Forest Homestay - Maradi

Forest Homestay Maradi ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you’re seeking a piece of paradise tucked away in the hills, The Forest Homestay Maradi is an absolute gem! From the moment we stepped foot on the property, we were greeted with warm smiles and an overwhelming sense of peace. Honestly, the service here is heartwarming; the staff truly go above and beyond to ensure you have a memorable experience. The location itself is a masterpiece of nature. Lush green surrounds you everywhere you turn, with breathtaking views that make for the perfect backdrop. Whether it was morning or evening, the Idargana kallu sunset point walk became one of our favorite rituals—nothing beats the explosion of colors as the sun dips below the horizon. As avid trekkers, we were thrilled with the trekking facilities available - Benne Kallu. The guided treks led us through different terrains where we were fortunate enough to spot mesmerizing wildlife, including the stunning Malabar grey hornbill and the dramatic Malabar pied hornbill. The sights were beyond words! We also participated in the coffee plantation tour that was splendidly explained by our passionate guide. Learning about the arabica and robusta processes while taking in the fragrant, earthy aromas was a treat I won't forget. Plus, we happened upon fresh peppercorn and cardamom plants—it was like getting a front-row seat to nature’s spice rack! Food was another delightful aspect; I can’t recommend the local cuisine menu enough - Malnad Cuisine. Every bite felt like an embrace of culinary tradition. It was delightful to see the local flavors vibrantly showcased in each dish. For those looking for some fun and leisure, the resort offers a ton of activities! We enjoyed tossing a badminton birdie around and found ourselves laughing while playing cricket in the open fields. The gun shooting activity added an adventurous twist to our stay. At night, gathering around the fireplace while sharing stories under the starlit sky was just magical. Additionally, the resort's knack for ensuring heck of a lot of wildlife excitement led us to catch glimpses of the charming Malabar squirrel and vibrant peacocks! This place is truly a nature lover's delight. In short, if you're searching for a tranquil escape ***** with a rich flora and fauna experience, plus an introduction to local delicacies, look no further than The Forest Homestay - Maradi. We left rejuvenated and with heartfelt memories thanks to this beautiful piece of heaven. You’ll definitely be hearing from us again!

My experience with the stay at Forest Homestay, Chikmagalur, was not great. These are the points: 1.) Cleanliness: They claimed that they had maintained cleanliness which didn’t meet our expectations. I do understand that the plantation area will be prone to insects but not inside the rooms. Cockroaches, lizards and huge spiders greeted us on the first day itself. I advise them to do a pest control to the rooms regularly to avoid this. We stayed for two nights and there was no cleaning done until we called them multiple times and insisted in mopping the rooms and to clear the bins. In the dining area, the tables aren’t wiped clean. The ‘plastic’ plates are so untidy! When wiped with tissue, we can clearly see the stains of previous food. They aren’t washed. I believe they are just dipped in water and piled up in stacks. They don’t have an alternative for this! 2.) Food: Limited variety of food which was awful on the day 1. They food was extremely salty! On insisting them repeatedly to pay heed to salt, the next day the food was tasteless with very less salt. No options and no treat to your tongue! No staff is engaged to serve food. Food is stored in containers and placed to next to each other and we have to self serve. Extra food (starters) is charged bombshell! Otherwise the other foods are simple. There is no water purifier installed anywhere in the dining area or the stay premises. One litre bottles available had to be requested before use and this was accordingly charged. 3.) Activities: No activities at all. The sunset viewing was worth walking down. Apart from this there was Rifle shooting where empty water bottles were hung and a bad rifle with bullets were given. There was a better rifle but the staff did not provide it to us and he said it was being used by a different group of people in the same premises and later he forgot to bring it to us. There was a broken swing and no archery, no estate tour, no waterfalls. No proactive approach to any activity. Only on multiple reminders, and after one family departs, we get to use the same carrom board. Bonfire nights with friends was one good thing. 4.) Facilities: No Airtel No Jio network! No WiFi! No telephone to connect to the staff of the Homestay too! Every time we need a bottle of water or any concerns contacting them was a challenge. There was no hot water. So upon calling the staff, he used to turn on from the backside of the room and fix the problem. 5.) Service: The staff, Mahesh was quite active in serving the needs. Though late, as he is the only one taking care of all the families, he was helpful. Punya, the estate owner was friendly and approachable.

The highlight of the place is the host and their staff who are always available right from the booking stage until you complete the trip and get back to your car to return home. We were a big family of 30 members so we had hired a bus so Nuthan took extra care to come pick us and then helped turn around the bus in those small roads. Food was unlimited and they agreed to prepare certain authentic malnad dishes according to our preference and made it part of the package without charging more. Mud volleyball was awesome experience and sadly Nuthan and his staff became ball boys to assist the inexperienced players 😀. Air rifle was a good experience for kids. For a big family like us, we preferred to stay together but had to be split because of the size into two different places within their property. This was the only concern we had. Overall a very nice experience staying here and I would recommend it.