Become One with Nature at Hilton Shillim Estate Retreat and Spa

p/p pItandrsquo;s a competitive world weandrsquo;re living in; battling odds to turn into those fittest who survive the hustle. However, every once in a while, wanderlust overpowers the strongest of drives, and the best of fighters need that opportune reason to ditch the material world and take off for the mountains. While in the real world such insane whims donandrsquo;t find a place, it does absolutely no harm to treat oneself to a few days of a hermitandrsquo;s life, albeit in the laps of luxury.andnbsp;/p pandnbsp;/p pOn one such whim, I took off from Mumbai for Shillim, in a bid to cleanse my mind of the entire work residue. After a three-hour drive from Mumbai, about a 40-minute ride from Lonavala, a rather bumpy, yet completely worthy, ride brought me to the calm and quiet of Hilton Shillim Estate Retreat andamp; Spa.andnbsp;/p pandnbsp;/p pWhile a rather warm and helpful force of representatives made sure my luggage and related formalities were taken care of, I could already feel the weight of my city woes shed as I sipped on the andlsquo;welcomeandrsquo; lemon grass iced tea and bit into the delicious energy bar, soaking in the interrupted views of the majestic mountains embracing the property. Nestled in a valley, the reception welcomes you first. What is bound to strike you soon after is the convoy of Tata Nanos that ferry guests to their villas, and around the sprawling 320 lush green acres of the resort. My excitement was hardly containable, and rightly so. After all, how often do city-breds land a chance to experience nature at such close quarters? Our guide for the stay, Abhishek, was more than happy to punctuate our short journey with parcels of vital and inspiring information.andnbsp;/p pandnbsp;/p pA site of heritage value, the sheer beauty of the property lies in the fact that despite it being a resort, the flora and fauna surrounding it stands untouched and unharmed. In fact, I was told, while building the property, instructions were laid out in no uncertain terms to leave trees and the nature around undamaged. As a result, one would notice greens in abundance, something that is a blessing for those who perpetually live in concrete jungles. andnbsp;andnbsp;/p pandnbsp;/p pstrongStay:/strong/p pI was shown into my spacious pool villa, before we headed for a scrumptious lunch at the Mountain Bar andamp; Grill. The pool villa for two is just ideal for couples who wish to reignite some spark into their mundane lives. With a pool in its veranda, the secluded villas add a touch of magic to their tranquil surrounds. If the pool villa isnandrsquo;t something that pleases your mind, you could go closer to nature with the valley-view villas. With the minibar stocked with soymilk and natural juices, youandrsquo;d know youandrsquo;re in for a rejuvenating stay from the word go.andnbsp;/p pandnbsp;/p p style="text-align: center;"/p pandnbsp;/p pspan style="font-weight: bold;"Food for Thought:/span/p pAlbeit itandrsquo;s a wellness resort, when it comes to please the palate, Hilton Shillim leaves no pan or pot unturned. Gourmet delicacies served at each of the dining spaces, my gastronomic sojourn began with a hearty lunch at the Mountain Bar andamp; Grill. A drive up, this exquisite restaurant stands pretty at the edge of a cliff, with a swimming pool to call its own, and a view of the mountains that can get you weak in the knees. I was more than content savouring my delicious pizza and mango-ginger smoothie, a rare, yet delicious, combination accompanied by a view equally captivating. In fact, Mountain Bar andamp; Grill is famous for itandrsquo;s scrumptious and cheesy, straight out of the furnace pizzas.andnbsp;/p pandnbsp;/p p style="text-align: center;"/p pandnbsp;/p pFor dinner, we moved to The Green Table, the property that left us wanting for more. With a view of the reservoir thatandrsquo;s underway, it serves delicacies cooked using locally sourced ingredients. Itandrsquo;s not always that one can wipe a plate of salad clean, but when one does, the credit better go to salads like the delicious raw mango one the restaurant served that night. For desserts, we chose to move to the resortandrsquo;s teahouse that exudes quintessential Japanese vibes. It was the very unique sweet potato crandegrave;me branducirc;landeacute;e that I fancied; till the last bite, I couldnandrsquo;t, for once, convince myself that it was indeed sweet potato and not burnt cream. The dessert was beautifully paired with shots of piping hot teaandmdash;indeed a match made in heaven./p pandnbsp;/p pThe breakfast buffet was served at another of the propertyandrsquo;s hillside restaurant, Terazzo. The feeling of sitting by a hill, filling up on breakfast and being treated to nothing but infinite silence and the occasional chirping of birds is something incomparable; an experience one must treat oneself to more often than one could make time for. At Terazzo they also have the facility of the chefandrsquo;s table, where a meal can be laid out right next to a stream that comes alive in monsoon.andnbsp;/p pandnbsp;/p pstrongSpa andamp; Wellness:/strong/p pOf the 320 acres the resort boasts of, 70 acres is dedicated to its award-winning spa facility that offers a host of treatments. A no-kids zone, I visited the consulting area where the doctor, after getting an insight into my lifestyle, suggested I pick the rejuvenation massage. I was then led to a treatment room that is designed to put guests at ease almost instantly. The therapy began, and I donandrsquo;t even faintly recall the point where my mind and body tipped over the edge of resistance, and I was lulled to sleep. I promise, a therapy like this could double up as a session of meditation, it puts your mind and body in a state where they rest like never before. andnbsp;/p pandnbsp;/p pApart from spa therapies, the property also hosts yoga sessions followed by meditation in their artificially created andlsquo;caveandrsquo;; now, if you miss visiting this cave, I can assure you, you will have missed the highlight of your visit. Tranquil and dimly lit, this is where the hermit in you would want to stay just a little longer.andnbsp;/p pandnbsp;/p p style="text-align: center;"/p pandnbsp;/p pspan style="font-weight: bold;"Activities Galore:/span/p pIf you imagined Hilton Shillim limited to just relaxation and rejuvenation, you might want to change your perception right away. The resort property is a beautiful balance between rejuvenation and adrenaline pumping activities. On days you feel exceptionally active, you could join the troupe to trek all the way up to the Shillim peak and soak in an inspiring, unadulterated view of the village. If you please, you could even request the hotel to arrange for a breakfast set up. However, for that you might just have to be doubly lucky. And if mother nature feels just too kind by night, you might just chance upon clear skies giving you the opportunity to star gaze, with a guide helping you around with information on the stars. To speak at length of the nature trails and bird watching activity around a property like this would sound like I am not only addressing but also being over-friendly with the elephant in the room. If you have kids in tow, you could also engage them in archery and cycling around the property. Every villa has two geared bicycles waiting to be ridden.andnbsp;/p pandnbsp;/p pAnother aspect that held tightly onto our attention was the Shillim Institute where debates and discussions around conserving the ecological system are held. The institute, they said, will also soon host cooking classes where guests will get to learn to dish out the healthy meals they have been advised to consume by the doctors and nutritionists on board./p pandnbsp;/p pstrongLuxury in the Lap of Nature:andnbsp;/strong/p pIn all honesty, if the tranquillity and serenity of Hilton Shillim fails to tug at your heartstrings, it canandrsquo;t really be known what else will. Those who possibly have gone up lifeandrsquo;s ladder right from grass root level, loving life in its rawness, would particularly be drawn to Hilton Shillim. For it is here that you can live and experience the rustic essence of life while still seated on a throne of luxury. While the lack of telecom signal pulls you out of the real world, the strong wifi in the villa and restaurants will also drift you back into it occasionally, just like the vibe of the property. I, for one, was more than pleased to forget the sound of horns and cars blaring, even if it was for a short while.andnbsp;/p pandnbsp;/p pThe raw beauty of Hilton Shillim could hit you both waysandmdash;while the deafening silence could compel you to embrace nature in its entirety; you might also find yourself craving for the infectious city energy. Either way, you should not miss connecting with your rustic alter ego. For it is here that the true magic of nature unfolds in all its glory! andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp;/p pandnbsp;/p pstrongMore On andgt;andgt; a href="http://www.luxpresso.com/lifestyle/travel" target="_blank"Travel/a/strong/p

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