A quick escapade to this new villa on the outskirts of Bengaluru might just be the best getaway this New Year...

We all want to revisit our past year in the age of throwbacks and rewinds, but in doing so we often forget to appreciate the moments leading up to and around the New Year. Our recent visit to this plush green section of Benglauru helped us realise what a New Year escape within the city, far away from its exciting yet tiring clubbing culture, could look like.

Embracing the spirit of Bengaluru’s green exteriors that offer a rather tranquil escape to the city centre’s hustling inhabitants is StayVista at M Villa, a quaint property near the Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru. About an hour from the city centre, this property introduced us to its uber luxurious premises replete with monochromatic accents across the two buildings that it housed. Living rooms that echoed elegance as well as frolic across premises — the spacious lounge with interesting artistic pieces lifted our mood instantly. The adjoining games room got us excited from the moment that we stepped into the space and the five bedrooms — each more comfortable and prettier than the last — was filled with natural light entering from the spacious balconies that each of these rooms came with.

The lawn however was the statement space of the property. From tall trees to well-kempt shrubs and grass — the green had a defining presence across the expanse of the plot. We arrived on an afternoon and so it was the perfect time for a quick swim. While we prepared some refreshing coolers for ourselves, we sipped on them engaging in a long-awaited bonding session with the group. It is a vital point to be noted that M Villa truly shines brightest when there are lots of people to share the property with.

With a complimentary breakfast being the only offering from the property, the door is left open for exploration of the area. The airport’s close proximity makes a further case for the rising trend seen globally wherein airports are being embraced as vital cultural centres and entertainment hubs. We even managed to notice several food outlets from the airport being options on popular food delivery apps.

For dinner, ordering from one of these food aggregating apps made a lot of sense. A game of table tennis got us in an active mood — chatting over a couple of drinks between rallies, besting each other with our best skills, newbies learning the basics of the game. Walking barefoot on the grass under the stars was yet another simple experience that we appreciated. An evening game of basketball felt like the perfect opportunity to sweat it out for the day.

Calories burnt, baskets scored and points earned — we re-awoke the children in us and reconnected with simpler times. Card and board game sessions ruled the extended balcony/terrace space. The lounge was turned into a refill-station for the drinks and the living rooms became community halls of long-pending discussions and debates.

The following day saw us gorging on an array of culinary offerings from a restaurant at a nearby resort. This complimentary breakfast offered a mix of continental, Indian and delicious European-style bakery items. The meal felt like an indulgent reward after a long morning walk around the locality during which fresh tender coconut kept us delicious company — the perfect natural energy drink.

Our stay at M Villa felt like the perfect reflection of the turn of the new year. It was a pause that helped us rewind time in the best way possible — outside of the two dimensions of our screens and into the realm of memories as we spent real-time making more memories with loved ones.

`58,000 onwards. At Devanahalli.