has raincoats and gumboots handy, there are
umbrellas in wooden baskets outside the villas
and common areas, and bicycles are available to
borrow, so nothing stops you from getting out
and about once you have set your mind to it.
But then, staying in is a very tempting
alternative. Accommodation is provided in
29 villas, each with its own private pool or
outdoor jacuzzi. The basic villa—basic being
a relative term—comes in double or twin
options, whereas a terrace villa is a duplex
accommodation where you enter from an upper
level and walk down into a living space that
opens out into the pool and sit-out. At the top of
the range is the presidential suite, a generous
two-bedroom space with a private dining hall,
and both, jacuzzi and pool.
The villas are uniformly comfortable,
understated, and elegant. The wooden floors
and all the furniture comes from Coffee Day’s
Daffco factory, and the slanting ceilings are lined
inside with locally-sourced chik-like panels. The
poolside sit-out and room service could turn any
well-intentioned visitor into an indolent couch
potato. And should you not want to walk to and
from your villa, electric buggies are available.
Food is another indulgence at The Serai
Chikmagalur, especially the Malnad fare
whipped up by Chef Mallesh. The multi-cuisine
offerings at Odyssey, the resort’s restaurant,
pale in comparison with the mutton pepper fry,THE DETAILS
GETTING THERE
The nearest airports are
Bengaluru (250 kms, 4 hrs),
Mysuru (180 kms, 3 hrs), and
Mangalore (170 kms, 3 hrs).
STAY
The Serai Chikmagalur has
20 pool villas, four jacuzzi
villas, four terrace villas, and
a presidential villa. It offers
interesting activities, such
as coffee walks and cycling,
ideal for couples and families
on a weekend getaway. Tariff
starts from `29,440 for two,
including taxes. theserai.in
DO
Walk the Bean-to-Cup trail
It starts with a guided
plantation walk and gives
an insight into the journey
that coffee makes from the
plantation to our mugs. Visits
to curing and roasting units,
and the Coffee Museum in
Chikmagalur, can be arranged.
Climb Mullayanagiri
Karnataka’s highest peak
at 1,925 metres has
spellbinding views of the
Western Ghats.
Visit Belur and Halebid
These twin towns boast
spectacular temple art
from the Hoysala empire.
Both Belur’s Chennakesava
complex and Halebid’s
Hoysaleswara are worth
exploring in detail.
Buy coffee Panduranga
Coffee Works in Chikmagalur
has a good selection of coffee
(and local honey). Pick up a
filter here to brew coffee
the South Indian way.
Down, from left:
The presidential
lounge at Serai
Chikmagalur; the
traditional South
Indian filter kaapi;
earthern hues
adorn the bedroom
of the resort’s
presidential villa.COURTESY OF SERAI CHIKMAGALUR (3)CHECKING IN
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