Kahani Paradise
Paddy-field pad
Paradise, is very nice
Hilltop hideaway Kahani Paradise is a few hours’ drive south of Goa, in the Indian state of Karnataka. Gokarna, the nearest town, is a hippie-favoured hideout that offers spiritual soul-searchers a taste of what its northerly neighbour might have been like way back when (the Seventies). The purpose-built residence is the realised dream of a British family, with Rajasthani doors, beamed ceilings and artful arches and antiques adding a little subcontinental spice. The boutique bolthole has just six suites, so you’ll get to know your fellow guests over communal curries, sundowners by the pool and turns of the 20-acre estate.
Facilities
Rooms
Six suites.
Checkout
Check-out at 11 am. Earliest check-in is at 3 pm.
More Details
Rates include breakfast. Lunch and Dinner can be ordered separately from the a la carte menu.
Also
The hotel is not easily navigable for wheelchair users.
Hotel Closed
The hotel is open all year.
Free Internet Access
Laundry
Pet Friendly
Pool
At the Hotel
Free WiFi throughout, badminton, croquet, bicycles to borrow, hotel Jeep and boat. In rooms: iPod dock, air-conditioning, free bottled water, tea and coffee, and Ayca bath products.
Our Favourite Rooms
Each of the six suites has admirable qualities, whether it’s perfectly positioned antiques, walls of windows or elaborately beamed ceilings – but we especially loved the Palace Suite, for its many arches, marble bath tub in the bedroom and hanging filigree lamps.
Poolside
The oval-shaped infinity pool is at the edge of the property, with a view out across the tropical canopy and Arabian Sea, and several cabanas to sequester.
Spa
The spa offers Ayurvedic remedies along with Swedish, aromatherapy and hot-stone ones. Yoga classes are held regularly in the pavilion by the pond. (free for under-6s, INR5,000 a night for children aged 6-11, INR8,000 a night for over-11s)
Packing Tips
The villa’s whitewashed walls form an ideal backdrop to bust out some soft-furnishing-rivalling threads: bring all the colourful cotton and silk you can pack.
Also
This homely hideaway was built as a family retreat, and it shows in the heartfelt interiors: the owners still come and stay, and groups can hire it out as a whole.
Children
Welcome; cots and extra beds can be added to rooms (free for under-5s, INR 6,500 a night for children aged 6-12, INR 8,500 a night for over-11s). Breakfast included. There's a massage garden, beaches nearby, and table tennis and board games to borrow.
Gallery
Food & Drink
Top Table
Join the fun at the long dining table, or have your meal served on your suite’s terrace.
Dress Code
Goa is only a few hours’ drive north: if you want to go full hippie, no one’s judging.
Hotel Restaurant
There are only six rooms, so the chances are you’re going to get to know your fellow guests – and the communal table in the dining area is the best place to do it. Enjoy bountiful breakfasts of home-made muesli, bread and yoghurt, eggs and bacon, and Indian options such as parathas, dosas and idli. The curries come dinnertime are excellent (hello dahl makhani, with just-made roti), but Western palates are also catered to. Lunch (international and Indian dishes) can be arranged on request.
Hotel Bar
There’s no bar, but drinks can be served wherever you want them (tip: there’s a hilltop spot that screams ‘sunset G&T’).
Last Orders
Breakfast hours are 7:30 am to 11 am. Lunch can be served between 1 pm and 3 pm. Dinner starts at 7 pm, with last orders taken at 9 pm.
Planes
Goa’s international airport is closest, but this is India, so don’t let that fool you: the 155-kilometre drive should take just under four hours. Kahani Paradise can fetch you from INR 6,500 each way for a midsize car, or INR 8,500 each way for a Toyota Innova.
Trains
The nearest rail station is Gokarna Road, 11 kilometres away; the drive should take around 20 minutes. Hotel transfers start from 1,500 rupees each way. From here, you can catch a train to other Indian cities, including Margao in Goa.
Automobiles
It’s 15 minutes by car into the centre of Gokarna and there’s a car park within the estate, but it’s a heck of a lot easier to enlist the help of a driver to navigate the local roads and traffic.
Worth Getting Out of Bed For
This is a small-scale sanctuary, away from the crowds and touristy developments of Goa, where you can dig a little deeper for a still-authentic, like-it-was-in-the-Seventies Indian adventure.
The hotel can help to arrange boat trips with local fishermen, strolls to the lighthouse, trips to the market on Thursdays and sundowners around the estate. Learn how to cook in the hotel kitchens with a local-led cookery class, or enlist the expertise of the resident botanist for a tour of the 20 acres. In the Arabian Sea town of Gokarna, Hindu pilgrims journey to its temples, which include Mahabaleshwar and its shrine to Shiva. There are motorbikes to borrow at the hotel to make the 20-minute trip into town easier. Half Moon Beach is a kilometre along the coast – it’s only accessible on foot, and the walk will take around 15 minutes.
Don’t miss the famous hippie-favoured Paradise Beach (so hippie-favoured, in fact, it’s sometimes just called ‘Hippie Beach’).
Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt
This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .
