The Hindu Business Line : Spa by Cauvery

As we drove down to Coorg from Bangalore, on the Madikeri-Mysore highway, just two km from Kushalnagar, we took a detour to Amanvana Spa on the banks of the Cauvery. It is a sylvan retreat where we spent two days to recharge our weary bodies and frayed nerves.

The first thing that strikes you is the sprawling garden with its green lawns, colourful flower-beds, trees, shrubs and indigenous plants. Adding to the verdant ambience is a natural bamboo grove at the end of the property with the Cauvery river flowing by.

Roomy cottages

Winding pathways led us to the 18 cottages dotting the 18-acre rustic property. The cottages are large with a patio, living area and bedroom, and come in three colour schemes, symbolising the elements — red (fire), yellow (sun) and green (earth). The plush interiors feature hand-made Athangudi floor tiles, king-size beds, silk brocaded cushions, aesthetically appealing furnishings, Portuguese locks from Goa and banana fibre louvered blinds hand-woven by women from the Sathanur village.

Each room has large windows and doors that open on to a verandah overlooking a private courtyard with well-kept hedges and colourful flowers. The prime attraction is the lotus-filled pond with little guppy fish. If you are the sedentary type, then you can recline in one corner of the verandah with a book in hand, and disengage yourself from the maddening world.

Escorting us around the rustic haven, Kavya Madappa, Managing Director of Amanvana Spa, explained, “Each bungalow has been painstakingly put together to have a natural and seamless flow of energy.” The bathrooms are enormous, and the picture windows bring the outdoors to you. Soaking in the bisazza-mosaic-clad bathtub, you can feel weariness seeping out of your bones.

Everything is in harmony with nature here. There are eco-friendly toiletries, solar energy to heat water, and state-of-the-art waste-water treatment plant. Solid waste is converted into manure and use of plastic is not encouraged . The campus also has an organic vegetable and spice garden.

Walking through the winding pathway is a refreshing experience. The pathway also reflects the logo of the resort — the five dots which depict the elements and the senses. But the best place to chill out is the Coffee Hut nestling amidst the bamboo grove.

At the spa

The piece de resistance of the resort is the sunken spa by the side of the pool. At the reception, a lotus pond with a Buddha statue in the background exudes a sense of tranquillity. The spa has six treatment rooms, each different from the other and offering different experiences too.

The spa treatment includes reflexology, facials, soaks and baths, body massages, pedicures and manicures that are relaxing and refreshing. One can choose from four premium facial treatments — Chocolate-Coorg Delight scrub, Fresh Spring Lavender, Anti-Pollution and Instant Glow Facial, and Earthy Eucalyptus.

The beauty-based treatment is supplemented by an exquisite spa cuisine. Also on offer are Vinotherapy and Jacuzzi soak. The signature spa ritual is the stone therapy with Swedish massage in a special hut by the riverside.If you fancy an exotic pedicure or manicure, try the Insta Glow Mani and Pedi Spa or the Coffee-Chocolate Scrub Mani and Pedi Spa.

Getting around

Trips are organised to the nearby tourist attractions in Kushalnagar like the famed Golden Temple in the Bylekuppe Tibetan settlement. The Cauvery Nisargadhama island is within walking distance. A picnic to the islands (behind the resort) with a food hamper proved to be a memorable experience.

We set out on a nature trail along the banks of the river, crossed a bridge and clambered up some rocks. Then we stopped by for a sandwichand just lazed around on this stretch, watching the ubiquitous river gliding sedately in the rocky, sandy beds between massive boulders.

As we relaxed on a rocky escarpment, we could hear the breeze whispering through the bamboo grove.

The gurgling sound of the rivulet flowing past the rocks lingered long after we left Amanvana.

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