During the HIFI event in Delhi when I met Senthil Kumar,

CEO, The Tamara Coorg, he was kind enough to invite me and

my wife to experience their property. “Valentines day would be

ideal. You confirm and I will get the flight tickets done and will

block the rooms,” he said.

Having heard of Coorg (also known as "The Scotland of India"

where Tamara is located) several times from my hospitality

industry friends, the only deterrent had been the thought of trav-

eling 7 hours from Bangalore to Coorg. But then I decided to use

this opportunity to visit a hotel in Bangalore – do some sightsee-

ing and then stopover in Mysore before proceeding to Coorg.

Emailed Sanjay Sethi, MD and CEO, Berggruen Hotels (which

owns Keys Hotels brand) and he immediately replied that it

would be our pleasure to host you and connected me with Anand

Ramachandran, GM, Keys Whitefield.

On 11th morning we left Mumbai and then proceeded to Keys

Whitefield. It’s basically a business hotel with serviced apart-

ments (148 rooms and 74 service apartments) catering to the ICT

clientele and long staying guests. After spending a couple of days

during which the GM arranged for a vehicle and driver cum guide

to show us the city, on 13th morning we proceed to Coorg. As

always traffic was bad and finally after 4 hours drive at 1.30pm

we reached Mysore. Had an excellent lunch with local delicacies

at Fortune JP Palace, Mysore with the hotels GM Manoj Kumar

joining us. They do have a wonderful property - with palatial

architecture and landscaped gardens and it would be a good idea,

time permitting to stay back for a night at this hotel. There’s a lot

to see in Mysore but in the next 3 hours we were only able to visit

the Mysore Palace and Chamundi Hills.

I think this would be an ideal routine if one plans a trip to

Coorg with these stops.

Then we got ready for another four hours of journey. I think it

would be a good idea for Tamara management to have in-car Wi-

Fi connection which will allow guests to surf the Internet and

check their e-mail on the move. You just require an in-car Wi-Fi

pocket wireless router.

On reaching Madikeri I felt elated but the driver said its 1.5

hours more and then I saw the sign board - Tamara 36 kms away.

The winding roads are not exactly in the best condition but inspite

of it being dark we could sense the serene beauty of the nature. I

would suggest my readers to possible try to make the travel dur-

ing day to soak in the natural beauty.

On reaching the resort at 10.30pm our check-in was smooth

and quick as they were already expecting us. The front desk

arranged for a buggy to take us to our room which is quite some

distance as the buggy had to traverse through the terrain. We were

allotted room number 203 which gave us some magnificent view

to the valley. We were informed that higher the rooms the better

view to the valley as one is able to see beyond the trees.

There is no Room service but fortunately we were able to have

a quick dinner at the restaurant and a wonderful sleep later on.

The next day morning as my wife opened the curtains we could

truly feel nature beckoning us on the valentines day. Our luxury

cottage was quite spacious with 660 sqft living area with a com-

fortable bed and an extended living space. We spend some time

in the balcony enjoying the spectacular view.

C o v e r S t o r y

Global Destinations Mar - Apr 201418

In the Lap of Nature

Cottages built on bamboo stilts in the lap of nature surrounded by misty hills, lush teakwood and

sandalwood forests, and acres of coffee plantations provide guests a unique experience at

Tamara Coorg feels Chandragupta Amritkar

Getting ready for breakfast we proceeded to the only restaurant

on the premises. We decided to walk it down the hilly terrain. The

multi-cuisine restaurant, named ‘The Falls’ offers regional,

national, international & fusion cuisines in an atmosphere of

warmth and elegance and featuring a see through dance floor. The

restaurant has been conceptualized on a bridge above a natural-

waterfall. The quality of food was good and we could order what

we liked from a set menu. We preferred the south Indian dishes.

In the evening they arrange candle

light dinner for couples.

Tamara means Lotus and the

resort is as beautiful as one. Its

truly an architectural feat - multiple

cottages made on stilts spread

across the hill top. The resort is

spread across 170-acres working

coffee & spice planation in Coorg

(Its also one of the few resorts in

India built inside a working coffee

and spice plantation). Its a 60-key resort with a built-up area of

90,000 square feet. Nestled on the eastern slopes of Western

Ghats the resort is at an altitude of 3600 feet above sea level.

The resort is really quiet except for the birds and the breeze. Its

perfect for those who love nature and prefer hiking, nature walks

and solitude. I was informed that the swimming pool and spa are

getting ready.

Guests have access to many leisure activities like plantation

and nature walks, yoga, meditation and signature 'blossoms to

brew' coffee experience. For adventure lovers, they organise

trekking & bird watching. These activities can complete the hol-

iday experience of every discerning guest during any season.

We took a plantation tour which showed us various plants, the

bio-gas plants etc. The estate comprises of Arabica, Robusta &

Cardamom plantations, interspersed with pepper vines on silver-

oak and hardwood species such as rosewood surrounded by a

wealth of native flora and fauna in a magnificent ecosystem. We

were also shown the Rudraksh trees where if you are lucky you

may get the rare 'ek-mukhi' Rudraksh.

For nature lovers keen on trekking there are three trekking

trails leading towards various ranges. The duration of the trek

varies from 3-5 hours. The resort is also an excellent place for

ornithologists and bird-lovers. The

area is considered the best place to

spot several species of birds

For those keen on making their

own coffee - the rustic coffee bou-

tique called “The Verandah” is the

place. This heritage building cre-

ates the perfect backdrop for guests

to indulge themselves whilst they

stay over at the resort. The Veran-

dah is divided into four sections.

The first section is an exquisite gift shop where all guests can take

back a little bit of The Tamara Coorg, as The Verandah boasts of

a wide range of exclusive branded memorabilia and gifting ideas.

The gift shop opens up into the “Custom Coffee” section; it is

here that guests can custom blend and roast their own coffee

beans to create the perfect “cuppa” and call it their own. This cof-

fee blend can be taken back home and guests can savor the cof-

fee that they have created as a signature taste for themselves.

The resort is roughly 40 -60Kms from local sightseeing spots.

The roads are not in their best shape. So better plan your trip

accordingly. Alternately just relax in the lap of nature and let your

thoughts take its own course. In case you bring your vehicle or

hire one chauffeur accommodation is complimentary and all

meals are provided at the staff cafeteria at nominal charge.

C o v e r S t o r y

To get an insight into the property

we spoke with Senthil Kumar, CEO,

The Tamara Coorg. Excerpts

Who are the property’s key tar-

get markets?

The Tamara Coorg has a wide

variety of people as their target mar-

ket. Our target audience includes

couples, HNIs, Corporate groups,

Celebrities, Top management per-

sonnel.

The unique experiences at The

Tamara Coorg are custom created to

suit guest preferences. These can include outdoor activities, bird

watching, photography, treks, and the coffee experience; dining,

relaxation and meditation among a host of many rejuvenating

options. Our role is to create exceptional experiences with an

unobtrusive service and a warm, genuine hospitality in Coorg.

To what percentage of your hotels depend on inbound traf-

fic from abroad and domestic travellers?

Due to the wide reach of our brand through social mediums we

are seeing a substantial interest from prospective guests from

across India and overseas.

As guests are becoming more and more health and fitness

conscious what steps is your group taking for a better well-

ness and fitness experience?

In our experience, the location and aesthetics of The Tamara

Coorg evoke a strong sense of calmness and tranquility among all

visitors. Nature itself is the primary experience, which the resort

compliments with several luxuries in a responsible and pleasing

way. Our guests are guaranteed a genuine warmth and hospitality

from all our personnel, trained to have an eye for detail. The

delight is in the little gestures, in witnessing rare biodiversity,

maybe a private candlelit dinner by the waterfall under starlight

and fireflies, or a picnic lunch in the midst of the plantation. The

restaurant serving gastronomical delights tailored to guest prefer-

ences, an early morning yoga session surrounded by a melody of

birdsongs, and many innovative ways to deliver

more delight than can be described in words.

What is the main aim of having ‘no Room

service’?

Our resort is located on the edge of a rainforest

in the Western Ghats, and home to an astonishing

diversity of bird & insect species apart from rep-

tiles in the region. Occasional visit of insects or

small animals may not be entirely inevitable. We

need to respect our unique topography and the

ecosystem surrounding it. Small specks of food

that we overlook may attract insects and small ani-

mals into the cottage. It is owing to this probabili-

ty that we discourage room service.

What is the potential for MICE?

The Tamara Coorg is well equipped to cater to

meetings, conferences and events. The conference space can host

sessions for up to 80 people in a very serene atmosphere, magnif-

icent views of the waterfall and valleys and a large breakout area

for low/high tea. The leisure and recreation zone next to the con-

ference room inspires creative thinking effortlessly and these

spaces provide many opportunities for effective conversations

and total enjoyment. After a day of interesting activities, guests

can let their hair down and truly enjoy themselves with a few

cocktails over exemplary food and service.

What improvements have you recently made/plan to imple-

ment in order to stay ahead of the competition?

Our customers are the key to our growth and a lot of our mar-

keting initiatives revolve around customer experiences. Also cus-

tomer sensibilities have been evolving very rapidly in recent

times with the avid traveller logging onto social networks for

word of mouth referral rather than push advertising.

In a core service sector industry such as hospitality, the per-

ceived authenticity of the experience is what determines spending

decisions. Guest experiences at The Tamara Coorg encompass

elements of biodiversity, a unique and challenging terrain, gen-

uine, warm and personalized service, and a very well differentiat-

ed product. A core group of patrons are also co-creators of the

experience as the property evolves. The Tamara Coorg will be

one of the few resorts in the world to offer a unique coffee expe-

rience.

Can you mention any interesting miscellaneous trivia

regarding the hotel?

• One of the few resorts in the world that is housed inside a

working coffee and spice plantation.

• All our guests get an opportunity to create their own signature

blends from coffee berries by pulping, polishing, blending, roast-

ing, crushing and brewing using state of the art machines.

• Home to an astonishing diversity of bird species, insects and

reptiles in the region.

• Located close to the highest peak in the region Thadiyan-

damol (1750m)

• Children under 12 years have no access to the resort and

therefore couples can spend self-time and connect with nature.

C o v e r S t o r y

Global Destinations Mar - Apr 201420