As you drive into this property hidden away amid a thickly forested 100-acre coffee plantation, you are wowed by the charm and elegance of Malnad — an area steeped in tradition that’s slowly waking up to the bling and seduction of modernity. The three-hour ride from Bengaluru on the Mangaluru highway takes you through swiftly changing landscapes with the hues of green getting deeper, every few kilometres. You know you are in Sakleshpura when you reach an almost pastel green that envelops you completely. Coconut and arecanut palms compete with coffee trees and bamboo to give you the illusion of a tropical getaway minus the oft-expected seafront. This greenery is a welcome change.
Rosetta by Ferns Sakleshpur is built to impress. This is not a resort that believes in anything simple. While the style of construction melds beautifully with the verdant surroundings — the property manages to seem isolated and busy at the same time. With 125 spacious suites, the residences are divided into eight lavish options and the layout of the resort is such that one only gets to see a few of these homely structures at one go. It takes you quite a while to tour the whole property — water bodies, plantations and the hidden picturesque chapel included. We were there for a weekend when the weather was just fine. The rains had cooled down this humid part of the hills, but it wasn’t chilly enough to be considered sweater weather.
We set foot into the reception and the first thing that crossed our mind was how big everything was. The reception is a high-roofed architectural masterpiece that beautifully allows natural light and artifical light to harmonise into what can only be defined as tasteful grandiose. Large staircases lead to the elevated platform from two sides with several levels included into the structures design. One can feel a sense of remorse as one is asked to leave to be escorted to their rooms. It’s a travesty that we hardly get to indulge in this space unless it’s a check-in or a check-out. It’s the kind of space that would encourage you to find a corner and read a book or maybe even write one.
Formalities completed, we were then escorted to our residence for the stay. The buggy ride takes a few minutes and the view all around you is one of manicured lawns and coffee bushes that slowly give way to several two-tiered cottages. We were taken to the Pepper Suite that came with a bedroom, a sitting room with a balcony and an outdoor shower. This cottage also had its own personal private swimming pool and the residence also came with a fully-functioning pantry in case guests wanted to put together something hot for a quick meal.
After a leisurely outdoor shower in absolute privacy and silence, we then proceeded towards Teatro – The Estate Kitchen for our first meal at the property. Overlooking an expansive nurtured garden and housing a stone and brick oven as the centrepiece, this restaurant serves exquiste multi-cuisine buffets, but also has an a la carte menu that has quite the delicious options. We indulged in the expansive buffet that afternoon and were pretty stuffed, ensuring an afternoon siesta was the only option we had at hand. We dawdled to our room and slept for the rest of the day — just how one ought to on a vacation — and when we woke up a few hours later, the sun had set and the cicadas had woken up… the perfect setting.
Dinner was a lazy but light affair followed by a slow walk around the property under the moonlight. This was the perfect time for a quick plunge in our private pool. Floating face up under a starry night, we admit, has to be one of the best ways to end a long tiring day. We slept like babies that night and the constant, repetitive chaotic din of insect calls from beyond our balcony only added to this enchanting bliss.
We woke up very early the next day, eager to visit the on-property chapel early in the morning. The walk towards the chapel also took us by the pretty lake right at the centre of the property, brimming with rainwater harvested over the monsoons. The walk to the chapel takes you through the bare yet grassy gentle valley and the thickly forested plantation slopes that make up the property.
Winding your way through the thick flora, you eventually see the chapel well-hidden by coffee plantations on all sides. A small climb leads you to the simple but impressive structure. The door to the chapel, we are told, is almost always open. Taking off our footwear, we proceed to enter and are immediately flooded by the most beautiful light of the rising sun. Catching a glimpse of the sunlight streaming into the beautifully minimalistic and modern interiors in the chapel will remain one of our favourite memories of this getaway.
After almost an hour spent in meditative silence we then proceeded to Teatro for a hearty breakfast. We were then instructed to take a three hour break and burn a few calories before heading to the on-property Iyasya Spa for a massage therapy session. We decided to use this time for another slow walk around the property, this time in broad daylight, ensuring we noticed even the smallest peculiar detail as we strolled along and visited the property’s many residential offerings, some on stilts, some plantation-facing and others lake-facing.
Rosetta by Ferns Sakleshpur is the perfect getaway for a family and is also a great destination for an off-beat wedding or event. With spaces like the 5,000 sq ft Grand Ballroom that comes with an additional 4,000 sq ft as a pre-function area to the 60,000 sq ft al fresco Rosetta Banquet Lawn — the resort is ideal for any large-scale personal or corporate event. It also boasts an infinity pool and a state-of-the-art business centre that are very well-maintained. We were now in time for our massage session and we chose to go with a full-body, light pressured relaxation therapy… as all we needed right then, was even more pampering. Two hours later, we were done, freshly showered and ready for our curated lunch experience at Amish – The Botanical Kitchen. Situated in a quiet corner of the property, Amish is much more than just a pure-vegetarian restaurant. It is a celebration of traditional minimalist cooking set amid the shallow valley area within the property. Surrounded by greenery on all sides and mostly fully open to nature save for a roof and some skeletal structurings to protect one from the forces of nature — the restaurant serves some delicious food experiences a la carte and usually has a thali based on one indigenous cuisine for lunch, everyday. We partook of a desi Punjabi thali and can vouch for the authenticity of flavours and the diversity in what’s served.
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Fully satisfied we spent the next few hours sunbathing and digesting this heavy meal before taking a long swim in the infinity pool as we watched the sun set, with vistas worthy of picture postcards. It was time to check-out and even though we didn’t want to, we needed to head back to our boring urban lives. One last glimpse with much longing at the reception over, we bid farewell and began our drive back to Bengaluru. If relaxation and quality time with friends and family are right at the top of your holiday checklist, this vacation season, look no further... here’s where you ought to be.
INR 14,000 onwards. At Dindighatta Village, Palya Post, Alur Taluk, Sakleshpura, Hassan, Karnataka
Email: romal@newindianexpress.com
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