Spice Village - Thekkady - Indian Frontiers

Spice Village – Thekkady

Spice Village is the essence of a mountain tribal village, re-imagined for the modern independent traveller. A tribute to ancient ways of life. And to one man’s patience and passion.

Curling around a misty ridge 2,000 ft high in the Periyar vastness, we found a ranger’s home, with fruit trees, rare herbs and a profusion of flowering plants. And here, we set out to build a resort. A village, produced whole, using mountain spirit and tribal wisdoms as building material. Of course, the comforts of a modern hotel exist, but they never intrude. Modern plumbing, comfortable beds and hot showers find their place, but in a setting stripped down to its natural essence.

Hewn stone replaces shag carpets. Birdsong takes the place of television. Air-conditioning? Unnecessary anyway in the fine mountain climate and what would it do but mask the heady scents of spice wafting through the air?

Check ins at Spice Village are not at a boring reception desk, but out on the lawns, with a healthy herbal brew where you can choose the herbs yourself. Get invigorated , absorb the sights and sounds of Nature, and before you know it, your bags have been whisked away to your room and you are ready for a sojourn like no other.

Take heart, you do not have to walk 50 miles to lunch. The name simply refers to our sourcing of all the ingredients in your food. Everything comes from within a 50 mile radius of the resort. Locally sourced food not only benefits the local communities, it also helps us reduce our carbon footprint in transportation.

Of course, a good bit of the food comes from more like 50 yards away. Our vegetables are grown in house at our organic farms. And fish comes in fresh from the river. But the real magic in Spice Village cuisine comes from – you guessed it – fresh spices.

The Woodhouse Bar was formerly the home of our forest ranger, Mr. A. A. Woods. One side is given to a billiards table. For avid readers, the Library and tiger room let you immerse yourself in the history of the Periyar region and its flora and fauna. In the main bar, pictures of wildlife and royalty jostle for your attention, and with the fine selection of spirits on hand, it’s easy to trasport your imagination to a bygone era. You can almost see Woods himself, gin-and-tonic in hand, calling grumpily for a refill.

Feel like a quick bite and some old-world atmosphere? Then the Tiffin Room is just the place for you. Savour the timelessness of the place while sipping on a freshly brewed cup of tea. Antique rosewood chairs and tables will grip you with tales from a 100 years ago. They were picked up and restored from a 100 year old restaurant in the neighbouring valley that sadly had to shut down. This is also where you can pick up tips on the use of spices during the evening cookery classes.