We at Devashola invite you to discover the charm of Niligiris with us its 'Natives'. The famed beauty of the land, the hospitality of its people, the uniqueness of its culture, the splendid 'airconditioned' weather at 1800m, the experience of the tranquil Tea Planter lifestyle of an almost bygone era, and unhurried time with loved ones are yours to enjoy at our exclusive colonial villa and uniquely private cottages in and around Coonoor.
At Devashola Homestay, we have created an opportunity for each guest to experience physical serenity via the unspoiled beauty of our private estates, forests and riversides. And to experience that elusive serenity of the mind.... calm relaxation, the replenishment of creativity and harmony through our caring yet unobstrusive service in the exclusive privacy and aesthetic refinement of our ecofriendly organic properties. Our holistic and balanced approach to mind and body finds expression in our renowned healthy, well planned cuisine both local and gourmet and vegetarian , with largely our own farm produce.
All this and more make holidays at Devashola Homestay is hard to forget
Home stay in coonoor experiences.
What do a Korean automobile engineer of Hyundai, a floriculture expert from the Netherlands and 'Padmashri' lyricist Vairamuthu have in common? They all chose the Mango Tree cottage in Palaniappa estate in the Nilgiris for their sojourn. Of course, not as a team, for they came at different times and with different purposes. While the foreigners wanted to enjoy eco-tourism and adventure encounters with nature, Vairamuthu, who is a famous film song writer, told me that he wanted a secluded place where he would not be recognised by the masses so that he could peacefully attend to his literary writings away from the hustle and bustle of Chennai city life.
The uniqueness of this cottage is that it is not a hotel, but a planter's bungalow, which welcomes quality visitors who attach a great value for nature, aesthetic furniture and a peaceful far-flung mountainous atmosphere. A little away from this cottage is the Sultana cottage that sits pretty on a rock overlooking the valley of a mountainous range, which also welcomes like-minded visitors. Trekkers have found this cottage a great attraction for stay, bonfire, discussions, buffet and rest.
“We developed this idea of throwing open these cottages for the benefit of nature loving guests because they are a destination by themselves. The surroundings offer a plethora of nature's bounties which the visitors can enjoy staying here. Unlike from the hotels in the towns, one does not have to travel to these interior areas for seeing them since they are in the midst of nature in its raw form," the owner of the cottages, M Lakshman, told me. An agriculture graduate, he is the executive director of the Devashola (Nilgiris) Tea Estates Co Ltd. He is right. For, from the umbrella look-out of the spacious lawns of Mango Tree cottage, one could see Hamilton Peak, Pilloor dam, Bhavani river, Mulli hills of Kerala, the dead end of Silent Valley, etc. In the night, it is a well-lit skyline amidst thick forests! Lakshman has thrown open his 650 acres of estate for visitors staying in the cottages, which means, one could have a look at the tea plantation, nursery, floriculture unit, meteorological unit, vanilla, cardamom, pepper, medicinal herbs, silk, cotton, rosewood, jackfruit, mango, orange, teak trees and the like. One can waft amongst the flowers, wander through the forests or trek the hills to the villages and temples, or Irula and Kurumba tribal hamlets, etc.
So, the cottages are by themselves a destination. As for comforts, while the Mango Tree cottage has two spacious well appointed bedrooms, kitchen, store rooms and a pretty sitting room, the Sultana cottage has larger space with three bedrooms, a huge drawing room, kitchen and stores, besides a wooden balcony. If it is a like minded group, a large number can stay together. "We have cooks, vessels, geysers etc to cater to visitors. We can help their outings. There are also garden swings for them to play and some nursery pants for sale," says Nalini Lakshman, who takes care to keep the place tidy. An ayurvedic rejuvenation facility is also available at Mango Tree cottage. All in all, it is an exclusive experience to have an overnight stay at the cottages.