Aramb Boutique Resort @ Wayanad#HomeAwayFromHome

This post of mine is gonna be a  bit different from the previous ones. If you have been reading my posts, I usually share my experiences of a city or town as a whole. But this one is special and indeed the whole post is about just one property, which I researched and found out, solely with the help of Google and honest Google Map Reviews! The main reason to focus on that point is that this hidden gem has not been commercialized yet, thus they have zero promotion when compared to the fast-track promotion happening through social media these days.

Wayanad  - also known as the “Green Paradise”, is a popular hill station in Kerala, located in the Western Ghats. Hailing from Kozhikode, I have been to Wayanad several numbers of times, right from childhood, and got to cover most of its tourist destinations like the Edakkal Caves, Banasura Sagar Dam, Pookode Lake, Kuruva Island, and so on. Thus, it used to be always a one-day trip, where we could just go and come back home. But this Onam, I thought of spending time a bit longer, at the hills, staying there, and simply enjoying the weather. Just like every other hill station, Wayanad has also got a great number of resorts, from which selecting one is a task. After around 2 days of research on the internet, I found this lovely adobe  - “Aramb Boutique Resort”

Located 3 km away from Meppadi town of Wayanad, this place has got its own uniqueness. As evident from its naming and positioning itself in the Boutique Hotels category, one can simply imagine what makes it stand out from the rest, and here goes a glimpse of my experience at the property :

We were picked up from the common parking spot, by the Resort for the off-road journey towards the resort, which is around 2.5 km and takes around 20 minutes being off-road. The ride is within the Elimbilery Estate, which leads us to the Resort. With long trees and Cardamom Plantation all around, it is simply an adventurous ride within mother nature. If you have ever been to 900 Kandi ( another tourist destination of Wayanad, with the popular Glass Bridge), even they have an off-road journey. As we reached the destination, we were received by the staff and the man-made Kulam (Traditional pond-like structure) at the resort. We were then served Chukku Kaapi ( Dry Ginger Coffee), which was perfect for the weather. Talking more about the weather this time, it was so unpredictable, with rains pouring unexpectedly, the Wayanadan climate intact, and the mist floating around across the peaks.

We had two rooms booked for the stay, which reminds me of the beautifully named cottages in Sanskrit - one being the Siddharth Kamala & other, the Anand Maitri. As we stepped into the rooms, it gave me the vibes of the Palaces and traditional ancestral houses of Kerala, known as Tharavaadu. With tall coats, walls, and spacious rooms, it all seemed like a travel to the olden days, with a perfect pinch of luxury. Another feature that attracted me is their concept of disconnection, where they purposely do not provide wifi facility, to promote disconnection from the everyday hustle that we are accustomed to. Further, we went for lunch, as we checked in at 1 noon. The food menu was already shared a day ago, from which we could choose so that they source whatever is needed beforehand. To describe their cuisine, in colloquial terms, I can call it “Simply Naadan”, as they follow the authentic Kerala food varieties, with both Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian options. We had Kerala Sadhya for lunch and continued exploring the property while trying to capture every beautiful element of Aramb. That being said, I think its time for my pictures to do the rest of the talking :

As I write, each feature of the place hits me every now and then. To put in light one of those, is their natural pool water. As Aramb is located in the foothills of Chembra Peak, it was indeed so satisfying to know that the water filled in the Pools is natural, and comes all the way from the peak, unlike the chlorinated pools in most of the resorts. We had our evening Tea and crispy snacks, post an evening trek to further heights of the property. There came another first-time experience for me, the Leeches. Although I have heard a lot about this creature, it was the first time I saw them in real and got bitten, Lol! But, also came to know about the super-easy solution to get rid of them from our bodies, by simply spraying the Sanitizer.

How can I not forget two other lovely creatures I met there? Two super fluffy cats at the property, one was scary though, and the other was naughty….. If one has to experience the culture of Kerala, with luxury, this is the right place. The lamps are lit during the evening, which again depicts the practice at every other Kerala Hindu home.

After having a great time at the private pool with my family, it was time for dinner. As we walked to the restaurant in between the misty atmosphere, the ambience of the yellow lights, soothing music, and a lovely Buddha-lit candle, we had Wheat Parotta, Wayanadan Pepper Chicken, and Kozhikoden Sulaimani (Lime Tea). I also found myself a cozy spot at the property, the Traditional wooden swing, which is in the center of the place, facing the breathtaking beauty of the lush green hills.

With big and small statues of the Buddha at every other corner, it clearly speaks of the theme of the property. After a grand Naadan breakfast, we relaxed and captured a few more pictures of the well-designed, vastly spread structure.

It felt like time flew, although there was no TV, network, and other modern facilities. Yet, there is one most unique feature of the rooms, I haven’t spoken about yet, and let that be a mystery. But I can assure you that it's something worth the experience and has got the typical Bali vibes, you can guess it, explore Aramb, visit and feel it! Although we checked out and reached home yesterday night, to be honest, I am still in the hangover of the vibe Aramb, as a homely resort offered!

For booking  : https://arambresorts.com/