Interesting, perhaps even outlandish, accommodation options, is what the south of India has come up with, in trying to reinvent its tourism mantra, says Bindu Gopal Rao.
South India, with its myriad history and fascinating sights, is smartly reinventing itself to capitalise on what it can offer visitors. Moving away from the well-trodden path of mere hotel rooms, the region offers some adventurous accommodation options.
As K Viswanatha Reddy, director, Department of Tourism, Government of Karnataka, opines: “Alternative accommodation is very important, and much required, to cater to the varying needs of tourists and corporate travelers.
The Government of Karnataka has given permission to 180 homestays as it is difficult to find accommodation, especially in the forest areas that are governed by separate laws. Also, the procedural aspects of granting licenses to these forms of accommodation are much simpler as compared to regular hotel rooms.”
Dr Venu V, secretary, Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala, agrees: “We have over 400 registered homestays in Kerala, which are approved by Kerala Tourism. The response has been very positive. For operating a houseboat here, one has to get a license from the chief inspector of Boats, and a canal license from the executive engineer, Irrigation and Inland Waterways.”
Some hotel chains too seem to be seeing the merit in going wild, as it were, which was a space hitherto dominated by numerous small players.
The Oberoi Vanya Vilas has 25, luxuriously appointed tented accommodation in Ranthambore, Rajasthan, while the Taj Group has set up a joint venture with &Beyond, Africa’s most comprehensive safari operator and leading ecotourism company.
This collaboration provides guests with the ultimate interpretive wildlife experience in India based on a proven, sustainable, ecotourism model. As of now, there are four camps operational in the jungles of Madhya Pradesh, with plans to expand to other states.
Says Ritu Chawla, general manager, Taj Fisherman’s Cove, Chennai: “There is great opportunity here, especially when branded, and in a luxury space. Currently there is no competition, as we are not really seeing a big international name in this field, and we cater to two different markets.”
Keshav Baljee, co-promoter, Royal Orchid Hotels, says: “Basically, this (alternative accommodation) has happened in response to the local scenario, and considering the demands of the tourists.
We believe it is a clever and innovative idea, as today, there is no concept of ‘one size fits all’, and there is an increased emphasis on unique offerings that can attract the global traveller. With eco-tourism on the rise, these fun options are certainly welcome.”
While most hoteliers do not perceive alternative accommodation as direct competition, as this is a different market altogether, Sanjay Sethi Managing Director & CEO, Berggruen Hotels, has a different take: “We look at anyone that can offer any form of short stay as competition, the pie is only so large as it is”.
Nawabzada Saad Bin Jung, managing director, The Bison, warns that the going is not as easy as it sounds.
“One should be clear of the definition of the word eco-tourism. If your focus is your return on investment to shareholders and you are fund driven rather than conservation driven, you need to stay out of this model and not venture into sensitive areas like the jungle.
Remember that, while tents are easy to remove if there are any migratory problems like the river changing course or animals changing tracks, they are challenging to maintain, also, selling this concept to forest department officials as well as the Indian public is difficult, as no one understands that we do provide all facilities within a tent.” Here then, are some options to explore down south…
Lapping waves, swaying Palms
Revolutionised by Kerala tourism due to the vast expanse of the backwaters, houseboats are a popular choice for a holiday.
Almost every resort located alongside the backwaters has a houseboat accommodation. At Kumarakom Lake Resort, a prestigious member of the ‘Small Luxury Hotels of the World’, there are three double-bedroom and one single-bedroom, houseboats.
“Our houseboats are traditionally styled, yet fully furnished with every possible comfort and luxury. The bedrooms and dining area are air-conditioned; the latter is completely glassed, thus offering an unhampered view from within its cool interiors.
Each bedroom has LCD TV’s, DVD players, roomy wardrobes, and attached bathrooms with shower stands, and are similarly styled as the interiors of the villas at the resort, with hand painted murals, and wood panelled walls and floors,” explains Asa Abraham, head – PR & Communications.
A special menu on board offers a wide variety of local cuisine along with popular favorites; menus can also be preplanned prior to the trip.
Strongly built as per every rule and norm of tradition, held together by coir ropes without a nail in sight, the houseboats redefine luxury, with shining wooden floors and luxurious amenities.
“Each houseboat has spacious rooms furnished in ethnic style, and the elegant interiors are enhanced with impeccable luxury and every modern amenity available”, says Abraham.
A night’s stay in a houseboat is part-and-parcel of a true backwater experience. The houseboats of Punnamada Serena Spa Resort offer a close encounter with the lakes and canals of the ‘Venice of India’ – Alleppey.
“The pricing is designed to make the resort exclusive, yet affordable on a double sharing basis, offering couples and those with children a great bargain. The concept has gone down excellently and is popular with all those who have visited us,” says Jesper Hougaard, managing director, Serena Spa.
It is not just Kerala, but Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh too, that have come up with their own set of houseboats.
A cruise on the Paradise Lagoon houseboats offer spectacular views of the swaying palms, glimpses of the Arabian Sea, beaches at certain points, and fascinating visuals of idyllic village life.
Paradise Lagoon, situated in Kemmannu Hoode area of the Udupi district between the Arabian Sea and the River Swarna, has a distinctive character. The houseboat is approximately 67-feet in length, and has a width of around 13-feet in the middle.
It includes a sun deck, spacious living and dining areas, and two private sleeping quarters. The boat is made up of natural, eco-friendly materials like bamboo poles, coir, coconut fibre, ropes, and bamboo mats.
Solar powered fans, lights, and bio-chemical, eco-friendly toilets also make the boathouse ecologically sensitive. Traditional Magalorean cuisine is served onboard.
“Backwaters are a magical place and houseboats offer an ideal way to live through these fascinating places. They offer a special way to experience India and its fascinating villages, where life continues as it perhaps did some thousands of years ago. When I first encountered the uncharted backwaters of Karnataka a year ago, I knew that we had to share its beauty with the world,” says Y. R. Manohar, managing director, Paradise Isle & Lagoons.
The Godavari River Island resort, with its unending acres of coconut groves on the banks of the Dindi river in Rajmundry, in Andhra Pradesh, may be small, but it’s good enough to offer you a secluded holiday, and the time of your life.
“We have received a great response to our houseboat accommodation”, says a spokesperson of Andhra Pradesh Tourism.
Campiping out in style
The Bison, a luxury Bush Betta-Bison product, is a camp that overlooks two national parks on the shores of the Kabini, right where the river cuts its way through the dense semi-deciduous, semi-tropical bamboo forests.
The tents are situated a healthy distance from the backwaters of the Kabini, and have four-poster beds with draped white mosquito meshes that set the style for your stay.
A quaint writing table and dresser, and safari tables and director chairs, add to the experience. The bathroom has a sunk-in bath/shower area with deep green tiles. The design of the basin, canton cupboard, towel and luggage racks, are taken from the Saad Bin Jung ancestral hunting lodge.
“The camp is actually a deluxe resort, a concept unknown in India. It is best advised to call in and enquire further, before dismissing the tented camps for basic accommodation.
We are truly a luxury camp in the heart of an epic man-animal conflict overlooking forests, backwaters, and tribal villages. The pricing is designed to make the camp exclusive, yet affordable.
It has gone down excellently with all those that have visited us. It is designed on a double sharing basis, and we offer some great introductory offers,” explains Saad Bin Jung. The resort also offers fly camps; especially used whilst camping, these travel with the guests as they move from one place to another.
They have a small tent laid out on the ground to sleep in, while the shower buckets are hung from a height, with the shower area covered by a canvas on the sides.
Chariot of desire
Luxury trains are the new mantra as a travel choice for the rich and the famous. And lest you think just Palace on Wheels, read on. The Golden Chariot, launched in March last year, has 26 twin-bedded cabins, 17 double-bed cabins, and one cabin for the physically challenged.
Every cabin is equipped with Wi-Fi, DVD, LCD television offering six satellite channels, wardrobe, vanity/writing desk, and private bathroom with luxurious amenities and accessories.
It also has two restaurants – Nala and Ruchi, and Madira – the Lounge Bar. That’s not all – there is even a conference coach with a seating capacity of 25-30 persons, with a 42-inch LCD television, and a high-speed internet surfing area. This luxurious train is also well equipped with amenities like Ayurveda centre, spa, and gymnasium.
Distinctive styles of architecture of Belur, Halebidu and Mysore have been used on board the train and these are visible in each coach in the selection of upholstery, the colour combination, and the linen used.
Craftsmen from Karnataka have painstakingly designed all the cabins on board that depict the very essence of the state; even the linen is made of raw silk, and woven to depict the various cultures and art forms of Karnataka.
“As many tourist spots still lack up-to-the-standard infrastructure facilities like deluxe hotels, good restaurants, comfortable roads, and so on, the Golden Chariot remains the best way to travel to these places. Thus, this train holds great potential for tourism in the state of Karnataka in future,” signs off Manish Saini, manager, marketing, The Luxury Trains.
The train runs between the months of September and March, the peak season, while April to August is the lean season, and hence, from July to August, it goes through annual maintenance.
Rooms with a view
If you enjoy the call of the wild and are looking to stay in its midst to get a glimpse of what it is like to be in the jungle, check the offerings from Jungle Lodges and Resorts (JLR), a wildlife and eco-tourism company.
With a strong commitment to using tourism as a genuine tool for conserving the environment and wildlife, all its resorts and camps are located in some of Karnataka’s ecologically sensitive yet amazing natural destinations.
A unit of Government of Karnataka’s Tourism Department, JLR is currently managed by the State Forest Department officials. “We have 12 properties all over Karnataka, and have a minimum of ten, and a maximum of 30, accommodation options.
Most of our accommodations are log huts, cottages, and tents, with very few concrete structures are in place. We offer this kind of accommodation as we are into eco-tourism, and the increasing levels of occupancy proves the popularity among people,” explains a spokesperson.
Tamil Nadu also plans to come up with jungle lodges in Kovaikutralam; the tented accommodation the state had organised during the dance festival at Mamallapuram, was very well received.
Dr V. Irai Anbu, IAS, secretary to the government, Department of Tourism & Culture, and chairman, Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC), says: “We have recently launched a home stay bread-and-breakfast scheme that saw 77 enrolments, and is popular especially in hill stations. We plan to extend this soon to other parts of the state as well.”
For an experience like no other, check out the tree houses (yes, you read that right). Green Magic Nature Resort, located in a tropical rain forest in Wayanad, North Kerala, has eco-lodges and ethnic houses built on trees, offering all basic facilities.
There are four double rooms in two tree houses, spread across 500-acres of private secondary forest. Each tree house has an attached bathroom with flushing toilette, telephone shower, wash basin with running water, carpeted veranda, and sit-out.
The access to the house is by a hanging bridge. “The resort is designed with ethnic materials using local craftsmen, local materials, and indigenous techniques”, says Suresh P R, director, Palmland Tours.
Monis Eagle Eye Holidays, situated 3000-feet above sea level, amidst 130-acres of coffee, spices, orchids, and medicinal plants, in Chickmangalur, Karnataka, has two tree houses.
The first one, with a built-up area of 712-square feet, has a bedroom, balcony, and an attached bathroom with modern amenities, along with two double beds and a hammock in the living room.
The second one has a total built-up area of 750-square feet, and is a double-bedroom with attached bathrooms, along with a common sit-out with a hammock, and a swing chair, all the better to enjoy the serenity with.
“We offer value-for-money deals; Rs3,500 per couple inclusive of all three meals, a complimentary package like fishing, corracle ride, plantation walk, bird watching, or forest trek, indoor and outdoor games and a campfire”, says George Henry Monis, managing director, Eagle Eye Holidays.
In fact, they have recently introduced a 1000-square feet skywalk villa built by eco-friendly interlocking wall bricks, which is the best insulation for weather control that needs no cement or painting.
Furnished with an eco-friendly mud bed, bamboo lighting, and a huge mirror focussed on the bed, this one is targetted at honeymooners, and is sure to make you feel on cloud nine.
In all, in these exciting times, you can tailor-make not only your holiday plans but also your accommodation choices…certainly, you know exactly where to stay the next time you plan to visit South India.
