Vivanta by Taj Madikeri

Located some twenty minutes from Madikeri, the district capital of Coorg in southern Karnataka, Vivanta by Taj is a mountain hideaway with views of such grandeur as to provide reason alone to stay. Add a magnificent spa, a sensitive design ethos and a glorious sense of isolation and you have all the ingredients necessary to completely drop off the radar and immerse yourself in a sanctuary of calm and serenity. More active guests will also find plenty to occupy their time through naturalist-guided rainforest treks, mountain biking, cookery and pottery classes, as well as explorations of the coffee plantations and rich local culture of Coorg.

The rooms and villas at Vivanta Madikeri have been designed to blend in unobtrusively with the landscape and are set in small clusters within the jungle. Constructed from recycled wood, granite and local river stones, each is a soothing eco-friendly oasis of calm. Many have open fireplaces, and higher categories come with an outside deck where you can sit and ponder infinity as you drink in the views.

The wellness theme continues in Vivanta Madikeri’s incredible Jiva Grande spa, you’ll find it ridiculously easy to re-balance yourself through the indigenous Ayurvedic and yoga treatments on offer, including their signature wood-fired Gudda bath, a local Coorg speciality, where you will be transported to lustral bliss as you are rubbed, scrubbed and bathed in a private spa cabin overlooking the valley beneath.

Suitably purified, you’ll be ready to enjoy a sundowner before choosing between the tantalising range of dining options which include delicious local curries, grills and international dishes all informed by a farm-to-table ethos. After dinner, step out onto the main deck and tune in to the soundtrack of a jungle night as you contemplate how you’ll spend your next day in Eden.