Nestled in the lush hills of the Western Ghats, overlooking the majestic Sahyadri range and the Mulshi Lake in Maharashtra, Atmantan is a wellness resort in Pune that combines healing with luxury and offers just the perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city. We visited the resort right after Diwali and it was a much needed three-day detox from the pollution, stress and binge-eating.
About 180 km away from Mumbai, it took us about four hours to reach the wellness resort. We had left at seven-thirty in the morning and were at the resort before noon. Soon, we were given a tour of the property, which is spread across 42 acres and has a wellness pavilion that houses a 10,000 sq ft fitness and physiotherapy hall, an indoor salt pool, a restaurant, 106 luxury lounging rooms, an amphitheatre and a Kriya pavilion.
Throughout this tour, we were impressed with its approach towards being mindful — all the meals are served only at the restaurant which is at a decent distance from the wellness centre as well as lounging rooms. You’re encouraged to wear comfortable clothes and shoes throughout your stay, and encouraged to walk, as the design of the resort is such that one can walk a good 10,000 steps a day without trying hard.
Outer world, begone!
The design is luxurious, but at the same time grounded, and during our conversation, we figured that the owners Nikhil and Sharmilee Kapur (husband and wife) spent a great deal of time before finalising the architects who were on the same page as them. What’s also interesting is that Atmantan doesn’t overdo anything.
For instance, the cellular network is really bad here and although there is WiFi, the access is given only inside the lounging rooms and at the reception so that you are not scrolling while you are having your meals or getting notifications while you are attending a session.
But, once you are in the room, you can connect with the outer world. And, if you need access urgently throughout the day, you can go to the reception area, which is at a central location from the wellness centre as well as the restaurant. Soon after the tour, we went to our room, freshened up and headed for lunch.
Farm to table, it is
The dining pavilion, Vistara, offers a majestic view of the lake and the mountains and has both outdoor and indoor seating. We couldn’t resist seating in the beautiful ambience that the outdoor space offered and were soon handed over their menu.
Interestingly, this description comes with every dish on the menu so that you know what you are eating and what it adds to your body. We were enjoying the salad while appreciating the view when they served us their Palak Subz Shorba (spinach soup), which might sound boring but was very tasty.
For the main course, there were uddon noodles with stir fry vegetables and to end the meal on a sweet note, there was carrot cake and we loved our meal so much that we went for the ‘Farm to Table’ menu on most days of our stay, as it allows one to try new, seasonal dishes for both lunch and dinner, every day. It is interesting to note that while their meals are delicious, they are served in very small portions as they don’t want you to overstuff yourself.
After the meal, we went for our appointment with their doctor who after a detailed assessment prepared our itinerary for the next three days — which included some massages and therapy sessions like Invigorating Massage, Vedic Massage and a Pranic Healing Scan and Cleansing session, a personal yoga session, a postural assessment class besides the group meditation, yoga, aerobics, aqua, stretching, cardio, cooking, farming and other classes.
Ultimate rejuvenation
Our second day here began at six in the morning with a kriya to cleanse our eyes, nose and throat and was filled with so many activities that we didn’t even realise when it got over.
Interestingly, everything is so well planned that we could attend all our classes, had our meals on time and retired to bed at 9.30 pm without ever rushing from one thing to another.
During our meals, we interacted with other visitors and realised that while many had come here for anxiety, depression, insomnia, overweight, diabetes and other health issues, some were visiting Atmantan to detox or rejuvenate themselves.
And, while some couples were taking a break from their hectic schedules and were spending time together while also focusing on their health, many had come just by themselves. Interestingly, the place sees maximum occupancy during occasions like Diwali, Holi, Christmas and New Year as most have started utilising these holidays to rejuvenate themselves.
Without even realising how and when, we had completed three days of our stay there and felt a lot calmer while heading back to our regular life in Mumbai.
Stay at Atmantan costs Rs 9,500 + taxes per night per person.
Email id: heena@newindianexpress.com
Twitter: @heenakhandlwal