Karnataka: Hasiru Gudu Homestay in Kollegal

Hasiru (‘green’ in Kannada) Gudu (‘nest’), a homestay tucked right into the Western Ghats 25km west of Chikmagalur and all of 3hrs from Bengaluru, is all about the idyllic life on a coffee plantation. Life in Malnad, at their pleasant altitude of 1,120m, offers cool summers and warm winters (the southwest monsoon drenches everything from June to September). The tidy and spacious accommodation encourages plenty of R&R although the environs may tempt you out of it—there are nature trails to be hiked, the sunrise must be seen from the temple atop Maradi Gudda, and there’s fishing, rafting, kayaking and crabbing to be done in the river, even in the monsoon, they say. Oh, and don’t forget to wake up, smell and by all means drink their award-winning coffee. Tariff: Rs 1,999 per person inclusive of all meals; contact: 8105758552 / 9448185557, www.hasiruhomestay.com