and airy porches that let in the cool, fresh mountain air. The cottages sport all your home comforts with modern interiors that are warm and inviting, but with an air of spartan elegance based around simple, natural materials and local wood craft. All of the cottages have a private verandah and some of the larger cottages have their own private gardens with fruit trees and bench seating.
The hotel is proudly eco-friendly and this extends to the food served in its heritage-themed Tiffin Room restaurant where a buffet setup offers a wide choice of local and international cuisines, but all using ingredients sourced within 50 miles of the hotel and organic vegetables grown on the hotel’s own farm. You can spend your days here lazing by the inviting pool or indulging in a game of tennis, badminton or basketball; there’s also bar billiards in the charming Woodhouse Bar. But a stay here is all about immersing yourself in nature, with lessons on botany, bird watching or peppercorn picking plus treks and tours in the Periyar Tiger Reserve all within your grasp.
