Neeleshwar
Hermitage
Neleshwaram
Kasarkod
A
hidden tropical destination set in a secluded palm grove beside
the Arabian Sea in Northern Kerala, Neeleshwar Hermitage is
one of India's finest gems.
Location
Northern Kerala, traditionally known as Malabar, is a jewel
awaiting discovery. Empty beaches fringed by coconut plantations,
peaceful inland waterways and lush hillside spice gardens are
features of an undisturbed rhythm of life set against the immensity
of the ocean.
The
Hermitage is approximately two hours from Mangalore international
airport and between four and five hours from Calicut international
airport. It is directly linked with the rest of the state by
air, road and train.
The
luxurious resort breathes tranquillity and offers you the essence
of authentic India: her friendliness, hospitality & serenely
balanced lifestyle. At this rejuvenating beach hotel you enter
a utopia far removed from the pressures of everyday living.
Authentic ayurveda and spa treatments, a huge infinity pool
and a deliciously varied cuisine - everything combines to induce
a sense of complete relaxation and harmonious wellbeing. Unobtrusive
individual service and meticulous attention to detail are everywhere
in this luxury resort, turning your holiday with us into an
effortless opportunity to enjoy a world where time stands still.
An
oasis of calm set in twelve naturally landscaped acres, Neeleshwar
Hermitage is built according to the traditional architectural
principles of Kerala Vastu. The whole site oriented to the east
and the rising sun, while the buildings are all placed in correct
relation to each other, the four directions and the site as
a whole. The traditional wood-and-thatch architecture is balanced
with stylish contemporary touches and familiar modern comforts.
The site overlooks a gloriously unspoiled beach of sand, stretching
as far as the eye can see in both directions. The sea is clean
and safe for swimming most of the year.
Service
Our sensitive and attentive staff offers Keralan hospitality
with unparalleled attention to detail. From the signature coconut
drink that greets your arrival to the smiling faces genuinely
sorry to see you leave, everything here is carefully and subtly
designed around your personal needs.
Our
Name Many of our guests are intrigued as to the origin and meaning
of our name. The name derives from the hermitages (with or without
resident hermits!) built by Renaissance princes on their country
estates the better to commune with God. In later times the term
was applied by Louis XIV the ‘Sun King’ of France – and other
monarchs – to country residences where court ceremony and formality
were abandoned in favour of the simple life. Peter the Great
imported the idea to Russia, building a ‘Hermitage’ in his country
palace at Peterhof and using it for private entertainments.
His successor, Catherine the Great, built her ‘Hermitage’ pavilions
onto the Winter Palace, the principle residence of the Russian
Tsars, so as to be able to entertain her friends and lovers
in private. Since she housed her extensive art collections there,
the name soon came to refer to what has long been the world’s
greatest museum, The Hermitage in St. Petersburgh. Here in Neeleshwar
Hermitage, we like to think we are continuing a great tradition.
We aim to make all our guests feel like royalty and to do our
best to look after them in aesthetically pleasing surroundings
that are relaxed, carefree and highly civilised. Come and discover
your inner monarch!.
18
Detached Cottages
Modelled
on traditional fishermen's huts, each of our 18 beautiful cottages
offers privacy, comfort and individuality. Sea view cottages,
private pool cottages and garden view cottages are available,
each with its own unique character. All cottages have the same
facilities; those overlooking the lovely gardens can be used
by families or parties who would like to be together. All the
rooms can have a single bed added if so desired.
Each
building is positioned amidst the verdant foliage to give its
occupants a sense of peace and privacy; light and airy, each
is named after a traditional yogic virtue. Constructed in the
local laterite stone and topped by tile or thatch, all are embellished
with carved and dressed woodwork fashioned in traditional style
by local craftsmen so skilled that their usual work is building
and restoring temples.
Teak
floors, high ceilings and generous proportions, locally handmade
wooden furniture and antique and contemporary objets d'art from
Kerala complete the ambience, giving each room its own special
charm. A welcome modern touch is the ipod and docking station,
so guests can use their own devices.
Restaurants
& Cuisine
Sit
and see the early morning dolphins, watch the birds over the
small lagoon, be lulled by the sound of the waves or spend the
evening under the brilliant canopy of stars.
We
believe that good food makes a good life and given Kerala’s
history and cultural diversity, are able to draw on an extraordinarily
varied cuisine, incorporating Indian, Middle-Eastern and European
flavours.Authentic, Delicious & Nutritional.
Annapurna
The Annapurna restaurant, dedicated to the Goddess of Nourishment,
is the centre of the site. Annapurna specialises in authentic,
predominantly vegetarian food not usually seen in hotels. Our
cooking skills are honed by ayurvedic teaching on the importance
of attending to the appearance, balance, flavour, enjoyment
and nutritional effects of any dish.
Meenakshi
We also have a beachside restaurant, the Meenakshi, named after
another local goddess. Here you can enjoy superb fresh fish
caught by the local long boats that go out each morning, as
well as breakfast, healthy lunchtime salads and delicious light
meals.
Bar
and Drinks There are two bar areas in the hotel: the Annapurna
bar in the main restaurant and the Varuna bar overlooking the
pool. Both are cosy and intimate spaces where you can relax
with old friends or make new ones and enjoy the range of Indian
beers and wines (no spirits) that are on sale.
Cookery
Classes Due to Malabar’s historical openness to the wider
world, the cuisine in this part of India is very varied. One
of our specialities at the Hermitage are local Malabar dishes
usually not seen in international hotels, along with mouthwateringly
fresh fish bought daily from our local fishermen. We offer regular
Cookery Classes for our guests under the tutelage of our resident
chefs. So you can not only enjoy our food while you are here
but take a nourishing skill back home with you.
SANGAM:
The Meeting Table Solo journeys can be a marvellously exciting
way to travel – you can do completely what you want and when,
enjoying freedom and independence while always being open to
interesting chance encounters along the way. But sometimes the
solo traveller can feel a bit left out of things, lonely even,
especially when there are groups of people enjoying themselves
all around.
Here
at The Hermitage we have the solution. Each of our restaurants
has a Meeting Table where solo travellers – or indeed anyone
else – desirous of a change from solitude, can chose to join
a table where there will be others to share a meal and some
conversation with. And as we all know, people who first meet
on holiday can often end up becoming good friends… SANGAM is
a Sanskrit word meaning ‘meeting or coming together’.
Our
Idea of Health Here at The Hermitage we understand health to
be the outward expression of the vitality arising from the bio-intelligence
contained within all living cells. At the heart of this vitality
lies what is called in Sanskrit prana, the cosmic life force.
Prana
expresses itself through the rhythms of nature. As human beings
participating within this universe, we are constantly influenced
by these rhythms, yet are usually unaware of their subtle force.
Our planet owes its light, life and intelligence to the unfailing
generosity of the sun, while the phases of the moon that move
the ocean tides also effect growth and change in earth’s creatures.
Similarly, the Circadian rhythms that regulate living things
respond subtly to variations in light and darkness throughout
the 24 hour cycle, while on a larger scale, seasonal changes
unfold throughout the year that effect our mood and lifestyle.
One of our most important personal bio-rhythms is sleep; by
regularly resting the mind and body it brings many benign effects
that are essential for health. Meditation is another type of
nature’s restorative rest.
We
can say that these rhythms, orchestrated by prana, are the ordering
principles of creation: creating, maintaining and transforming
existence. They nourish and uphold all life on earth, directly
influencing both the microcosmic individual physiology and the
cosmos at large. Underlying all these rhythms is a unified field
of cosmic intelligence, a ground state now posited by modern
quantum physics as the silent yet dynamic substratum of reality.
From this unmanifest level of life, which the ancient Indian
texts call brahman ‘the Totality’, all manifest life evolves,
expressing itself through a dynamic and evolutionary sequence
of constant change.
As
this innate intelligence animates every cell of our body, it
is only when we move away from its benign influence that dis-ease
starts to manifest. If, on the other hand, we reconnect to this
core of being within, then healing can take place at the deepest
level. By coming to rest, the mind and body are reconnected
to their source and the potential for increased healing and
potency are naturally enlivened. So good health is always there
just under the surface, we only need to find an easy, natural
and pleasant way to access it. Here at The Hermitage we offer
the triple praxis of Ayurveda, yoga and meditation as that way.
Good health is not just absence of disease, it is a settled
state of Wholeness.
