It pays to be a Sterling Timeshare member. I became one of their first crop of members in 1995 when I saw an ad in the papers and decided to buy a Timeshare – a novel concept then. Today, more than two decades later, I have stayed in at least a dozen of their resorts through their good, bad and great times and have enjoyed almost every experience.
Sterling Anaikatti was truly a rare and well preserved gem we discovered. I had read about Anaikatti and put it on my bucket list of travels two years ago. We finally found the time to travel this September, right after the floods had washed most of Kerala. We drove down from Chennai to Ooty where we had a two-day stay at Sterling Fernhill, another wonderful property they own.
The drive from Ooty to Anaikatti is by itself an experience. It is not for the weak hearted and certainly not for thrills. Spiralling down 49 narrow, sharp hairpin bends overlooking deep with not a sign of human life in site, is intimidating enough. The forests in the background and warning signs of likely animal crossing only adds to the adventure. If you have a sturdy, reliable car, a strong person behind the wheels and enough music to last you all the way down, the spectacular views will take care of the state of your mind
The Sterling resort is tucked in neatly in one corner right in the tribal village so you get a feel of real village life. It is so unimaginably remote and peaceful that you will forget it is close to civilisation in Palakkad and Coimbatore.
The location of their resorts has always been their plus point. A long driveway with lush green coconut palms welcomes you in. The landscape around makes you feel like you are in an exotic locale. The pinewood and bamboo cottages are cool and have a nice eco-friendly feel about them. The insides are spacious, neat and comfortable with all modern amenities.
Most of the cottages come with a balcony facing the serene Siruvani river and tall coconut palm groves along its banks. Windmills somewhere in the distance turn at their own slow pace in sync with that of your life at that moment.
Now comes the best part. A concrete bench outside the cottage overlooking the gushing river. You can sit there with your morning cuppa or end your day with the sounds of water and nothing else. Absolute bliss!
The staff at Sterling is another plus. Right from the booking teams on phone and email to the executives at the reception like the pleasant and ever-helpful Vinetha, Varun, the perfect manager who is a seasoned Sterling hand and an experienced adventurer, the housekeeping team, the young and eager boys at the restaurant, the knowledgeable guide (a young boy whose name I am sorry I do not remember now) who took us for a pleasure walk down the riverside, explaining the nature of the river and the flora that surrounds it, everyone of them did their bit to make us feel like we were important and well taken care of. There is a certain camaraderie and cheer about the whole team that reflects in their work, as if to ensure your stay is a memorable one.
The food is varied and delicious at every meal. If you are the sort that enjoys in tasting the local fare, do head to the nearest town for an authentic Kerala meal or breakfast at one of the few`hotels’ that dot the highway. A temple in that town caught our attention, as we saw for the first time, statues/papier-mache-like figurines of police guards sharing space with that of the local deities. We wondered if they were worshipped too, as protectors of the humans in the space that rightfully belonged to the wild.
It is best to go when it is off-season and on week days, so you avoid large holiday crowds that can rob you of the tranquility you are seeking in a place this remote.
One thing that I must add is this is clearly a detox destination with no alcohol served and no network connectivity either. Imagine the glee on my face when I learnt that my husband had to live without these minor vices for the two good days we spent there 🙂
