The phrase Pretty as a Picture, may be cliched to shreds but at times it is the first one that springs to mind, hence I will begin by thus labelling The Tamara Kodai resort!!!
Perched high up in the the charming town of Kodaikanal, in the district of Dindigul in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India, the Tamara Kodai is a 1.5 year new born resort that takes root from one of the oldest 19th century residences in Kodaikanal, called Baynes bungalow.
Straddling the past and the present, this luxurious place offers the guest a lavish modern experience, blended with a strong dose of its glorious heritage and history.
The Tamara Kodai occupies 7.8 acres and is set at an altitude of 6500 ft. The aforementioned Baynes bungalow now forms the core of this resort, adjoining which the newer portions have taken shape.
The old bungalow stands in its original glory, largely unmodified and retaining even the doors, windows, flooring, ceilings etc that have merely been cleaned and polished.
The recent extension hugs the old as if seeking its support and energy and seamlessly and tranquilly grows out into the new.
The rooms –
The Tamara Kodai offers nothing less than plush suites. Of the 53 suites, 52 line the pathway in 13 clusters of 4 each, 2 below ground level and 2 higher. The French Provincial facade makes for a pretty picture with the pristine white interspersed with flashes of brick red awning.
42 of these are Luxury, 8 are Superior luxury and 2 suites have access for differently abled people. All these spaces can accommodate 2 adults plus one more on the Diwan in the living room.
The 53rd suite is the Presidential one and stands apart from the rest (pun intended). This can accommodate 4 people.
The rooms have wooden flooring (which makes it really comfortable in that cold weather) and they are equipped with cozy beds with pillows that you can choose from a menu, heavy wooden (antique style) cupboards, side tables and a sufficient number of plug points. The adjoining balcony with lounge chairs, looks out on the expanse of Kodaikanal.
An electronic safe, in room heater, intercom and stable 24 hr WiFi form the rest of the features.
The bedroom can be separated from the living room with the aid of a sliding wooden door that also bears a secret full length mirror.
The washrooms are luxurious with separate wash basins for Him and Her, a separate toilet area (with warm water in the health faucet, God bless them) and pressure control showers in the bath cubicle.
The restaurants-
La Providence and The Bistro 1845 are the 2 dining spaces. An upcoming Pool bar (non alcoholic) is also on its way to completion.
The food is multi cuisine and is excellent.
The bar also shakes out stunning cocktails.
Halls –
There are 2 halls namely the conference/banquet hall – Puliyan Hall and mini boardroom – Paliyan Hall, so named after the original indigenous tribes of the region.
A quick glimpse of the resort and amenities -
Activities –
The resort provides a host of indoor board games, a library, a PS4 gaming Playstation, table tennis, pool table, swimming pool, spa, outdoor games like archery and many such activities.
Sightseeing and trekking trips are also curated for the guests.
Trekking trails -
Best time to visit –
Kodaikanal is a year round destination. The peak season however, belongs to the months of March, April and May since the hill station is a welcome getaway during the summer.
Getting there –
Kodaikanal is a hill station which is located at quite a distance from the plains.
The nearest relevant railway station is at Kodai Road which is 80 km away from the town of Kodaikanal. It takes a minimum of 2 hours to reach the Tamara Kodai.
Dindigul and Madurai are bigger stations at 100 km and 120 km away and it takes 2.5 hours and 3 hours respectively from there.
The nearest airport is also at Madurai.
Both state transport buses and private luxury buses operate right up to Kodaikanal bus stand, from major South Indian cities like Bangalore, Madurai, Chennai etc. The bus stand is around 2 km from the resort and private cabs charge around Rs 150-200 for a drop.
Booking and contact –
They can be contacted at their website.
This post was originally published on Currylines
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