The project is located in a steep valley among misty mountains of Munnar, in the Western Ghats region. The site has an area of 87cents majority of which remains steep & difficult for construction due to the loose clayey soil conditions. The valley overlooks a stream flowing as a Cuckmere with the background of misty mountains giving a perfect frame for a getaway resort.
The hotel is designed as a eco-resort hotel with all the bedrooms facing the valley and the stream, and an extending balcony. The steepness of the site is incorporated in the design, by taking three levels into the slope and the retaining walls are utilized being the part of the underground water tank and fire reserve tank.
The major challenge of the 5 storey hotel was to attain an intimate and soulful feel for a retreat rather than staying in a concrete cover. Design intended to bring in contextual and ethnic flavor to the experience, as the majority of visitors will be international tourist which was created by fusing the nostalgic elements of Kerala architecture, Sloping roof with clay tiles make the structure merge with the mountain and create a very natural space within. The roof sloping up to the eyelevel in balconies creates the intimacy with the rainwater trickling down in monsoon.
The filtering of light using wooden reapers, reminiscent of jallis in naalukettu style, in the passage creates a dramatic feel to the interiors further enhanced by a pottery installation work adding a lot of life and richness to the space. Coconut wood is extensively in the interiors giving right color and texture for the joineries emphasizing contextuality and imparting a disciplined language to it. It helped us to employ local craftsmen and carpenters who were losing their fundamental expertise working on imported wood.