Words by Bindu Gopal Rao
If you are looking for a getaway that is serene and isolated with a dose of wellness, look no further than Fazlani Natures Nest near Lonavala in India.
Hotel
As my cab navigated the busy Pune Mumbai old highway and turned into a country road, the landscape changed quite dramatically as all I could see were a lot of grasslands interspersed with trees, I also spied a majestic water body in the distance.
Looking at my map I guessed we were close to the retreat and soon enough, I was at the reception where I was welcomed with a bouquet of colourful roses. “These are grown in our farm inhouse” said the front office manager. When I asked him about the water body, he told me that the property overlooks the backwaters of the Indrayani River.
Room
The retreat has four categories of rooms. The garden view deluxe rooms are 250 sq. ft. and have either a king or twin bed configuration with an attached bathroom, tea/coffee maker, TV and other modern amenities to ensure a comfortable stay. The premium garden view deluxe rooms are an upgraded version of the garden view rooms and have well-furnished interiors, while the lake-view suite has 600 square feet of space and has a king-size bed with a powder room, bathroom with jacuzzi, rain shower and more.
I stayed in the premium lake-view suite that had a stunning view of the Western Ghats and the backwaters. Sensor lights, a separate living area, powder room, walk-in wardrobe area and lights fitted with a 50″ LED smart television, remote controlled lights and air-conditioning and a Jacuzzi were particular highlights of this suite.
Food
All meals are served at the in-house restaurant Hive that serves a delectable selection of Indian, Asian and continental fare with both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options to choose from. There is also Jain Food available here (that does not use onion and garlic in addition to being completely vegetarian).
There is a buffet for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (based on occupancy) as well as an a-la-carte menu to choose from. Families travelling with kids will be happy to know the buffet also has a kid’s menu. If you are here for a wellness getaway, the restaurant also curates wellness cuisines as recommended by the in-house nutritionist and doctor.
A lot of the food is made fresh from the homegrown organic ingredients grown in-house at the Ahara Farms, a literal farm to fork experience. I sampled dishes made using home grown zucchini, strawberry and capsicum and, safe to say, they tasted as fresh as they could possibly be. Grab a seat that overlooks the water and keep your phones away (this is a gadget free zone) and enjoy your meal the way it is intended to be.
Spa
The retreat’s fundamental premise is wellness, and a visit here usually starts with a wellness consultation at the Amarine Wellness Hub that is customised to suit you. I met a naturopathy doctor, Shubhada Thorat, who does a pulse check to find out your body type and health issues (if any) and then recommends therapies that will help you.
The spa here has a range of Ayurvedic and International massages as well as naturopathy treatments. The day begins with a guided yoga session to align your mind, body, and soul. They also have physiotherapy for people who are looking to rehabilitate from any kind of injury. I also recommend you try the grounding meditation where you are guided to walk barefoot to connect with nature.
One of the distinct offerings here is the animal assisted therapy that is believed to enhance emotional recovery and bring in psychological transformation. Here, this is done with horses and there are a whole bunch of thoroughbred horses here that you can interact with. You can also sign up for comprehensive and customised wellness modules like the art of cleansing, detox and revitalizing retreat; immune resilience retreat, optimal weight retreat and healthy natural living.
To do
The retreat is amid nature, and you can spend time within the property through the various activities offered here. You can choose to tour the organic farms that grow a variety of fruits and vegetables and harvest some of the produce. There are numerous walking and cycling trails here (there are cycles of all kinds here). If you are a bird watcher, this is a great place to see several species of the avian family.
The wellness ‘Villagery’ located here is a model of a local village with huts as well as activities like a farm school for kids as well as pottery and other activities. Head to the Stallion Castle where you can feed the horses and enjoy a horse ride if you are up to it. There is also a school at the Fazlani International School, adjacent to the wellness retreat that is for the less privileged children. I also recommend a Flora Tour that will take you inside one of the largest and most sophisticated rose farms in India.
Executive chef Abhay Pratap will teach you how to cook in exclusive cooking sessions as well. I learnt how to prepare a three-course meal of a salad, soup, and a main course in under half an hour. Jagdeep Nambiar, general manager, said: “we are also planning to have more avenues of natural healing like healing through music, using salt and more. Our chairman, Dr. Fazlani believes in keeping most things open as he believes that the vastness of nature is the best way to heal.” After my three-day retreat, I couldn’t agree more.
Factbox
Pune International Airport is the nearest airport about 55 km away. A close to 1.5-hour drive will get you to Fazlani Nature Nest.
Rooms can be booked from £120 pppn.
Address: Soex Flora Farm Village Takwe Taluka, Vadgaon, Maharashtra 412106
Phone: Tel: +91 22 66300000
Email: reservations@fazlaninaturesnest.com
Website: fazlaninaturesnest.com
Images courtesy of Fazlani Nature Nest
