Sitting along the back waters of Andra dam and Indrani river is the vast property of Fazlani Nature’s Nest among the hills and green environs a little away from Pune on way to Lonavala.

The well landscaped resort boasts of 13 villas, a grand dining space, a wellness center, stable and sand track for horses and wide paved streets for cycling enthusiasts beside their own farm lands that cater for kitchen requirements for the resort guests.

If being away from city chaos is what you are seeking, this resort may just be the answer. 

Wellness Retreat:

Promoted as wellness retreat, the resort is aiming to provide various rejuvenation therapies to its guests. The spa equipped with yoga, foot reflexology therapy, water therapy and gym provides overall wellness by planning a schedule for activities for guests.

Nuu, my masseuse and me….selfie time!

I got a shoulder and back therapy and realized how stressed my muscles were. The massage relaxed and rejuvenated me. The masseuse Nuu from Arunachal Pradesh worked magic on my tired body.

I also walked through the foot reflexology area where I was made to step in grass then pebbled cold water and then on dry stones. It worked up my foot muscles too.

The wellness center is yet to start functioning in full capacity. Spa is all set with both male and female masseurs.

Wellness center with yoga, foot reflexology and water therapy

Open wide pathways are best used for cycling. An amphitheater amidst the cottages caters to wellness discourses.

Amphitheater for wellness discourse

Mud bath and pool area

A stable that houses some thorough bred horses has a viewing gallery and sand track for horse riding. The resort aims to provide interaction sessions for its guest with the horses as a part of anxiety therapy.

Each session would however cost a whopping INR 72000 (which for people like me will itself become cause of anxiety 🙂 !!)

From the viewing gallery

Farmlands:

The resort has ample space dedicated for fruits and vegetables and most of the raw material for food is sourced from the organic produce on resort grounds. With lemons, pomegranates, bananas, dates and coconuts standing alongside of onions, spinach, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, broccoli, parsley and others.

Going bananas

Strawberries

With the unique concept of resort allowing its guests to pluck out a vegetables of their choice for consumption during meals, the resort guests connect with nature and feel a gratifying satisfaction.

Broccoli

A cabbage patch

Rose cultivation with the purpose of export is also undertaken at the farms. A trip to the rose production zone was enlightening for me since I never realized that the size of bud and tightness of the whirl of petals was a major point of contention when it came to selling a rose.

Crop of Dutch roses

Cottages:

Cottages are divided into ground floor named as ‘Bliss’ and upper floor as ‘Serene. There are 13 cottages with 4 rooms on each floor. Though an entire cottage can be booked by a large family but individual room charges would apply. 

Cottages for resort guests, each with four independent rooms

The rooms are quite small though with no television and no mini-fridge because the resort’s concept is to let the guests enjoy the vast property with views of river and greenery. Sit-outs have been created for this very reason at the resort grounds.

All rooms for now are of one category. Luxury rooms will be offered in next phase of resort.

Machaan Sitout for evening relaxation

Food:

Some of the vegetables for food are grown organically on the farm areas of the resort. Delicious home style food aids in rejuvenation too.

Roasted almond and broccoli soup

Honey lemon drizzle salad

Corn cutlets

Chicken

Panner

Fried okra

Pulao

A Few Shortcomings:

• Even though the concept of resort is to let guests enjoy the nature, the room is quite small for a tariff of 12000 INR. Once the daylight has faded away, if the guest wants to retire to the room, they will be left with nothing to do in a cramped up room. 
• The four rooms in each cottage open into a very small lobby which becomes uncomfortable for four different couples who don’t know each other but happen to get room in same cottage. The space outside the rooms is very intimate area with a common door that may be suitable only for a large family.
• The resort’s claim to provide Equine therapy for people with anxiety issues or other physical shortcomings seems little too far fetched since such therapies take a long time to have effect and a family vacation hardly provides such a time. Also resort charges INR 72000 for one session of the equine therapy which is suitable for very niche and rich clientele.
• The rooms being small, there is no scope of additional bed for a family of three. The resort is not in favor of extra occupancy in the room if the children are older than 12 years of age. For a family of three this poses a problem since an extra room will increase the cost of vacation.
• Families with small kids need activities to engage kids in evening hours which for now are not catered for.

Published by Shoma Abhyankar

I believe "Life is short and the world is wide"and travel is best possible solution to make the best of this life. I am Shoma Abhyankar. Welcome to ASTONISHING INDIA. View all posts by Shoma Abhyankar