Lifestyle /
Hotspot: The Hilton Shillim Estate Retreat & Spa
The Hills Are Alive!
The woods are lovely, dark and deep
But I have wifi to seek
And vile email to check before I sleep…
Somewhere in Vermont, Frost must have cursed in his grave, not least because nobody in their right mind would describe the Sahyadris as "lovely"! West India’s premier mountain range is sullen in the summers, but stay around for the monsoon switch and you’ll witness one of the most spectacularly cheerful landscapes spring to life in all shades of green and gurgling waterfalls.
That won’t be happening any time soon, though. It’s a scorching 41 degrees celsius today as I take the Lonavla exit on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, pass INS Shivaji (the Indian Navy’s technical training base) and begin the curvy, dusty ascent up to Shillim. There’s the option of a 30-minute helicopter or shorter seaplane ride from Mumbai if you’re not inclined towards the 2.5 hour (very pleasant, IMHO) drive.
For a good 20 kilometres or so, I’m convinced I’m lost — though Hilton signage sincerely leads the way until the property manifests around a corner like a mirage in the jungle. On cue, my phone network snaps off. The good staff disappears with my car and luggage, leaving me to contemplate the melodious flute notes emanating from the lobby at the gate house. Panicking like it was a major catastrophe — you would, too, if you were caught in a knotty visa application back in the city — I needle the smiling girl at the reception. No go.
I could continue to wring my hands and moan, but the short ride to my villa is enough to knock it off. No weekending hordes. No white noise. No phone calls. A dimpled young lad with endless tales of snakes and a smashing spa experience to look forward to. This is going to be so much more fun than I thought!
The Hilton Shillim Estate Retreat & Spa takes its wellness credentials seriously. Spread across 320 acres of wilderness within the 3,500-acre private Shillim Estate, the landscaping is inspired by Philadelphia-based Margie Ruddick’s study on organic farming. Steven Harris Architects from New York and Taller de Arquitectura Arcadia SL from Spain designed the property — which is built with local Kota, Shahabad and Kadappa stone — in tandem with the wilderness instead of pillaging through it.
The 99 villas are distributed at different levels on the hills (banish all thoughts of noisy neighbours) with a central clubhouse offerings restaurants, bars, a library and a stunning al fresco area. No structure interferes with any other. You need to call for transportation from villa to spa to restaurant and other activities. The retreat has a fleet of nifty little Tata Nanos and electric golf carts.
With no calls to make or receive, I putter around my rustic villa (replete with French toiletries, a mini bar coffee maker and WiFi), call for a sandwich and head out for a Tibetan bowl meditation session at the mystic and peaceful "Meditation Cave." With whitewashed walls, a cool Kadappa floor and a contemporary take on a Roman impluvium pool, the space builds on the "bare luxury" theme.
Rahul, who heads the estate's yoga practices, is from Shimla and trained at Haridwar. He croons us through an additional 10 minutes of Yog Nidra before accompanying me to the Teahouse, where we chat over multiple servings of a Moroccan mint infusion and an Egyptian chamomile and tangy orange blend from Chado. This is all wonderfully gentle and soothing and leads up perfectly to a spa treatment.
My treatment suite — like the villas, these suites are all separate — is surrounded by a little vegetable garden. The therapist is a soft-spoken, slight North Indian girl who turns out to be a champion masseuse. I’ve chosen a signature Sundari massage, but the most luxe products are useless if the masseuse doesn’t pack a punch, and this one does, kneading and loosening muscle knots like a nimbly pummelling ninja. The sun has set and the oils have sunk deep into my skin by the time we’re done, which means a quick dinner (of their two restaurants and three bars, try The Green Table for a rustic farm-to-table meal) and bedtime.
Early the next morning, I opt for an easy forest walk with Vishal, nibbling on wild berries and tracking barking deer footprints. We stand at a spot and crane our necks up at the Shillim plateau, already shrouded in a orange-red halo. Along with the plethora of romantic, adventurous activities that the estate offers, there’s a fabulous plan pour deux. You can trek up to the plateau, where the Hilton chef will whip up breakfast for your exhausted selves. When the rains hit and transform this landscape, expect to do this with waterfalls whooshing in the background.
A day or a half-day is too short a time to sink into and explore the estate. The retreat's new wellness programs come highly recommended. Next time, I’m going to treat myself to a five-night Radiance Programme, which features personalized lifestyle and yoga consultations, a Supplifying Aroma Cocoon and a Vanaushadhi Massage. I’ll also bring a few books, and an idea for a new book, and "forget" my phone charger at home.
Feature Image: Blogger's Own
Blog Images Courtesy of Hilton Shillim Estate Resort & Spa.
Aparna Pednekar
Author
Aparna is an India - based travel writer for leading lifestyle and fashion publications. She's also a gemologist and jewelry designer. New cities, new food, cats, dogs, snakes, hours of walking and driving fuel her incurable ADD.
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