The Nilgiris is known for its lush green environment, mighty mountains, chilly mornings, rainy weather and peace in general. It does seem like the perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city. So, when we got the opportunity to explore the newly opened WelcomHeritage Ayatana, we did not think twice. Firstly, it is their second property after the success of the first one in Coorg and secondly, it’s in Ooty! Who would not want to surrender themselves to greenery all around? So, to make the best out of our journey into the hills, we preferred doing a car ride.
The journey began at around 6.30 am. We would say it was the perfect weather for a road trip. Overcast clouds and a cool breeze. A cup of tea would have been perfect. As we navigated through the busy roads of Bengaluru (we were surprised to see a bit of traffic even at that time), we started seeing the buildings getting smaller, the further away from the city we got. After almost two hours of travel, we stopped in Mysore for a much-needed breakfast. A couple of idlis and a cup of filter coffee later, we were off again towards our destination. We reached one of the most interesting areas of our trip – Bandipur National Park, which also shares borders with Tamil Nadu (Mudumalai Tiger Reserve) in two hours. We did not have high expectations of sighting a tiger but still looked out for the majestic animal. Unfortunately, we did not come across one but spotted many deer, a couple of wild elephants, monkeys and beautiful peacocks. The almost 30 km stretch from the entry of Bandipur National Park to the exit of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, was definitely one of the highlights of the drive. A single road passing through the forest and endless greenery on both sides and add to that sounds of various birds and insects — it was an amazingly beautiful experience, altogether.
The plus point of visiting a resort like Ayatana is that you get to be away from the city. When we reached Ooty, it was buzzing as we expected it to be. All the famous spots were filled with people clicking pictures and enjoying treats from road side eateries. The first thing that popped in our Mollywood-obsessed heads were the scenes from the evergreen Malayalam superhit Kilukkam (because it was shot in Ooty, way back in 1991). A smile appeared on our faces as we passed through the crowded roads. While heading towards Ayatana, do check out the Pine Forest and 6th Mile shooting point. You can step out of your vehicle and click some Instagram-worthy pictures.
After a trip of close to six hours, we finally reached our destination. Imagine a township, with individual cottages, surrounded by plants and trees. That’s what we stumbled into. We made our way to the reception and were greeted with a cup of black coffee which was just perfect for the weather. Soon the formalities of checking in were completed and we were escorted to our cottage. As we entered the room, all we could think about was having a long peaceful nap after a tiresome journey and we did just that. Following the quick nap, we headed to Tycoons, their in-resort restaurant that serves dishes from multiple cuisines such as North Indian, Italian, Continental and more. We took an outdoor seat overlooking the verdant Nilgiris and ordered a cappuccino, ginger tea and a veg sandwich. Sipping the coffee while looking at the beautiful scenery in front of us was mesmerising. It felt like we were in a proper movie scene! We then decided to explore one side of the property, which was closer to the other cottages. A small road with cottages on each side, couples strolling around, new parents having a great time with their children — there was an air of positivity as we explored the place. By the time we came back it was dark and also a bit chilly. The warmth inside the rooms was inviting enough to get all cozied up indoors till dinner.
We chose to go light for dinner and sat indoors, starting off with a Chicken Tom Yum Soup. This Thai soup was a mixture of sour and spicy flavours, just like it should be. Then we called for a couple of appetisers — Tycoons’ Paneer Tikka Trilogy and Crispy Rock Chicken Fingers. The malai paneer cubes were marinated in three flavours and cooked to perfection in a clay oven. Cooking in a clay oven always adds that extra earthy taste and we could say the same for the tikkas as well. The chicken fingers were crispy and flavourful. If you crave for something that resembles KFC, go for this. By the time we had them, we were pretty full and were left with just a bit more space for dessert. Keeping it simple, we decided to go for the Tiramisu. The dessert was passable but a perfect end before we headed out to find our way back to our room guided by street lights — absolutely magical! The following morning, we got up a bit late but made it on time for breakfast. The buffet gave us the option of choosing from an array of options. We picked our dishes for a hearty breakfast. These included chicken sausages, potato wedges, some sweet corn, bread and butter and a doughnut. Again, we chose to take a table outdoors and ordered for ginger tea. The breakfast was fulfilling and the ambience added to it.
It was time for us to leave now and head back to our daily busy lives. We know it was a very short trip but a much needed one. We had some more explorations to do in Ooty, so we were excited for them. As we bid goodbye to Ayatana, we headed to the nearby Katary Water Falls. Following clicking some pictures for the Gram, we headed onto our next mission, finding some Ooty Chocolates! Coming to Ooty and heading back without chocolates while your friends wait for them? That’s one dumb way to die. As we made our way to Ooty town, it started to pour. So, we decided to stay in the car and waited for the rain to subside. We stepped out to a very light drizzle and reached a chocolate factory just opposite to the Ooty Lake. We bought some chocolates and the famous Ooty Varkey (a crispy snack made resembling filo pastry). Shopping done, we were now on our way back to Bengaluru and while we did feel a pang of regret for having to leave so soon, we promised ourselves to come back to Ooty and to Ayatana, super soon!
INR 14,240 onwards. At Athigaratty, Ooty (Udhagai), The Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu.
Email: alwin@newindianexpress.com
Twitter: @al_ben_so