It’s now the hot summer months
when all you feel like doing is getting away. Truth be told, Goa offers
exemplary hospitality, but all of it comes at a higher price when compared to
other parts of the country. It’s the pinch that comes with being a top tourist
destination. So how about going a bit further and discovering a real hideaway?
Wild Woods Spa and Resort in Karnataka is the perfect spot.
This is what a nature resort
truly looks like – none of your small herb gardens and tiny tree clusters
scattered on parched lawns. Wild Woods Spa and Resort is almost a jungle hideaway.
Guests are so tied in with nature that it feels almost like it’s just you and
the Earth, yet with most luxuries thrown in – down to your private plunge pool.
There is something very down-to-earth
and passionate about K P Shetty, the owner of Wild Woods Spa and Resort.
Closely involved with everything that happens on site, he makes the 500km drive
from where he lives in Bangalore to the hotel as nonchalantly as we would from
Panaji to Margao. It is his immense love for nature – both flora and fauna –
that is apparent throughout.
The villa |
Overview
A narrow, tree-covered road
awaits you as you leave the dust of Baindur town on the highway and head
towards Toodalli village. The foliage is thick and almost impenetrable. It’s an
excellent preview of the Wild Woods Spa and Resort.
The resort itself is hidden by a
wooded blanket of dozens of varieties of trees, shrubs and plants that are home
to an astounding variety of insects, birds and animals. The 20-odd acre property
spills across the tiny village road, one side constructed earlier than the
other. A recent flood did considerable damage to the older property, but Shetty
has resurrected it to excellent condition with no tell-tale signs of damage
whatsoever.
The Accommodation
In the old property, eight Bamboo
and Stone Cottages are the two categories available for guests. From the
outside, both are very reminiscent of Balinese architecture, built of mud,
stone and local bamboo.
The former incorporate bamboo
rafters, mud plaster and matted cane ceilings with adjoining flower gardens and
individual riverside decks. The Stone Cottages too face the river and offer
majestic views of the green village fields nearby and the hills in the
distance.
The new property is more regal,
featuring 15 luxury villas, including one sprawling four-bedroom residence. All
are connected to a common walkway shaded from the weather by a carpet of Mysore
trumpet vines, a dazzling red and yellow creeper flower that exudes sweet
nectar each morning. Each features a backyard with a sturdy jhola overlooking a private plunge pool
along with flowering plants and trees to create a luxurious home during the
span of your stay.
To ensure you don’t leave behind
the luxury of the city, there is hot and cold water, rain showers, LCD
television with satellite network and four-poster beds that are almost
impossible to get out of.
Dining
As nature resorts go, Wild Woods
Spa and Resort takes its role of providing natural, wholesome meals quite
seriously. With the price of food incorporated into the room rate, it’s a real
steal. Baindur will offer the town’s specialties and spin-off versions of
Continental food might be a rare find in the town, but living at Wild Woods
will ensure you step no further than its Aroma Restaurant for all things
delectable.
It specialises in the local and
that’s the best way to enjoy your stay. The chefs are well-connected with the
roots of local tradition, and harvest the best on offer from the village nearby
and indeed, from the farm itself.
The variety of food is both
tantalising and eye-opening to those unfamiliar with it. There’s everything
from the usual chicken ghee roast,
Mangalore fish curry and neer dosa,
to jackfruit idli and dosa, wild mushroom curry, bamboo shoot
curry and more. Meals include breakfast, lunch and dinner with tea and snacks
in the evening. There’s not much more you can ask for.
Breakfast |
Activities
Even though it seems hidden away
from civilisation, there’s so much to do at Wild Woods Spa and Resort. For
those not inclined to much physical activity, the resort arranges short trips
to nearby beaches, each one with a more spectacular view than the one before.
There’s Malpe near Udupi,
Someshwara, Maravanthe, Apsarakonda and the more popular Gokarna beach not too
far off. A short distance away is also Murudeshwar beach with its giant statue
of a meditative Shiva seated at the edge of the sea.
Bicycles are available for short
runs through the serene villages nearby. The staff is also happy to provide you
with fishing poles, should you wish to spend some time on the banks of the
Kosalli river that encircles the resort. However, fishing is only permitted in
certain zones to maintain the river’s ecological balance.
Soon after the monsoons, the
river is an excellent place to hone your kayaking skills while enjoying the
freshness of the air. A common pool gives you the option of wallowing in
man-made luxury should you prefer that over the chill of the fresh river water.
And the ever-willing staff will never tire of finding it in them to take you on
nature walks or treks to the nearby waterfall.
Tranquility at a nearby beach |
Spa & Sports
Wild Woods Spa & Resort is
made for everyone who enjoys a connect with health and nature. It currently
houses a cosy spa offering a variety of therapies, but is also working on a
sprawling wellness centre that will help propel the property into a health resort
as well.
Well-trained masseurs offer
ancient ayurvedic treatment therapies that work wonders on the body and mind,
enhanced by the tranquillity of the resort. Other than the abhyangam and shirodhara
therapies, there are a host of other ayurvedic offerings. There’s the option of
trying out the Thai treatments such as shiatsu
and the Thai foot massage.
The day spa also offers Balinese
body massages, aroma therapy, head massages, mud baths, hot stone therapies and
a variety of salon treatments including manicures, pedicures and facials.
For those who’d like an
invigorating start to their day, the club house – located on the floor above
the reception – has a host of board and indoor games including darts, carom and
chess, and even indoor archery.
Owner Shetty has extensive plans
of adding a well-stocked library, audio-visual room for movies, gym and sauna
to the works. The new spa centre is his latest focus, from hand-picking antique
doors, columns and furniture to ensuring everything is as a guest would want it
to be.
Natural fish spa! |
The Experience
It started from the outset – the
hospitality and warmth was brimming over. Owner K P Shetty was on hand
throughout to offer an interesting story, point out a striking plant or bird
and offer a bit of trivia. In fact, he is part of the experience of staying at
Wild Woods Spa and Resort.
We arrived in the heat of the
afternoon, to be welcomed by two revitalising glasses of delicious cucumber
juice and sesame seed juice. Off-beat though they may seem, they set the tone
for everything to follow at the resort – different but refreshingly enjoyable.
We were ushered to Villa 6, an
expansive one-bedroom accommodation with separate living and dining area. A
large four poster bed was filled with a very enticing mattress and pillows. The
front and back porches and bedroom veranda offered cosy nooks from where to
enjoy a book or simply soak in the sounds of nature.
Throughout the stay, food was
unending and sumptuous. The preparations were local and completely devoid of
city slick. Organic meat and veggies from the nearby village, herbs and fruit
from the garden formed the dishes we ate every day. Shetty was on hand at every
meal, explaining the ingredients and the stories behind the traditions. There
was multi-vitamin chutney and green idlis
steamed in rare hibiscus leaves grown on the property, juices from local plants
and fruit, and a mind-boggling variety of goodness on every plate.
There were walks through the
sprawling property, seeking out the hundreds of varieties of plants and trees
he has brought in from around the world. An old yoga centre, lying covered in
the tendrils of Mysore trumpet vines, seemed right out of a movie and the
variety in the orchid and cactus gardens was a sight to behold.
To work off the delicious food, we
went kayaking down the river and played a few games of badminton on the shady
outdoor court. Day trips took us to see the beautiful beaches in the vicinity
and marvel at the confluence of the Arabian Sea and Netravati river at
Someshwara.
As the sun set, our feet took
pleasure in the delightful nibbles of riverine fauna with the free-for-all fish
pedicure, made picture perfect with a park bench in the clear shallow water as
the forest accosted the river bank on the other side. And as if by magic, a
pair of Malabar giant squirrels scampered noisily across the tree tops as if to
entice us back once more.
First published in VIVA GOA magazine in April 2016