A Weekend in Kurumba Village Resort | Property Review

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Where Serendipity Meets Serenity

If I were to ask, given a choice, what kind of luxury staycation I would prefer ? Is it the nice posh hotel in a swanky city with all the amenities or a beach front resort with a private beach or a forest resort tucked in the wilderness of deep dense greens where only noise one can hear is of waterfall gushing ,birds chirping , or herds of animal roaring from afar.  I would have chosen the third option first, for it is very rare for me, where I can find my senses nurtured amidst the natural dwelling.

Kurumba Village Resort
Kurumba Village Resort
Kurumba Village Resort
Warm Welcome

So, this time while I planned to skip Durga Puja back at home and wanted to head somewhere where I could relax and align myself with the nature’s serendipity. I came across the website of this property. The moment I saw Nature Resorts and the website , I immediately fell in love with  the virtual vibes I got at that moment.  Thats when I decided to visit this place which is in Tamil Nadu. Although, my plan was to do a trip across Kerala and the places I didn’t visit last time. But, I made up my mind to spend at least two days in the lap of Nilgiris.

About Kurumba Village Resort

This is one of the first property solely owned by Nature Resorts started in 2004 in Kurumba Village and is dedicated to the lost tribe, “The Kurumba”. Kurumba’s are the least civilised group in the district and they mostly live in the hill slopes and feverish places, Kurumba houses known as gudlu were the temporary constructions in the forests with thatched roof, the traditional occupation of Kurumbas is food gathering, like collection of honey and forest produce.

Kurumba Village Resort has an unique location, perfectly perched in the blue Nilgiri hills surrounded beautifully by a rainforest, where the area will never have any other commercial projects nearby in several years to come. And hence, is a sole refuge in one of the largest biosphere reserve in Western Ghats.

Nilgiris Range
Scenic Beauty from Kurumba Village Resort
Kurumba Village Ressort
Balcony View

Surrounded by beautiful spice plantations like Nutmeg and Clove trees, this eco-friendly resort is situated in Upper Burliar on the Ooty-Mettupalayam Road, 32 kilometres away from Ooty. They have made the maximum possible attempt to keep the entire experience close to the nature by going organic.

Nilgiris

How I Got There

Since, I was doing a solo backpacking trip this time, I decided to avail a public commute. So, my route was Bangalore —> Coimbatore —> Mettupalayam —> Kurumba Village which is situated between Mettupalayam and Coonoor, this was all done by local buses (must say TNSTC buses are really efficient) .  This place is a little offbeat , so ideally it is recommended to have a car  or avail a resort cab if possible.

So, Once I reached Burliar which is a stop just 15 kms ahead of the resort. I got down and was picked up by Resort cab.

About My Stay Experience

Upon check-in, staff welcomed me with traditional garland made of wild flowers and mango tree leaves (which gave the vibe of nature) .

I was assigned a beautiful Kurumba cottage which was way down below the main reception area, hence a boogey cart was always on call to pick and drop the guest to their respective cottages. One of the main USP of the place is that each and every cottages are very strategically placed which ensure maximum privacy and excellent view of Nilgiri range with waterfalls nearby, which is just opposite to the resort. All the Kurumba cottages have thatched, pyramid shaped roofs with private balconies and large windows to take in the views. It has 22 tastefully designed cottages which comprises of Tribal arts and unique artefacts on the walls. There is mini library of books and a lovely fruit basket on arrival in each of the cottages.

Kurumba Village Resort
My Cozy cottage

 

Kurumba Cottages 

500 sqft of luxurious double room cottage overlooking a gorgeous view , even the bathroom has a view to die for.

Kurumba Suites 

A bigger and a spacious 1000 sqft cottage which has a living room and a bedroom with a larger balcony.

 

 

Kurumba Duplex Suite 

Tastefully designed for a big family which has a living room and a spare bed in the ground level and the first level has the bedroom with a killer view along with a Balcony.

Kurumba Jacuzzi Suite 

They say , if you want to indulge in the lap of luxury with a hint of nature, you got to experience their Jacuzzi Suites. The suite has a 4-poster king size bed; a private dining area; tall french windows that open up onto a fantastic balcony… and a large jacuzzi; an aqua spa to massage your body and senses.

The bathrooms are fitted with bathtubs which overlooks the panoramic vistas and some of them has shower cubicles and one of their green code is to recycle the toiletries bottles , so as to minimise the waste.

Resort Amenities

After I was done settling in the room, I quickly changed to come out to explore the beautiful surrounding. It was already past the lunch time , but the staff were super courteous to wait for me till they close their buffet section for lunch. Their in-house restaurant is beautifully built with all sides open to beautiful view of the blue hills and green expanse. Management have ensured to handpicked their speciality chefs from all corners of country so as to deliver an authentic taste of varied cuisine on the menu. I had my sumptuous meal while chatting with the chefs on duty .

Each and every staff takes a personal initiative to interact with their guest to ensure guest satisfaction. They always make sure to give a feeling of home by giving personal attention.

After my lunch, I decided to chill by the Swimming Pool as it was already late afternoon. The pool has a very strategic location overlooking the Nilgiri hills.

Kurumba Village Resort
Swimming Pool with a View

As the evening sets, there is unique concept of having tea/coffee at their tea shop which serves the same in a traditional style . The tea shop runs from 4.30-6 pm for all the in house guests. It also serves snacks along with the beverage . The idea is to gather and socialise with each other while enjoying nature.

Spa Experience -Ayurshala

Their in-house Spa which they named as Ayurshala , offers various Ayurvedic Massages to soothe the body and senses, which is done by well experienced masseur.

Activity Centre

The activity centre which allows the guest to enjoy all indoor games such as chess, fuse ball or pool games. Also the kid centre have ample options to keep the toddlers busy for hours.

There are various adventure activities like rope climbing, Zip-lining or rappelling which is organised by their in house activity manager on a daily basis.

Wishneering Service

What intrigued me apart from their effort towards responsible tourism was that they have a unique concept of secretly making a wish come true . So, management have introduce this concept of going an extra mile to touch hearts and kept an option where a guest can make a customised wish like arranging a Tree Top dining , Cave dining (which is one of its kinds) , pool side dining and all with a private chef and a customised menu as per the needs. There are also other activities such as Tea plantations trips to tea tasting sessions, tribal cooking sessions, local sightseeing around Coonoor/Ooty , Trekking , Nature Walks etc. Basically you can name it and they would arrange it at the heck of it just to give the exclusive experience.

Kurumba Village Resort
Activity manager briefing the guest

Experience I Gathered

The area is so big and interesting that I hardly wanted to step outside the resort. Hence, my next day started quite slow post breakfast as I explored the entire area by spending hours at the lovely pool gazing at the panoramic mountain view.

Post lunch I decided to go for a Spice Plantation walk with there experienced environmentalist who gave  me a detailed idea about flora and fauna and the ecosystem. I was lucky to spot a Giant Malabar Squirrel along with a rare snake sightseeing right in our premises. We also trekked a bit in order to take a full experience of the resort surrounding which is actually quite adventurous . There are wild animals specially elephants which are spotted quite often.

In my last night, Mr. Jyothish (GM of Nature Resorts) was courteous enough to take time out and arrange for a special tree top dining exclusively for me. It was one of a kind experience for me in order to have a private dining along with a personal chef who designed a traditional Kurumba style set menu for me . Sitting with a backdrop of enchanting mountains and with only sound of waterfalls gushing by, the entire dining experience was so surreal to say the least.

Culinary Experience 

Not only they serve various cuisine which is tastefully designed by their in house chef who hails from different parts but also they keep in mind that all the ingredients used are organic . Infact, their keeping it up with local home grown spices and staples , they make sure to support the local community.

Some of the special mention would be the continental chef from Kerala , Tandoori Chef from Bengal and the dessert genius (since I am a sucker of sweets ! ) .

As already mentioned above, one can experience a private customised dining at their recommended places which are Tree Top / cave dining or barbecue at the pool side . Chef ensures to give a world class dining experience.

Their Green Code Towards Responsible Tourism

I guess this is one primary part which every hospitality chain should primarily focus on, towards a sustainable tourism . Since, the inception of the resort , they have emphasized on the empowerment of local inhabitants which comprised of Tribal community welfare . Kurumbas were the least civilized tribe who were living on the hill slopes of Nilgiris and resort to forest produce for their living . The management of the resort have made sure that 90 percent of their staff are locals. Some of their initiatives are towards waste water management, spice plantations and forest conservation, minimise the use of plastic and going towards environmental friendly products, encouraging  local culture and promoting tourism to empower them economically, minimise the noise pollution and vehicle movement to safeguard the nature’s sanctity. These are some of the ways that they are creating a sustainable environment.

Useful facts you should know

Getting There

Airport – Coimbatore International Airport . However, it is also accessible via Bengaluru Airport or Chennai Airport as well.

Railway Station – Mettupalayam (18km) on the main line and Coonoor (5km) on the Toy Train line between Mettupalayam and Ooty. Which is also one of the must sightseeing while in Nilgiris corridor .

However, the most desirable way is to drive down from Coimbatore (50 kms)  or Bangalore which is an overnight journey through picturesque Bandipur forest route.

Climate

It is favourable throughout the year because of the strategic location in the Bio Reserve area in the Nilgiris. With occasional rains occurring , one can always expect a pleasant temperature throughout.

Places to see

The resort is very near to the famous and the most desired hill stations often known as Queen of the Nilgiris , Ooty . Boating in Ooty Lake is highly recommended.

Also, Coonoor is also famous for its Tea Plantation and Gardens . One can opt for a full day sightseeing to both or either of the places.

Also, resort can arrange for bird watching , proper guided treks to the hills nearby. Some of the popular places is Dodabetta Peak which is the highest in the Nilgiris.

Visit to Botanical Garden is a must, which is laid out in 1847, covers an area of 22 hectares. There are about  1000 species of trees and 20,000 species that bloom in the rose garden.

Further information about the Resort

Hillgrove post, kurumbadi – 643 102, nilgiris, tamilnadu. india.
t : +91- 9498087861 / 62 / 63

for reservation :

t: +91 80888 55855 | +91 – 77100 29815 /16 /17 | +91 – 22-2351 4592 /93
e-mail : kurumba@natureresorts.in

Also the same can be booked through booking.com

Kurumba Village Resort
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My Verdict

If you are looking for a perfect blend of luxury , peaceful relaxation in the humble environs of nature. Then Kurumba Village Resort has to be your pick while in Tamil Nadu. I would say a minimum of three days is ideally recommended to soak in the vibes of this heaven .

Disclaimer : I was invited to experience the staycation at this resort. However, as always all the opinions and views are my own. The images are copyrighted by the author of this blog.

Comments

  1. Biswa Bhowmick

    An wonderful review of a nice location, fun to read. Tree top dining and cave dining seem to be an unique experience. Appreciate the details about getting there and the other relevant information.

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      Debjani Lahiri

      Yes you must visit here once or whenever you are here and in south India

  2. Himanshu Wadia

    Very elegantly written. You are on course of becoming the best travel blogger of India

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      Debjani Lahiri

      haha your kind words are more than enough to give a thousand words appreciation

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  3. Sukanya dutta

    Nice review with all the details. These all details are enough to plan for an offbeat weekend holiday.

  4. Linda (LD Holland)

    It would be hard for me to choose one kind of luxury staycation. But I can see how one in the wilderness would be a great escape to nature. Kurumba Village looks great perched in the Nilgiri Hills and will certainly lead me to look at other Nature Resorts. Love that the cottages are spread out and that they offer transportation to move around the resort. I would definitely want to try the Jacuzzi Suite. So many interesting unique activities too. Cave dining sounds exciting. Thanks for sharing this.

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      Debjani Lahiri

      Yes the resort is beautifully spread amidst the wide expanse of blue Nilgiris

  5. Erica

    Wow. That looks like a stunning resort and the perfect place to relax and take a step away from hectic life. I really appreciate that they are dedicated to sustainable tourism. It is so important and definitely impacts my decision when choosing where to stay. It sounds so homey with all the staff making the effort to interact with you and even keeping the buffet open a bit late to ensure you were able to eat! All the activities looked so fun as well. Zip lining would be at the top of my to-do list! Thanks for the great post.

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      Debjani Lahiri

      Thank you for the read. I am sure you will have a wonderful stay if you ever happen to plan to spend a few days in South India.

  6. Krzysztof Lab

    I don’t like luxury hotels or resorts. For me, it’s just wasting money, and I prefer to stay off-grid with a tent or a camper in the wilderness. But of course, I understand that others have different expectations and something like Kurumba Village Resort is great for them. From the other side, while I read your post, it looks that in this luxury place you can find a little bit of wilderness and pleasure – view from the terrace is beautiful and the pool seems a little bit wild as well. And last but not least – the culinary experience is something I usually can’t have on my off-grid locations due to limited resources, so this one reason may make me go there!

  7. Dada

    Kurumba village resort sounds and seems like a beautiful and wonderful place to stay when visiting the area in Tamil Nadu! We have been to Ooty and Conoor in 2014 and if we knew about Kurumba village resort we would definitely stay here! The pool overlooking the lush forest, having some of the unique dining experiences or just stroll around the property! Must have been a very successful two days for you!

  8. Laura Axtman

    What a beautiful place to stay! The Kurumba Village in Nilgiri Hills look serene and untouched. I typically think about enjoying being near a beach to enjoy a relaxing vacation, but your description and photos helped me to see that being surrounded by a rainforest would have the same feeling.

  9. Paul Healy

    The setting of this place looks absolutely stunning. I’d love to have breakfast sitting on that deck with surrounded by all that greenery. It’s nice that they are such a beautiful hotel but also dedicated to sustainability. Sounds like a great find.

  10. daniel

    Amazing post!! I had never heard of Krumba before but it does seem a great spot for a relaxing trip and it looks super green. I love how the resort is built, looks really environmentally friendly which is super important for us when we travel and decide to pick our stay. South India seems so different than the rest of India, it almost looks SriLanka though.

  11. Amrita

    Well, I would have chosen a nature resort in the jungles for my staycation. No doubt about that!
    The place looks absolutely beautiful and peaceful. You seem to have had a great time there. I had heard about the Kurumba tribe before. Good to know more about them. Will definitely visit this place after reading your positive review. 🙂

  12. Elizabeth

    It’s so nice to take a break and be surrounded by nature. It seems like Kurumba Village Resort is the perfect place for that. The Kurumba Jacuzzi Suite would be nice to have some extra luxury mixed in your stay too. It’s great that they practice responsible tourism and hire mostly locals.

  13. Ree

    Thanks for sharing, the scenery is beautiful. I’m always looking for holiday destinations that are set amidst the natural environment.

  14. Laura

    This looks like a wonderful resort. Being tucked away in nature is so good for the soul. And those cottages are adorable!

  15. Hanna

    The pool looks so great as does all the food! I miss exploring!

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  16. Elim Resort

    Beautiful sceneries Kurumba Village Resort has an unique location, perfectly perched in the blue Nilgiri hills surrounded beautifully by a rainforest,ELIM RESORTS is a wonderful place for friends and family to spend their holidays calm and peacefully. Our location is located in Kanakapura and the resort is surrounded 360 degrees by greenery and the untouched views of hills and mountains, and we lay at the foot of the hills. If you are looking for a vacation and staying inside mother nature is your destination then we are the resorts in Bangalore that you want to be in. Situated only an hour’s drive from the city, we’re perfect for an escape from the bustle. Step into our secluded paradise with a panoramic view of the valley with a swimming pool and nature view, amidst peacocks and a variety of rare birds.

  17. corbettrivervalleyres

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  18. Rachel Stacy

    This article about Kurumba Village Resort is truly fascinating! I had no idea about the existence of the Kurumba tribe and their unique lifestyle. It’s heartening to see Nature Resorts dedicating a property to them, acknowledging and preserving their cultural heritage. Overall, this article has sparked my interest, and I will visit Kurumba Village Resort someday to experience the beauty of the Nilgiri hills and learn more about the Kurumba tribe and their rich cultural heritage.

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