Dune (n): a hill of sand formed by the wind, especially on a sea coast
or in a desert.
On the East Coast Road, more fondly & conveniently called the ECR, towards Pondicherry (now Puducherry) and just 15 km before, is The Dune Resort. I had the privilege of drifting through 2 beautiful days on this huge property.
Set on a sprawling territory of 40 acres, the resort is more than what they call it - 'Eco-village & Spa'. Not only is the destination nature friendly, but its people are more so - peaceful, helpful & pleasant. The only thing worth appreciating more than the ethereal beauty of the place, is the service, support and courteousness extended to us during our stay. The place does away with the 'room-concept' and instead offers bunglows. There are about 25 uniquely themed suites/houses as they are named, and 40 in all.
The only kind of transport inside the premises is battery operated, and the only kind of food they prepare is organic. With a huge and awesomely shaped swimming pool & a private beach to boot, The Dune beats any beach resort I have ever been to.
At the lowest rung of the price ladder, are the string of 'nature-cooled' houses. Yes. Not air-conditioned. Nature cooled. Frankly, the minute you step into the house, you would feel the coolness. Its only upon further perusal that one finds that there isnt an air-conditioner in the house. The next step up the ladder would bring you the air-conditioned houses. The only difference being the presence of air conditioners. Then come the suites. Every suite has a unique feature. The Surya Suite has an
open bath-tub, the Gramam House has a bed so high that they are attached with steps to get on! The garden suite, has a garden terrace, where you can relax in the night time, gazing at the sky. And so on! Then there is the Granite House (the best of the lot) which was, unfortunately, not available during my stay. Then there is the Tower House, which, as the name suggests, is actually situated on a tower! Beautiful.
I stayed day 1 at the Bamboo House (nature-cooled) and day 2 at the Gramam House. My original preferences were not available, but the alternatives werent disappointing! The main reasons why The Dune gets you to relax without much effort, are that there is no television in your house/suite, which I have known to be a huge distraction for most people on holidays. Also, the place is so huge, with a tennis court, a rejuvenating spa, gym, swimming pool, private beach, children's play area, vegetable and fruit garden, animal husbandry and a nursery.
Most houses/suites have an outdoor sitting area, perfect for chilling out. Each house has a dvd player and screen, and the resort has a huge dvd library to choose from. All in all, the best holiday I had in years. The most relaxing one for sure! I strongly recommend this place for anyone looking to spend a quiet weekend away from the hustle and bustle of city life.
Their website is www.thedunehotel.com which offers tariffs, photos of each house/suite along with details. Strongly Recommended!
Bye,
Amit.
P.S.: The best part? Imagine spending a quiet night, and the distant sound of waves all through the night. Definitely priceless :-)
