Acres Wild Cheesemaking Farmstay,
571, Upper Meanjee Estate,
Kannimariamman Kovil Street,
Coonoor, Tamil Nadu 643 101, India.
Mobile: 94432-32621 Landline: +91 423-223-2621
Dear
Guests,
Welcome to Acres Wild Farmstay!
Here are some tips & a guide to make your stay with us even more enjoyable!
Please do read through this so that you are familiar with
how things work!
Tina and Mansoor are the property owners.
Mansoor handles the general management and Tina handles the food and billing. If you have any problems please call Mansoor at +91-94432-32621.
· Munna (+91 94426-63881) is the farm activities manager but does not stay on the farm.
· Deepak (+91-94865-48205) cooks the food and handles the catering with his wife, Swarna, in our Dining Room.
· Vinod (+91-94869-76877) makes the cheese but also helps to look after upper level guests in Colby Cottage & Haloumi House as they are near the Cheese Cottage.
· Mary (+91-91594-55889)helps with the cleaning of all Cottages.
(The rates may be a bit older. I will try and keep updated).
Please do check with all options mentioned below for a more competitive rate.
Indica – 1,200 non AC and 1,400 with AC
Indigo – 1,300 non-AC and 1,600 with AC
Ford Icon – same as Indigo
Innova – 2,200 Ac or Non AC
We use him often and is very popular and reliable.
Manohar Mobile - +91 94430-78484.
Someone who seems promising and may have more
competitive rates.
Joe Mobile: +91 94434-23595 / +91-98438-23595 /
+91-94870-26269
Recommended by a close friend.
Manohar Mobile - +91 94431-01175.
Srongly recommended by some visitors to our farm for his politness and helpful nature.
Prabhakar Mobile - +91 94430-85278.
Kindly check the rates directly with Manohar & Joe as
this can vary a lot.
1. Coonoor Drug Stores
Jograj Building, Bedford
+91 423-223-0272
2. Fire & Ambulance Service
101 / +91 423-223-0101
3. Government Lawley Hospital
+91 423–223-1050
4. Jain Navyuk Sangh Ambulance
+91-94431-01060
5. Nankem Hospital & Ambulance Service
Rajaji Nagar, off Figure of 8 road,
Coonoor
+91 423 – 2231550
A
private hospital with facilities to take care of any emergency.
Check in time: 12:00
Check out time: 11:00
· Guests should bring their own beverages and toiletries other than soap & shampoo.
· Smoking is allowed on the porch or gazebo but not in the cottages.
· Pets are not allowed on the beds or on the furniture.
· Guests are requested to use the equipment, furniture, fittings etc with care. Any damages by guests will be charged for.
· We may, at our own discretion and without liability or cost to ourselves at any time cancel or terminate the guest's booking in the event of illegal or incompatible behavior of the guest, who shall in such circumstances not be entitled to any refund.
· There are 2 rooms in Cheddar & 2 rooms in Haloumi House and one in Colby cottage.
· Each room has a double bed. One extra mattress per room can be made available for an extra person as per our Tariff rules.
· Children under 10 may sleep with their parents on the double bed.
·
The Sheets & Pillow Cases will have been
changed for your stay and will normally be changed once a week during longer
stays.
· There is a bathroom attached to each bedroom.
· Each of the bathrooms has a shower and a solar water heating system that also serves as a geyser.
· If the water is not hot enough then the geysers may be switched on 30 minutes before you bathe and switched off when you finish. The electricity supply is better during the day than in the evenings so the geysers work best in the morning!
· If there is any problem with the hot water please inform Deepak /Vinod / Mansoor and we will arrange hot water in a bucket.
· If you have not brought your own toiletries other than soap and shampoo you can buy them at any one of the grocery shops in Coonoor. Most brands are available here!
· You will be given one bath towel per person and 2 hand towels per bathroom. For those staying for a longer period the towels will be changed once a week.
We will wash and iron your clothes for you for a small fee.
SHIRTS/T-SHIRTS/TOPS/KURTAS/KAMEEZES - Rs. 30 each
PANTS/JEANS/SHORTS/SKIRTS/PYJAMAS/SHALWARS - Rs. 30 each
SAREES…………………………………………… Rs. 75 each
SAREE PETTICOATS & BLOUSES……………. Rs. 25 each
NIGHTDRESSES/DRESSING GOWNS/PYJAMA SUITS/DRESSES Rs. 50 each
Babies clothes / underwear ……………… Rs. 15 each
Baby towels /wraps etc …………… Rs. 25
· All Clothes will be washed in the washing machine. Please make sure you give clothes which are “fast colour” and “washing machine safe”.
· We are not responsible for colour running onto other clothes.
· Please note that there is a minimum charge of Rs 100/- for running the washing machine if we do not have a full load (10 – 12 assorted items).
· There is a clothes line at the back of the house (except Colby) which you can use to dry your clothes/towels.
· If you need shawls, sweaters, overcoats, suits or any large items laundered, you will have to take them to a laundry. There is one at Bedford called Faab Care.
· There are wall & ceiling lights in every room and bathroom.
· In case the electricity goes off (as it sometimes does in hill stations!) there is an emergency torch in each bedroom.
· Please check where the Emergency Torch for your room is so that you are not at a loss if the lights go out.
· There are some candle stands & tea candles on the Living Room mantelpiece. You are most welcome to use them any time you like!
· There are exterior lights on the outside of the house. The switches are in the Bedroom (for the lights outside the bedroom) & Living Room for the lights in the verandah.
· There are lights for the path & stairs from the carpark down/up to the house. The switch for these is just outside the Verandah or outside the dining hall. Please ask Deepak / Vinod to put them on for you if they are off.
· Please switch off all lights when you are not in a particular area!
Breakfast : 8:00 – 10:00 am
Lunch
: 1:00 – 2:30 pm
Dinner : 8:00 – 9:30 pm
· One Breakfast per person per night of stay is complimentary. Any extra Breakfast will be Rs. 200/- per person including a cup of tea or coffee.
· Tea coffee milk and sugar are provided for your use. Please feel free to make your own cup. Bed tea/ evening tea will not be made by Deepak/ Vinod. If you cannot make your own Tea/ Coffee, then, if Deepak / Vinod are free they may make it for you at the tea/ coffee prices mentioned below.
· Vegetarian Breakfast includes Seasonal fruit, Upma OR Potato Poha, Bread, Butter, Acres Wild cheese, toast and homemade jam.
· Non-Veg Breakfast includes seasonal fruit, 2 eggs of your choice, Bread, Butter, Acres Wild Cheese, toast and homemade jam.
Please
inform us a day in advance as to whether you are going to have a meal with us.
VEGETARIAN
MEAL PRICE: is Rs.300/- per person per meal. Children Under 10 will be charged
Rs 150/- per child.
VEGETARIAN
MEAL:- Rice, Roti, Sambhar or Dal, 2 Vegetables, Curd, & Desert. OR
Soup, garlic bread, salad, Bake and Dessert.
NON-VEGETARIAN
MEAL PRICE: : is Rs.350/- per person per meal. Children under 10 will be
charged Rs 175/- per child.
NON
VEGETARIAN MEAL: Rice, Sambhar or
Dal, 1 Vegetable, 1 Fish OR Chicken
dish, Curd, & desert.
TEA
per cup - Rs. 15/-
COFFEE
per cup - Rs. 20/-
· We provide Filtered Water for drinking. If you need bottled water or any other beverages you can buy them at any of the grocery stores.
· You are most welcome to store your drinks & provisions in the fridge. But please put the fridge off if you are not planning to use it.
· Meals are served in the Dining Room. If you are unable to make it to the dining room for a meal then you may come up to the dining room and take a tiffin carrier down/up to your room. Let Deepak/Vinod know your preference in advance.
· We do not provide room service.
Here
is a list of sources that we use:
1. Aboo
Fish – Stall No.05 Coonoor Market
+91 423-223-4208 / 223-3647 /
+91-94432-80941
This
is where we buy our fish. Prawns, bekti, red snapper, trout and lots of other
exciting stuff!
2. Baker’s
Junction – Cedrik & Murli
27 Staines School Road, Coonoor 643 101
+91 423-222-2223/ 223-4149 / +91
94430-35551
We
love doing our shopping here! They have
most things you could need. Toiletries, provisions, juices, eggs, breads,
frozen foods incl. chicken & fish, and also fresh vegetables in front. They
also stock Acres Wild products.
3. Coonoor
Market – Lower Coonoor
Wonderfully
quaint and a very manageable sized market. You get the freshest
vegetables, fruit, meat & fish here! And whatever else you could
possibly dream of.. Parts of the market are shut on Fridays.
4. Green
Shop – Jograj Building, Bedford Circle, Upper Coonoor
+91 423-223-8412
Organic
Food, Honey, Pottery, Handicrafts, Essential Oils, Garments, Books, CDs,
Incense & Toys.
5. Kurinji
Vegetable Shop – Bedford, Coonoor
If
you do not feel like going all the way down to Coonoor Market, you can shop
here. He has a good range of fruits & vegetables and sometimes really
exotic ones!
6. Laxmi
Narayan Stores – NKN Complex, Bedford, Coonoor
+91-423–223-2394
When
you cannot find something, LNS is bound to have it! There is also a decent
mithai shop next to it.
7. Leonard’s
Exotic English Cuisine
+91 9629335504 / 98942-11124
Caters
very bland English cuisine with a few exotic Goan dishes thrown in! You can
order any of his stuff and he delivers it to you! Not sure of him delivering to
Acres Wild…check it out.
8. More
– Mount Road, Coonoor
Part
of a retail chain. Good for provisions.
9. Mutton
Shop No.15 – Coonoor Market
+91 98438-87102 / +91 98439-10160
This
is where we buy our mutton. Excellent legs, mince, chops and pieces. The beef
stalls are on the level above this in the market.
10. Tulsi
Mall – 31 Mount Pleasant road, Lower Coonoor
+91-423–220-7277 / 220-7377 / 220-6922
Fresh
vegetables, fruits & groceries besides anything you could ever imagine. Get
them to take you to their antique sections! They have two warehouses full of
fascinating stuff…including a lot of enamel ware! They are shut on Tuesdays.
11. Vijaya
Stores – Coonoor Market
+91 423-223-0598
Provision
store with a cold storage. Good place when you are in the market. The mutton
stalls are just opposite them. There is also a shop that sells fresh coffee
beans next door. Lot of fruit shops also nearby.
1. Café Coffee Day – Grays Hill, Sims Park
road, Bedford, Upper Coonoor
+91 423-222-2222
Part of the India-wide chain. Good
espresso & cappuccino.
2. Goggi's Fast Food – Mount Road, Coonoor
+91 94436-06452 / +91 91597-69998 / +91
94873-15163
Chinese & Moghlai. Never eaten here.
They do home deliveries but Acres Wild might be a bit too far for them!
3. Kurunji - Commercial road, Ooty
+91
423–244-7636
For
dosas & snacks. Amongst the oldest cafes in Ooty on the main shopping
street. Very near by is King Star…famous
with all the school kids for their chocolates & fudges.
4 . Orchid Square – Tiger Hill /
Brooklands.
+91 423–223-8306
Good Indian, Tandoori and Chinese food.
5. Madurai Appu – 23 Mount Road, Coonoor
+91 423–222-2233
Authentic
Chettinad Food + Chinese! Haven’t eaten there ourselves but a friend recommends
it highly. They also do home deliveries….again, Acres Wild might be too far.
6. Quality Restaurant – Bedford
+91-423–223-6400
Known
for its Kerala cuisine, this is a multi cuisine restaurant. They have an
interesting buffet lunch during the tourist seasons.
7. Red Hills – Avalanchi
+91-423–259-5755
Avalanchi
is 28km from Ooty. A vast stretch of undisturbed tropical forest with a lot of
wildlife, especially ibex. Red Hills is run by an old couple who can give you
lunch if you let them know you are coming.
8. Shinkows Chinese Restaurant :
Commissioners road, Ooty
+91-423–244-2811
Probably
the oldest Chinese restaurant in Ooty. Good wholesome fare! We always lunch
here when we go to Ooty.
9. Sri Lakshmi: DVD Complex, TDK Pillai
road, Lower Coonoor
+91 423 – 223-8889
Excellent
South Indian vegetarian restaurant. Great value for money. We eat here whenever
we go to Coonoor Market. Great filter coffee too!
10. The Gateway Hotel (earlier called Taj
Garden Retreat): Church Road, Upper Coonoor
+91 423–223-0021 / 223-0531 / 223-4141
Multi
cuisine restaurant. Normal 5 star fare.
1.
Big Shop – Commercial Road, Ooty - +91 423–244-4136
· Besides a whole range of products, they have great jewelry! Worth checking out.
2.
Mohan Stores - Commissioners Road, Ooty - +91
423–244-2376
· Lots of beautiful old & new things for the house. Remember not to go to Ooty on a Thursday as most shops are shut.
3.
Needle Craft – Erin Villa, Singara Estate Road, Coonoor -
+91 423-223-0788
· Beautiful and expensive embroidered stuff. Lovely drive to the place. Beautiful garden. Well worth a visit.
· You also get embroidered stuff at ISSU at Bedford. Check it out.
4.
The Transcultural Mission – Coonoor.
This is conducted by Pamila Alves for women to learn and make various
kinds of embroidery for sale. Rates are
very reasonable. Mobile: +91 96263-43774
5.
Rose and Teak – Commissioners Road, Ooty - +91
423–244-2376
· Sells beautiful antique furniture. Is owned by Mohan Store. Go to their warehouse. It is quite stunning.
6.
Sree Guru Ragavendra Antiques – Jothimani Complex, Aruvankadu -
+91-94434-62155
· Sells Tanjore paintings & antique furniture. Is on the way to Ooty if you take the normal route. Phone and let him know you are coming or you may find the shop shut.
7.
Tulsi Mall – 31 Mount Pleasant Road, Lower Coonoor - +91 423 – 220-7277 /
220-7377 / 220-6922
· You have to see this place to believe it! There is nothing that it does not have except for non-vegetarian food!
· It is run by a Marwari family headed by Shantilal and ably assisted by brothers, cousins, sons & nephews!
· There is Kamal, Uttam, Sidharth, & Sunil to name a few.
· They really treat us as family. Most of what you see in the house is from Tulsi Mall!
8.
Variety Hall Agencies – Near Market, Lower Coonoor
Just next to Sri Lakshmi, our
favorite thali place. Wonderful sarees and materials! Run by a cousin of
Shantilal.
9.
Vriksh: Primrose Building, Church Road, Bedford, Upper Coonoor.
+91 423–222-1413 / 222-1730
Very lovely antique furniture
& knick-knacks for the house. Owned by a friend of ours, Kirit Rajpal.
10.
Acres Wild Cheesemaking Farmstay – 94432-32621.
· We have a billiards/pool/snooker table. This is only for adults and preferably those who have some knowledge of the game as the table is expensive and delicate. Please check with us if you have any doubts about this.
· The latest addition is a Foosball table. Yes that is table football and great fun for all ages.
· There is a carrom table and hopefully you can find all the coins. Well that also means please be kind to the guests after you and replace coins carefully in the box :-).
· There are assorted board games and even some pack of cards.
· There is a Tata Sky satellite connection in The Club House.
· There is also a TV & DVD player here. If you have not brought along any DVDs, you can check with us or get some from Tulsi Mall. NOTE: Please unplug the mains of the TV/DVD etc from the wall after you finish as electronics plugged into sockets is very vulnerable to lightning in the hills. This applies to your own electronic gadgets that you use in your room too!!!
· There is also a good collection of books for those who like to read.
C
11.
Coonoor Club – Near Sims Park, Coonoor - +91-423-222-171
/ +91 423-223-1714
· You have to be a member of club that is affiliated to Coonoor Club to be able to use its facilities.
· They have badminton, tennis, table-tennis & snooker.
· They also have a card room for Bridge playing addicts!
· They run Summer Camps for children.
12.
Highfield Horse Riding School – Highfield Tea Factory - +91–90955-67811
· Between 7 am – 8 am & 5 pm – 6pm. Call and make an appointment.
· You can also take a tour of the tea factory and buy all your spices there!
· Homedale Tea Factory also has tours and tea tasting. Call Prashant for an appointment.
13.
Jacaranda Spa & Salon– Coral Gables Inn, Coonoor Club Road,
Coonoor - +91 423–223-2561 / +91 94422-89565
· The young man there gives a fantastic Spa Pedicure & Manicure and the massage chair you sit on is brilliant!
· Going to try the head & shoulder massage one of these days. T
· hey do many other types of massages, reflexology, hair-cuts, shampoos, facials and other spa & salon stuff.
14.
K – Holistic – Figure of 8 Road, Opp Vivek Tourist Home,
Coonoor - +91 98402-08735
· Owned and run by Kayoko Rozario, a Japanese lady and a friend of ours who gives excellent massages, pedicures and facials.
· You will have to call her and make an appointment. I recommended this highly. Swedish massages, aroma therapy, reflexology etc
15.
Lending Library – Bharatiya Vidhya Bhavan: Veena Complex,
Mount Road, Coonoor - +91-94426-31958
· It is closed on Mondays.
16.
Light & Life Academy – Gandhipet, Kollimallai Road, Lovedale,
Ooty - +91 423–517370
· Anuradha & Iqbal Mohamed run courses in photography.
17.
Naturalife Spa – Nankem Hospital Premises, Coonoor - +91
423 – 223-6550 / +91-94426-44283
· They also do massages, facials, manicures & pedicures. I hear they are quite good.
· They also have a Naturalife Clinic where they treat ailments with Ayurveda, Homoeopathy, Naturopathy & Yoga.
18.
Ooty Gymkhana Club– Golf Links Road, Ooty - +91 423 – 244-2254
/ 244-8497
· You are required to bring your own golf kit and must have knowledge of the game. There is a dress code to be adhered to and you must make a reservation.
19.
Wellington Gymkhana Club – Wellington - +91 423–220-2040
· You are required to bring your own golf kit and must have knowledge of the game. There is a dress code & club rules to be adhered to and you must make a reservation.
20.
Yoga Body Mind Workshop – Shangri-la, Brooklands, Coonoor - +91
–98943-58545 / +91 94436-05588
· Run by Vinod Kumar & his Japanese wife. They also do Reiki.
1. Avalanchi – with its breathtaking scenery is 28km from Ooty. Wildlife, especially ibex, can be seen in the vast stretches of undisturbed tropical forests. Avalanchi supposedly got its name from a huge landslide in 1824 when there were eight days of non-stop rain, thunder & winds. There is a hotel called Red Hills in Avalanchi and they can give you lunch if you let them know you are coming.
3. Doddabetta
– at a height of 2623m, it is the highest peak in the Nilgiris with
breathtaking scenery all around. There is even a telescope to look through. The
charm of the place has been somewhat eroded in recent years due to the stores
that have sprung up around the area.
There is a lovely scenic road that connects Kotagiri with Ooty, which
branches off to Doddabetta. It is lengthier than the normal route to Ooty but
since there is very little traffic on this road, it does not take much
longer!
4. Dolphin’s
Nose or Mookumalai (mooku meaning nose & malai meaning mountain in
Tamil) – is the last stop on the road connecting Lamb’s Rock & Lady Canning
Seat. You go through narrow winding
roads with tea bushes on either side, mist filled valleys below and bright
sunshine above, to get to Dolphin’s Nose. A promontory over the Kotagiri Valley
from which Catherine Falls (which is a splendid waterfall or a small trickle
depending on how much rain has fallen) and the Coonoor & Kotagiri streams
can be seen merging to form the Bhavani River.
5. Hulikal
Droog (huli = tiger; kal = stone; droog = fort in Kannada) – is a
precipitous bluff with a 4000ft drop at the very end of the range extending to
Coonoor. This perpendicular drop to the Mettupalayam & Coimbatore plains is
awe inspiring. Go through the Nonsuch
Tea Estate (about 5 km from Coonoor) and you will come to the ruins of this old
sixteenth century fortress said to have been used by Tippu Sultan as an
outpost. Go in a group as it is quite
lonely at the fort and there are bison! You may have to walk the last bit up to
the fort as the road is not motorable.
6. Lady
Canning Seat – is just a little further down the road connecting Lamb’s
Rock with Dolphin’s Nose. It is named
for the then Viceroy’s wife who loved the place and stayed in the hotel built
on the edge of the ravine in 1858. She used to ride, walk, sketch and study
botany. It has beautiful views of Lamb’s
Rock, Hulikal Droog and Lampton’s Peak (in Coimbatore District) one above the
other.
7. Lamb’s
Rock – with a breathtaking view of the plains, Lamb’s Rock is believed to
be named after one Captain Lamb who was instrumental in making a path to this
spot. Lamb’s Rock is on the way to
Dolphin’s Nose. It is approximately 6 kms from Coonoor.
8. Law’s
Falls – Situated by the road connecting Mettupalayam with Coonoor, these
falls are named after Col G V Law who helped complete the ghat road and is an
incredible sight to see especially after the rains.
9. Masinagudi
& Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuaries: Not up in the hills and actually down in the plains. It is part of the Nilgiris Biosphere
Reserve. Masinagudi is 13 km northwest
of Ooty as the crow flies. It has two lovely places to have lunch & a swim
- Jungle Hut & Jungle Retreat. You can
also go on a safari to see the wild life. You have to book ahead. Mudumalai becomes the Bandipur Sanctuary on
the Karnataka border. You can book a safari from Ooty at the Tourist Office.
You can almost be sure of seeing bison, elephants, peacocks, wild boar, chital,
sambar, barking deer, porcupines, squirrels & of course…monkeys.
10. Ooty Lake
– a man-made lake that spans a distance of about 2 km. Boats are available on
hire at the lake.
11. Pykara
Dam & Waterfalls – is 19km from Ooty railway station. Great picnic
spot. Paddle & motor boats are available for a refundable deposit.
12. Rallia
Dam – Off the Kotagiri road at Betatti. The dam’s foundation was laid in
1935 and it was inaugurated in 1941.
Rallia Dam is
the main source of water supply to Coonoor. It is a charming, peaceful place,
quite nice for a picnic! A number of scenes from the film Roja were shot here.
13. Sims
Park: in Coonoor. Set amidst 12.14 hectares of lush greenery, this park was
established in 1874. The garden has over 1200 species of plants and over 200
varieties of roses.
14. Wellington
– is the cantonment area and is devoted almost entirely to the military. It is
well known for its Defence Services Staff College, the only one of its kind in
Asia. Also the Madras Regimental Centre.
The Wellington Gymkhana Club has a very interesting and challenging golf
course.
15.
Trekking:
If you are the adventurous type and like to go trekking you can contact Mr
Sultan Mubarak
+91 99438-33801 Work
+91 98431-36512 Mob
Address : Upper Coonoor Auto Stand,
Bedford.
· Take the Mysore Highway through Gudulur, Masinagudi and on to Ooty. You can also take a short cut through Gundulpet up the ghats.
· Once you get to Ooty take the Coonoor road till you get to Coonoor Town.
· Soon after the railway station take a left and cross over the railway crossing.
· Take the road past the bus depot.
· Pass the fire-station then a few yards down the road take the left fork with a sign that says KAIINMARRIAMMAN KOVIL STREET.
· Go down this little lane till you pass a masjid, and a mandir.
· Continue further till you cross a little bridge. Here there are 3 roads. Take the left most road going up. (there is a Yellow sign at this point saying ACRES WILD.
· Just follow all the ACRES WILD signs till you come to a CAR PARK sign.
· You are now in Acres Wild Cheesemaking Farmstay.
· There is a small structure next to the car park which is our Reception Area. Please take a seat there and give a call on Mansoor’s Mobile – 94432-32621 in case you don’t see anyone around.
Approximate
Time: 6 – 8 hours depending on traffic.
· Take the Coimbatore - Coonoor Road via Mettupalayam.
· At Coonoor Junction turn right over the railway crossing and follow directions from as shown above.
Approximate
Time: 2 – 2.5 hours from Coimbatore Airport to Acres Wild Farmstay.
· There are buses running from Bangalore, Mysore, Mettupalayam & Coimbatore to Coonoor.
· From Coonoor Bus Station take a taxi or auto. It is a only 2 km from the bus stand.
Approximate
Time: 10 mins from Coonoor Bus Station to Acres Wild Farmstay. An taxi should
cost you Rs.200. An auto Rs 100/-.
· You can catch The Nilgiri Passenger, the toy train that leaves from Mettupalayam and gets you to Coonoor Railway Station.
· From the station take a taxi/ auto. Follow the direction above.
Approximate
Time: 15 mins from Coonoor Railway Station to Acres Wild Farmstay. An auto
should cost about 120 and taxi should cost you Rs.200.
Enjoy your visit and do come again!