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Magnolia Resorts - A Review (Coorg (Kodagu) - Karnataka)

Getting lost & finding self in the middle of Nowhere!

 Its always awesome to stay in the midst of plantations with all the greenery all around, birds chirping to wake you up, occasional insects & small animals that visit you in your room just the peacefulness!!! May it be in the rubber plantations of Spices Farm Stay, in tea plantations of Windermere Estate, or this time in the coffee plantations of Magnolia Resorts in Coorg.

Located in a small town called Virajpet close to Coorg, this entire property is about 73 acres. This was the weekend getaway for the owners who bought this property in 2007. Later on they relocated to California where Magnolia flowers became their favourite flower, so they decided to name this property the same. Soon they built 7 buildings here for their own use and 6 villas for the guests. By 2012 they built 8 more smaller cottages for the use of tourists, ecology enthusiasts alike!

As soon as I entered I was welcomed by women clad in saree draped in the authentic kodagu style. The reception is a square with the back that opens up to the glorious western ghats behind it. This entire square is tastefully decorated with traditional seating arrangements, retro styled sofa & chairs and the entire wall is filled images of coffee plantations across the world. The one thing that totally struck me by awe was a tree that grew inside this place and grows out through its roof. The care was taken to not cut down the tree and include it in this construction!!! That was totally heartening.
Very close to the reception is the Peppervine restaurant and Saaqi bar. The bar is an open air one and a few steps from it takes you to the back entrance of the restaurant. Between these 2, on the side is the space for bonfire. The resort provides 1 complimentary bonfire during the stay. Drinks and Bonfire in the chilly evenings of Coorg is just so awesome!!! Currently the bar isn’t licensed to sell, but you’re welcome to get your own drinks!  But they provide an array of fingerfood incl some delicious options for veggies too incl cheese fried broccoli (must try), chilli paneer, onion bakoda etc.
The breakfast at restaurant is a mix of both continental and south Indian varieties. I did not manage to enjoy a lunch here as I was out exploring Coorg and for dinner, the buffet is just splendid with a very wide range in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian 3 course meal from soups to biriyani to Indian breads to tandoori platter to cakes to kesari et all. The place also has a scenic outdoor seating which is best enjoyed in breakfast or lunch! The service is quick and very professional, that’s rather unexpected in such a small resort in the midst of nowhere!!!
Roads are there to lead you from the reception to the restaurant to the rooms and all other places within the resort. The best way is walking or bicycling (resort provides it on request)! However the resort also provides vehicular transport if needed. Your own vehicle has to be parked at the parking area near the entrance and if you have a driver, he may stay at the staff quarters and will be provided simple food as well. There are maps in several places to let help explore yourself.
Within the property is a portion that doesn’t belong to the property, but to the forest department! That’s the mountain itself! A trek is allowed in this mountain, but prior permission from the forest department is required and has fixed timings! Yes, being a part of Western Ghats, this mountain is also home to Western Ghats animals including Elephants, so timings are set towards least disturbance to the animals here!!!
Within the property are also 2 lakes – Emerald and Turquoise. Check out the lakes in dawn and dusk. Avid birder or amateur doesn’t matter – spotting a grey hornbill is just a dream come true for both alike and grey hornbill is a regular visitor here.  Unfortunately they didn’t give me the blessing of showing themselves to me……

There are 2 types of rooms, the 1000 sq ft villas (x6) and 900 sq ft cottages (x12). The villas are a thing of beauty with ancient pillars brought in from old houses & palaces that have been demolished! Sitting there in the border between Karnataka and Kerala, I was time and again reminded of the building style of Kerala with wooden carvings and terracotta tile ceiling etc. I stayed at a cottage. It’s a single room cottage with the bed on one side, and TV with sofa on the other.  Close to the window is a small reading table and the view out of the window is the mesmerizing Western Ghats!!! Who needs a TV when there’s such a view outside the window!!!

There is a rather unique factor here. Unlike other hotels, here, instead of a landline in the room, all guests are provided with a mobile phone with a local sim! The numbers of reception, restaurant etc are pre-stored. Being in the middle of nowhere surrounded by mountains, most of the cell phone signals are patchy. So this sim is by a network provider whose reach is excellent here! Being in the midst of coffee plantation, a fab concept they have is called ‘Coffee Anywhere’. Take this cell phone with you and roam about anywhere in this 73 acre property. If you feel like having coffee, give a call and they’ll get it where you are!!! How about birding early morning near the lake with a cup of hot coffee??!!!


The room is provided with all basic amenities incl toiletries, mini fridge stocked with soft drinks, coffee, tea & milk packets, disposable footwear etc. There are 2 ceiling fans which are absolutely unnecessary in the soothing climate here!
All the cottages & villas are in ground floor and have their own dedicated pathways and entrances and porticos. These connect to the in-house roads. The best I felt was walking in these roads in the night – the light pollution is so less and the sparkly stars in the sky look gorgeous, the crackle of the crickets is so so so loud but that’s the only sound you hear, the roads look never ending in the darkness of night and more so ever just sitting in the portico of your own room in the night and just gazing at the sky listening to these sounds is so much needed to every city dweller!!!!!
Being in the middle of a forest at the base of a mountain, expect the unexpected! Grasshoppers and crickets would be everywhere! Moths might give you a visit inside you room if you leave the windows open. A walk on the wet grass near the lakes with your open sandals might attract leeches! Here’s a tip: apply nose powder (available in all local shops) or edible salt on your shoes/foot to prevent the leeches. If you’re lucky enough, you may spot deers or even elephants!!!


Here are a couple of options – How about a destination wedding at Magnolia Coorg with the Western Ghats as backdrop??? How about your annual official corporate meeting or post-project celebration venue as Magnolia Coorg??? Did I mention they a huge meeting room and a club house incl library, billiards room, basket ball and tennis court??? That's blogger Umang Trivedi trying his hand on billiards.
With this as your stay, you can venture out to regular tourist spots like Dubare Elephant Camp or Iruppu Falls or Bylaguppe Namdroling Monastery or you could do opt for eco-tourism and go on a safari at Nagarhole National Park or you could opt for a road less travelled adventure with…….. Stay tuned to know what I did!!!

 To get there:
On Google Maps: Magnolia Coorg
From Mysuru Jn: 100km 
From Bangalore City Station: 235km
Transport is arranged by the resort from nearest airport / railway station on prior request.

To Book: Magnolia Coorg, Make My Trip
Room tariff begins at Rs.8000/-
Resort Ph no: +91-82773-72100 and +91-99803-78253

P.S: I was invited by Magnolia Resort, Coorg to stay and experience the hotel for review purpose, however the opinions are my own and this post does not to advertise the product/service.

Bhushavali

An ardent traveler by passion. Being an ex - Art History Teacher, my area of interest especially lies in Nature and Heritage. Visited 85 UNESCO World Heritage sites as of June 2022. I've been listed among the Top 7 Women Travel Bloggers of India, Top 50 in UK. I have been interviewed in a couple of TV Shows, Radio Channels and Events as well. Read more about me and read the testimonials of different brands

34 comments:

  1. Kcalpesh AjugiaJanuary 2, 2017 at 7:34 PM

    Travel to such places combined with nature photography are the only things on my mind right now. Glad to have come across your article about this place. It seems like a perfect one for me to go about what I really love to do. Watching greenery, birds, bugs, bees and butterflies..

    - Pixellicious

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  2. Divya NJanuary 3, 2017 at 12:50 PM

    This brings back memories of my coorg trip in march 2016. This place looks real foresty yet cozy. Don't underestimate the need for the fans; if you go there in March-april you'll realise how sweltering hot it gets.

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  3. R Niranjan DasJanuary 3, 2017 at 1:44 PM

    Such a lovely place.

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  4. Kathy BalmoresJanuary 3, 2017 at 2:11 PM

    How nice it must be to create such a wonderful haven, share it to the rest of the world and make profit from it all. I love hearing stories like this and the story behind this place makes me smile. I wish I could visit this place but for now, reading about it is more than enough.

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  5. EG GreenJanuary 3, 2017 at 3:33 PM

    This looks like the perfect place for a detox or simply a getaway. I love the fact that the hotel provides a local phone and SIM as well. That makes complete sense and I'm surprised that more hotels don't employ that tactic.

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  6. ROBERT LEE | Amazing Life DailyJanuary 3, 2017 at 10:48 PM

    It looks awfully quiet and secluded... which is a great thing. I like that. But the one thing that really caught my attention was the comfort room. It's huge and I SUPER like that. I may like nature, but the bathroom, I am kinda picky about that.

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  7. Swayam TiwariJanuary 3, 2017 at 11:34 PM

    The cricket sat nicely on that piece of furniture.And the tree that grew out of the room, wow!Reading your post transported me to times and places where I spent many a quite evening in quaint places!Can you see elephants from this place?

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  8. UnknownJanuary 4, 2017 at 12:25 AM

    Although the place looks really simple, it looks like a very relaxing place. It provides a respite from the busy city life. I was thinking since the resort is located in the coffee plantation, people there are always energized and awake. They can drink coffee all day.

    -Me-An Clemente

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  9. UnknownJanuary 4, 2017 at 1:52 AM

    What a gorgeous place to rediscover yourself. It look tranquil and serene.

    How incredible is it that they've left the tree? You would never see such compassion for nature or character here! Between that and the gorgeous colours and architecture, they have created a place of beauty.

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  10. MarjorieJanuary 4, 2017 at 4:51 AM

    The way you described the place made me feel like I was there, even before I scrolled down to see the pictures so good job. I have always favored places like this over the more modern ones during my travels because I live in the city, so when I go on vacation, I prefer to be one with the nature. Which is exactly what Magnolia resorts offer so I think that's fantastic. If I get a chance to go there I'd love to stay at Magnolia.

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  11. Thelittlelai: Beyond limitsJanuary 4, 2017 at 5:44 AM

    A place where you can have everything your wanderlust needs. The place is truly lovely, peaceful and awesome. I like the lake that is just so close to the place. I wouldn't mind staying there for 1 month and just be with nature.

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  12. VeeyahJanuary 4, 2017 at 8:02 AM

    Gorgeous place! I instantly pictured myself out on the bench by the lake and either painting from life or writing a story based on the place. In some photos, I wouldn't have guessed the resort was in India! The rooms looked really airy and I have no doubt it would be a great place to just be lazy and relax.

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  13. Mia FooJanuary 4, 2017 at 11:09 AM

    my first impression upon seeing the name is that the resort is probably surrounded by magnolia fields. hahaha! anyway, it sounds really nice and cosy to stay in! but spotting elephants doesn't sound very promising. aren't they very territorial and prone to charging?

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  14. Jason P.January 4, 2017 at 3:01 PM

    I always enjoy reading about different resorts! This place looks so relaxing with all the gorgeous earth tones! Lovely photos :D

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  15. Sam (@followyouroad)January 4, 2017 at 6:16 PM

    Such a nice place to enjoy nature! I like destinations such as this one because you give a space to breathe. I haven't been to India, but this one looks very familiar and homey. Great place to relax :)

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  16. UnknownJanuary 4, 2017 at 9:57 PM

    How interesting and fascinating that it's on a coffee plantation, and that the amenities look and sound great, from your description. I would definitely be interested in visiting Magnolia. I've not heard much about Bangalore, but this has me interested to read up on it. I wonder if this is a Robusta plantation, because I met some Indian speciality coffee growers here in manila around a year and a half ago, and they mentioned this region (and other parts in India) are known for this type of bean.

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  17. YanJanuary 5, 2017 at 12:35 AM

    My parents would love the ambiance of this place. You're so close to nature and there's so much greenery! It would be a hassle to fight off the creepy crawlies and flying insects hehe but I'm sure it's all part of the experience XD

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  18. FrancJanuary 5, 2017 at 1:23 PM

    This is a really great nature experience. You just have to protect yourself from insects, leeches and others.

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  19. Fred SaidJanuary 5, 2017 at 5:02 PM

    I do not think I will ever get to visit this beautiful place, so thank you for showing it to me. The way you describe the weather made me long to visit this calming resort.

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  20. avi_navJanuary 5, 2017 at 6:02 PM

    This looks good and pretty untouched natural forest and the resort is also looking nice

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  21. UnknownJanuary 5, 2017 at 6:11 PM

    A catchy resort name - Magnolia. And I'm surprised to see how vast this property is. What I like about it is its quietude, at the heart of nature and having amenities that will still make your stay comfortable. That's an awesome combination for a wonderful getaway experience.

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  22. ShubJanuary 5, 2017 at 8:16 PM

    Looks like a dream! One look at this resort and its surroundings and you feel calm. Need to go away from citylife sometimes..

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  23. UnknownJanuary 6, 2017 at 2:46 AM

    This place is gorgeous it looks so peaceful and comfortable. I like all your destinations.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Vikas PVJanuary 6, 2017 at 10:40 AM

    Hi, im vikas
    Excellent blog post.its very intresting.include more posts about this topic .
    Thank you for sharing
    Have a niceday
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    ReplyDelete
  25. jared's mumJanuary 6, 2017 at 11:08 AM

    This looks like a beautiful and relaxing place to stay for a night or two with the family. The rooms are beautiful and the view outside is equally lovely. Your photos make me plan for our summer trip now and check out resorts where our family can stay for several days of bonding and creating wonderful memories.

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  26. UnknownJanuary 6, 2017 at 3:22 PM

    Magnolia Resorts looks so serene and relaxing. Perfect for an awesome vacation out of the stressful life. It does seem dark at night. And there definitely has a feel of nature. This place reminds me of a cottage I stayed at for a night on my trip to El Nido.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Vikas PVJanuary 7, 2017 at 2:29 PM

    Hi, im bruno
    Excellent blog post.its very intresting.include more posts about this topic .
    Thank you for sharing
    Have a niceday
    thank you
    http://pearlaccountants.org/GST-kerala-consultants.html

    ReplyDelete
  28. cre8toneJanuary 9, 2017 at 9:16 AM

    Such a uniquely nice resort.. Great to hv a stay there.. Great!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Fully HousewifedJanuary 9, 2017 at 9:54 PM

    What an amazing getaway. I would love to stay there with my family for weeks! I especially love the benches by the small lake.

    ReplyDelete
  30. UnknownJanuary 10, 2017 at 9:54 AM

    Look at the size of that bathroom. Thanks for sharing. Looks beautiful. -Dexter

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  31. ClariceJanuary 10, 2017 at 5:28 PM

    I love places like this. I love to spend it farms or places that has more greens rather than beaches. It is wonderful that they chose to preserve the tree instead of easily getting rid of it.

    ReplyDelete
  32. UnknownJanuary 11, 2017 at 12:31 AM

    Wow, this place really look unique. It's like living in a little self-sustainable place, with all the greenery and plantation! Definitely a place I would like to review one day!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Teresa DumadagJanuary 13, 2017 at 10:00 AM

    I like your blog's tag line. I like that you help people discover places that are nice yet not yet popular. Usually, these are gems but the prices are still affordable. Ocular insp[ection is one of my favorite tasks in my business as a consultant. I like discovering places like this one where I can run workshops for my clients.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. sriram pappuriApril 6, 2018 at 8:28 PM

      Hi Teresa,

      We have an amazing property within a coffee estate pl check out www.magnoliaresorts.com . The property is located at Arji Hills, Virajpet, Coorg, Karnataka. If interested pl write back to sriram@magnoliaresorts.com or call +91 9248078910. Sriram Pappuri

      Delete

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