Kahani Paradise, Gokarna, north Karnataka is an exquisite villa / hotel which sits in 20 acres of lush, green forest, garden and farmland in the hills just above Paradise Beach. Dripping with tropical vegetation, the gardens sprawl across the hilltop, and the views across the palm jungle, towards the sea, are sublime. The brainchild and much loved ‘Indian home’ of an inspired Englishman, no detail has been overlooked in its creation and it’s the epitome of style, rustic / contemporary comfort and elegance. Built of the trademark, local red laterite, the interiors are light, lofty, spacious and make the most of the huge views. Limed furniture, cool stone / warm wood floors, beautiful wooden artefacts and furniture, deep sofas, oodles of space, soft colours and beautiful furnishings are the bywords here – everything has ‘feel appeal’ or ‘sit appeal’!

Kahani (meaning ‘story’) Paradise is as beautiful inside as it is outside – perfect for glorious sunny days or dramatic monsoonal moments. There is a grand sitting room and dining room along with an airy verandah and a stunning pool terrace with plenty of shady dining and sunbathing spots, not to mention a dreamy spa. The 6 bedrooms (soon to be 8) are each different but glorious in their own way, with huge beds, state of the art bathrooms, and their own balconies / verandahs that tempt you never to leave.

Whilst here, if you can tear yourself away from this garden idyll, you have the wonders of sacred Gokarna to explore nearby, along with many beaches. Paradise Beach is only a 5 minute walk down through the jungle. Alternatively, explore the extraordinarily lovely, tropical gardens, take long or short walks in the hills and finish up with time at the ‘surprise’ hilltop plunge pool – another secret spot with views from heaven and the perfect chill out place – aka ‘The G & T Shack!’.

Being so small, it is the perfect place to rent in its entirety as a fully staffed villa (a resident chef and smiling staff abound) for a great get together. However, it can also be rented by the room, as in a hotel, and there is a charming manager on site. The food is delicious, fresh, local and all tastes can be catered to – it really is a place where ‘you only have to ask’! Kahani Paradise is all about peace, privacy and pampering and makes the perfect end to an Indian odyssey or an idyllic ‘fly and flop’ holiday in itself. A truly unique place which raises the bar for villas in India.

Eco / environmental / responsible tourism policy

The owners have a strong environmental awareness and it is central to their concept so they put a great deal of thought and money into the basic supplies to the property. The 3 main buildings sit on top of huge concrete water tanks built into the rocks. This gives the villa a natural rainwater storage capacity of around 1.2 million litres. During the monsoon the water falls from the roofs via various filters and into the tanks. The water is then put through an extensive filtration system (sand, charcoal, UV and chlorine) and what comes out of the taps is actually better than packaged drinking water! They have a uniquely simple sewage system called a DEWATS system which is gravity fed. At the bottom of the estate is a reed bed and multiple tanks with ZERO electrical consumption so that the bacteria gets to work and the end product is pottable water that they use on the garden – nothing better. The bulk materials for the house are as local as possible for as much of it as possible. The stone used to build the house and the numerous rock walls came from the ground under the house and when that ran out they used it from down the road.