A slice of Coorgi hospitality with Magnolia Resorts

Most of us recognise Coorg as a weekend getaway from Bengaluru, the Scotland of India and the Coffee County. With its serene atmosphere, cool fresh greens, chirping birds and natural wildlife – Coorg manages to charm everyone who visits it. I have spent numerous weekends here and have always returned feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. According to me, the best way to experience Coorg is to stay in a coffee estate. Most such stays are generally, a home-stay. However, for the first time I experienced a resort set in a coffee estate – Magnolia resorts Coorg.

Magnolia resorts recently, opened doors to travelers visiting Coorg and I was one of the lucky few to be invited for a stay here with my family. What I discovered and experienced was authentic Coorgi hospitality in a luxurious manner. Set in a huge coffee estate, this 22 rooms resort promises you a fascinating, relaxing and an engaging stay in Coorg. Here are some things that I really liked about Magnolia resorts Coorg.

The sprawling campus of Magnolia Resorts

The thing I loved most was the fact that Magnolia resorts was set amid a coffee estate. This itself, gives you an authentic flavor of Coorg. The estate is owned by Retd. Major Srikanth Manchala and his wife, who are now settled in USA. His own residence is set up in the campus and we were treated to a tour of the same.

The unique thing about their home is that Mrs. Laxmi Srikanth designed it herself. She went around collecting artistic artifacts – antique furniture, pillars, doors etc from old homes that were being destroyed. After a bit of restoration, she added those aesthetically to her own home. She further extended this to the various aspects of the resort as well – some of which you can see in the reception of the resort.

The estate has numerous coffee plantations – both Arabica and Robusta varieties, Coorgi Oranges, Pepper plants, Avocados and other spices growing within. The resort arranges for a tour of the same and it is quite educative and refreshing – the staff is quite knowledgeable about the plants and are happy to share some unique properties of the same with you. The resort also, sells its products at the reception and you can always take back pure honey, coffee and other spices from here.

The entire estate rests along a hill range and that itself, makes the whole scene scenic and gorgeous. To add to this picturesque setting are two lakes within the campus – The Emerald lake and the Turquoise lake – one man-made and one natural. The best part of this is that it is all within walking distance from your rooms . There are benches set up along the lakes that allow you to just sit there and enjoy the unusual birds that fly over for a drink.

Luxurious Rooms

The luxury part of our stay was largely due to the lovely 800 sq feet rooms that are located right at the base of the hills. The rooms have a small sitting area with antique furniture sets and a TV. The beds are quite comfortable and cosy that once you are snuggled in, you are in for a good night’s sleep. For my daughter, they had a separate bed set up in the room – not one of those folding ones but a proper single bed with an equally comfortable mattress and covering.

We were also, lucky to have a room that overlooked the hills. The view from our windows was just amazing. It is indeed a treat to wake up to the misty hills of Coorg. A perfect start to the day.

The rooms are well equipped with a coffee maker, a mini bar, hair dryers etc. The rest room in the rooms are huge but are a little more traditional in their set up. They have the traditional open shower area and a bucket bath setting. Clean and nice nonetheless.

Entertainment Options

Magnolia resorts offers you a perfect blend of some activity and relaxation. While the latter is taken care of by their serene atmosphere, the former is by the way of an outdoor basketball and badminton court, tons of indoor games and cycles. While we spend a quiet evening with a few indoor games, could not manage the cycling owing to the rains. However, with the smooth paved paths within the estate, I am sure it would have been an experience to remember.

Besides these, you can also go for some guided treks within the campus, where they say that you can spot some unique bird life and animals – like deer and elephants. Again, as we had to cut our stay short owing to a personal commitment, we missed out on the treks.

The Coorgi touch at Magnolia Resorts

The authentic Coorgi touch is evident at Magnolia Resorts – right from the way the cottages and the reception are decorated to the way you are greeted and the warm Coorgi staff. It is not just limited to the things that you see but also, in the food that is served. You can try the traditional dishes in their restaurant – Peppervine. The restaurant also, serves other Indian and International food.

Magnolia Resorts also, recognizes that you have not really experienced Coorg if you have not tried their coffee. 🙂 Here is one unique and interesting thing that I found in the resort. You can order coffee anywhere in the resort through their house mobile phones and it will be delivered to you right then. Their Coffee Anytime Anywhere service is best used when you are sitting by the bench on one of their lakes and taking in the refreshing sights. 🙂

My rating of Magnolia Resorts

On the whole, though a short stay, I enjoyed this Coorgi experience of Magnolia resorts. I think it makes a great outing with friends, family and even office staff. Magnolia Resorts can be a good option for office offsite gatherings – they even have conference rooms that allow official meetings.  Here is a quite snapshot of how I would rate the resort –

Are you guys game for this luxury experience of Coorg at Magnolia Resorts? What did you like about this place? Leave your comment and let me know.

Getting here:

• The nearest airport to Coorg is Bengaluru. Mysore and Bengaluru are the closest railway stations.
• The best way to get to Coorg is to hire a cab from either of the two cities – Mysore or Bengaluru.
• Magnolia Resorts Coorg is located in Virajpet area. Here is the link to the map that takes you to the resort in Coorg.

Travel Tips:

• Click this link for the official website of Magnolia Resorts. You can make your booking through this site.
• The rooms at Magnolia Resort cost you anything from INR 8000 onwards. The rate depends on the package that you choose as well as the category of rooms.
• There are no shops within walking distance of the resort. You will have to rely on a vehicle to take you to Virajpet town.
• The resort arranges for a car to drop you anywhere within the estate but frankly, the best way to enjoy the place is to walk around.
• Mobile signals are not too good here, unless you have a BSNL connection. The resort hands you a house mobile for you to contact them during your stay.
• WiFi is limited only to the reception area and is available to the guests.
• The weather in Coorg is always on the cooler side. Hence, keep some light woolens with you when here.
• If you choose to do some sightseeing in Coorg, remember that the distances between the places are huge. Hence, keep aside sufficient time for travel.