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Lying face-down on a bed as the soft-spoken masseuse kneads and massages the tiredness out of my feet using a fragrant coffee scrub, I close my eyes and visualise the long winding, at times bumpy roads that brought me to The Leela Coorg Forest Sanctuary. Here, amidst the coffee plantations spread across 76 acres, the air – faintly smelling of damp earth – feels so fresh that I immediately surrender to the relaxing sensation as my feet finally stop aching.
Earlier in the day, I was given a true Kodava-style welcome with a garland made of coffee cherries and cardamom. A cookie-cutter resort? Far from it, as I found out…
What are the rooms like at The Leela Coorg Forest Sanctuary?
If your idea of roughing it out in the wilderness involves a signature four-poster bed, dual vanities to avoid sharing toothpaste space, and bespoke artwork made from reclaimed wood shavings, then you’re in the right place.
Spread across 71 villas, the accommodation options here range from the cozy-ish 850 sq ft Windchimes Villas to the sprawling 10,000 sq ft Sunbeam Presidential Villa, where the amenities include a dedicated chef, round-the-clock butler, and a Cleopatra-style round Jacuzzi.
A temperature-controlled pool too – great to soak in after a long day of nature walks, but while the idea of a floating breakfast sounds appealing, it’s a tad less glamorous when you’re dodging a bumblebee and trying to eat with some modicum of dignity.
Falling asleep on the lounge chairs after a few laps in the loop, on the other hand, is something I highly recommend, especially if the private balcony overlooks the forest canopy. Plus, butler service is just speed dial away.
What is the spa like at The Leela Coorg Forest Sanctuary?
Aujasya by The Leela Spa is an expansive space with more treatment rooms (25, to be exact) than most resorts have villas. The Signature Turkish Hammam may not be too close to the real Turkish deal, but does a fairly good job. The sauna with dual heating offers both traditional and infrared options, and for those, like me, who need their entire body to have a morning jolt, the body scrub made from coffee grown on their very own plantation is what I recommend. This ‘Coorg caffeine shot for your skin’ experience could not be more local. But the best part about the spa actually comes post the treatment, when you’re handed a wellness tea and sway gently on a swing overlooking the coffee plantations.
What is the food like at The Leela Coorg Forest Sanctuary?
It’s fair to say that coffee is the heart and soul of what they’ve built here. To prove they take their Arabicas and Robustas seriously, they’ve set up 92 Degrees, a dedicated coffee experience centre named after the perfect brewing temperature needed to extract a cup.
If you’re really interested, there’s a possibility of falling down a rabbit hole as the baristas take you through the process of the delicate white blossoms transforming into cherry-red fruit, and then the fascinating mechanics of drying, hulling, sorting, and roasting. If you haven’t yet had the chance to experience this elsewhere, then chances are you will look at your daily cuppa with newfound respect.
At the all-day dining venue Luma, which overlooks a serene manmade lake, local Kodava heritage sits comfortably alongside global plates. I particularly enjoyed the Pesarattu Dosa. For lunch, it would be a mistake to give Kodagu Koli Kari a miss. I mopped up the Coorg style chicken preparation with rice dumplings called Kadambuttus.
They also have an overwater Pan-Asian specialty restaurant Zen, which eight private gazebos, where one can tuck into seaweed crackers, sushis and dimsums with butterflies for company. Head to The Cellar, their speakeasy-ish Winchester-inspired lounge bar where the mixologists use local ingredients such as kokam, kachampulli and jaggery in their concoctions.
What are the nature activities like at The Leela Coorg Forest Sanctuary?
The best way to map the estate is on foot, with two very different walks. The guided morning forest and birdwatching trail starts early, when the woods are still cool. A naturalist, armed with binoculars, guides you as you spend an hour tracing bird calls, sometimes rewarded with sightings of the Malabar Grey Hornbill and the rustle of a Malabar Giant Squirrel leaping across the high branches.
After dark, the landscape undergoes a complete shift. While you certainly need to watch where you step – a friendly snake just might pop by – you could also spot tiny flashes up above in the trees, which are perhaps the elusive flying squirrels gliding effortlessly above. Flashlights may reveal an array of vibrant tree frogs perched on wet leaves and webs spun by spiders.
If lounging in your bathrobe begins to make you feel guilty about not utilising your time, there are a couple of low-impact activities to get you going. You can start your morning on an elevated wooden deck suspended over the forest canopy for a yoga session. Hop into a kayak and paddle in gentle circles on the lake, or try your hand at catch-and-release fishing. Not amusing for the fish, but there is certainly a thrill in catching the common and green carps and releasing them back into the water. A fleet of bicycles is on standby to navigate the winding, green trails. Take a bike ride through the cool hill air and get refreshed for another round of food and drinks.
Getting there
3 hours from Kannur International Airport
4 hours from Mangalore International Airport
6 hours from Bangalore International Airport