I didn\u2019t realize it was the Easter weekend until I randomly called Sur and found out that he had planned a trip to Coorg with Shahrukh and Himanshi. Since my calendar was free, I asked Sur if I could join\u2014and he was happy to add me to the gang.<\/p>\n
Day 1<\/strong> Upon check-in, we were welcomed with a refreshing drink that tasted more like Rooh Afza. Soon after, we headed straight to the lawn, which instantly became our favorite hangout spot. Since I live in another city, this trip was a rare and much-needed chance to truly catch up with all three of them\u2014Sur, Shahrukh, and Himanshi.<\/p>\n We grabbed some sandwiches and coffee from their caf\u00e9, Arabica. The staff were kind enough to serve everything at the lawn, which we really appreciated. As it got a bit chilly later in the evening, I stepped inside for a work call, wrapping it up just 15 minutes before the dinner buffet closed. Sur thoughtfully saved me some food, but unfortunately, the buffet turned out to be pretty average. Since I wasn\u2019t too hungry after the sandwich, I just ate a little and then crashed for the night.<\/p>\n One thing that disappointed me was the lack of 24\/7 food or snack options\u2014something you\u2019d expect at a five-star property. It\u2019s a huge letdown for late-night cravings or those arriving late. Similarly, Sur wanted to try one of the mocktails from the caf\u00e9 menu, but we were told they were only available during bar hours, which are tied to the buffet timings. I honestly don\u2019t understand the logic behind that\u2014it defeats the purpose of having a separate caf\u00e9 menu.<\/p>\n We tried to book the night herping activity, but it was already full\u2014only five people per slot! Disappointed, we inquired about the bird-watching tour scheduled for the next morning, only to find that was fully booked as well. For such a large property, it was surprising (and frustrating) to see such limited slots for popular activities. Unless you pre-book them while confirming your stay, there\u2019s a high chance you\u2019ll miss out altogether. Definitely a letdown, especially when these are some of the main experiences the resort promotes.<\/p>\n Day 2<\/strong> The walk turned out to be both informative and enjoyable. We learned about the endangered Indian Frankincense tree (which can\u2019t be cut due to conservation laws), Adi pepper (a premium variety of black pepper), Coorg lemon (which looks like an orange but is a key ingredient in the local pork curry), and parasitic trees that grow by choking their host plants. One interesting tidbit was about fig trees\u2014they always have insects inside them to help with ripening. Someone joked that fig is technically a \u201cnon-vegetarian fruit\u201d\u2014we all had a laugh over that!<\/p>\n We also strolled through the resort\u2019s own coffee plantation, where we got to know more about Arabica, Robusta, and hybrid coffee varieties. It was disheartening to learn that the best beans are usually exported, and what we get locally is often the lower-grade stuff. I could totally relate. Initially, I scoffed at the idea of buying cinnamon in Dubai\u2014I mean, why not just get it from Kerala? But once I smelled what they had, I changed my mind. The aroma was so rich and full of essential oil, I can still recall it vividly. It’s a shame we don\u2019t get that kind of quality in India, even at a premium price.<\/p>\n Later in the day, we tried out a golf session and learned the basics of putting. Unfortunately, the experience was cut short due to a bunch of unsupervised kids running around and interfering. Their parents, who were right there, didn\u2019t bother to step in\u2014it became so chaotic that we just gave up and left midway.<\/p>\n Lunch was light\u2014we opted for snacks, and the cheese toast was amazing. We spent some time exploring the property further and checked out the activity zone, where we did a coffee tasting and also visited their in-house museum.<\/p>\n Shahrukh and Himanshi considered going for a swim, but backed out immediately after seeing the pool swarming with kids. Honestly, I wish the resort had a separate pool for adults\u2014it would\u2019ve made a huge difference.<\/p>\n Back at the lawn in the evening, we brought out our wine and chilled. The restaurant was too crowded, so Himanshi kindly brought us some starters, and the staff didn\u2019t mind us eating outside. That made the evening enjoyable again despite the crowd. Eventually, we wrapped up and went to bed.<\/p>\n Day 3<\/strong><\/p>\n We had another restful sleep, had breakfast, and checked out. Himanshi drove on the way back, and since she prefers a slow pace, I dozed off in the car.<\/p>\n We stopped for lunch at Sri Krishna Caf\u00e9<\/em>, a veg restaurant (not my first choice, but highly rated), and it surprised us\u2014it was clean, super-fast, and tasty. The service was lightning fast, and we were genuinely impressed.<\/p>\n Then came the cutest part of the day\u2014Himanshi wanted McDonald\u2019s soft-serve ice cream. They didn\u2019t have the chocolate flavour she wanted, so she ordered chocolate fudge instead. She asked for an extra cone and carefully poured the hot fudge into it, sat outside in the sun, and enjoyed her custom treat. It was adorable, and of course, Sur clicked a picture of the moment. Eventually, we made it home by evening\u2014slower but memorable.<\/p>\n Final Thoughts (PS):<\/strong> While the buffet food was just average, the Arabica Caf\u00e9 stood out for both taste and service. During peak occupancy, the resort could definitely use more dining space\u2014it felt crowded and slightly chaotic at times. Also, a separate swimming pool for kids would go a long way in improving the overall experience, especially for adults looking to relax. It would be equally helpful to have dedicated, kid-free golf sessions, as the current setup doesn’t account for interruptions from unsupervised children.<\/p>\n In short, the resort is ideal for a short, relaxing break\u2014two nights max. It\u2019s not the best fit for those seeking adventure or a packed itinerary unless you’re meticulous with advance planning.<\/p>\n My verdict? Worth visiting once, but not entirely justifiable for the money you\u2019ll spend. That said, the staff were incredibly friendly and hospitable, which really stood out. One kind receptionist even offered to lend me her own sweater when I forgot to pack mine\u2014though I didn\u2019t end up using it, the gesture was truly thoughtful.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I didn\u2019t realize it was the Easter weekend until I randomly called Sur and found out that he had planned a trip to Coorg with Shahrukh and Himanshi. Since my calendar was free, I asked Sur if I could join\u2014and he was happy to add me to the gang. Day 1 This time, Shahrukh was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/janijermans.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/janijermans.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/janijermans.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/janijermans.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/janijermans.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=136"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/janijermans.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":140,"href":"https:\/\/janijermans.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136\/revisions\/140"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/janijermans.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=136"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/janijermans.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=136"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/janijermans.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=136"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nThis time, Shahrukh was the designated driver. We made a quick stop for breakfast and reached Montrose Golf Resort by evening. The property looked absolutely stunning\u2014elegant, serene, and a perfect weekend escape.<\/p>\n
\nAfter a good night\u2019s sleep, we headed for breakfast\u2014which was decent\u2014and then joined the nature walk. It was originally limited to 20 people, but luckily, they allowed all four of us to join. We genuinely appreciated that flexibility.<\/p>\n
\nMontrose Golf Resort is a beautiful property, perfect for golf enthusiasts and those looking for a quiet, scenic escape. The aesthetics are truly 5-star\u2014elegant, serene, and well-maintained. However, if you\u2019re planning a stay longer than two nights, be prepared. Activities start to feel limited unless you\u2019ve pre-booked everything well in advance\u2014and even then, there\u2019s a good chance you might miss out due to tight slots.<\/p>\n