Hermitage Guesthouse

Simple cottages and fabulous food on a working farm in the Western Ghats: a taste of life in rural India and a haven for nature lovers

If you want to get away from Goa's frenetic beaches and explore the lush forests and rich wildlife of the interior, this is a real sanctuary. An eco lodge, wrapped in jungle and set at 720m in the picturesque Western Ghat hills (just across the border into Karnataka), it's heaven for twitchers and butterfly-watchers, good fun for older kids and ideal for folk seeking a relaxing nature break, without forsaking too many creature comforts.

An Indian family whose members are all passionate about ecology and wildlife are your hosts. David leads treks into the jungle, jeep rides to swim in waterfalls, night walks to discover wildlife and hikes to local villages, whilst wife Morvarid tickles tastebuds with her south Indian fusion cuisine. Daughter Katrina - a trained entymologist - is on hand, too, to chat about local wildlife.

The guesthouse is also a working farm, growing chikko, turmeric, bananas and coffee. Around the grounds are 3 simple cottages made of wood, bamboo and thatch (one of which is raised up on stilts), each with an open-air bathroom alongside. If you're lucky, you'll see monkeys swinging through the trees above as you shower. A perfect haven to give you a slice of authentic Indian life without taking a vow of silence.

Highs

• Incredible wildlife: we loved all the colourful birds (>300 species) and butterflies, plus we saw elephants, bison and porcupines. There are >1800 species of plants, too
• The Fernandez family offer warm hospitality and personal service. Delicious communal dinners were a highlight of our stay
• Trekking out to tribal village, meeting local people and experiencing the truly stunning scenery, colours and wildlife of the western Ghats
• Fantastic value for money, and rates include all meals
• Lazing in a hammock under a star-filled sky, listening to the monkeys in the jungle canopy above

Lows

• Don't expect all creature comforts - 2 of the cottages don't have electricity or hot water on tap. Opt for Gota if this bothers you; it even has a Western bathroom
• It’s a bit of a trek to get here - a 3-hour jeep trip from the airport - but its isolation is its appeal
• No restaurants, bars - or much else - for miles around, but the food is so good and varied you won’t notice and David keeps a well-stocked bar
• It can be wet from June to October, so bear this in mind when planning your trip