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Contest: Win 2 nights at Tea Nest, Coonoor!

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Last month I went chasing the monsoons in the lush green tea estates of Coonoor, in the Nilgiris (read about the #CoonoorTrail).

I stayed at the pretty-as-a-picture Tea Nest Annexe (of Nature Resorts group) and spent an idyllic two days wandering about the sprawling tea gardens, tasting different varieties of tea, getting (over) fed, listening to the pattering rain and the birdsong, trying to find the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow – and of course, sharing it all with you, via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!

 

Many of you wrote back saying that you’d love to stay at the Tea Nest, so guess what? The good folks at Nature Resorts have offered you a chance to do just that! You can win a 2 night/3 day stay at Tea Nest Annexe and experience its tranquility for yourself.

 


What’s on Offer

 

A 2 nights/3 days stay for two at the Rosemary room at Tea Nest Annexe, in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu. The offer includes breakfast and one session of tea tasting. Room is subject to availability. Prize must be claimed by November 30th 2014.

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Rosemary
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Rosemary tea as Welcome Drink
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Handmade, tea-infused toiletries
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The dining area
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The little Chapel at the entrance

How do you get your hands on it


To participate in the giveaway, you need to do three simple things:

Easy peasy! So get cracking and you could be ambling down this road soon 🙂
The giveaway is open for two weeks, from August 6th to 20th. The winner will be picked at random and announced on the blog on August 25th. To increase your chances of winning, share this giveaway with your family and friends and via social media. 


And for extra brownie points, follow me on Twitter and Instagram as well!!

 

Terms & Conditions
  • Contest is open for Indian residents, age 18 years and above.
  • Only one entry per person, please! Multiple entries will be disqualified.
  • You’ll be eligible only if you ‘like’ both Facebook pages – Deliciously Directionless & Nature Resorts – and leave a comment on this post.
  • Winner will be selected at random. The decision will be final and no further queries or complaints will be entertained.
  • Giveaway includes a 2N/3D stay at Rosemary room in Tea Nest Annexe, on twin-sharing basis, including breakfast and one session of tea tasting.
  • Giveaway does NOT include travel to and from Tea Nest, any additional meals, personal expenses, tips and taxes.
  • There is no cash alternative and the prize is non-transferable.
  • Prize must be claimed by November 30th 2014. Room subject to availability.
  • Reservation must be made by contacting Tea Nest directly, on teanest@natureresorts.in.
  • Prachi Joshi, Deliciously Directionless and Nature Resorts are not responsible for any variance or deficiency in the service (including the hotel stay) and will not have any obligation to respond to any of the complaints.

 

So put down that cuppa & participate now 🙂 If you need any further incentive, just read about the #CoonoorTrail!Good luck!

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Chocolate Tea & Ginger-Lemon Tea

 

76 comments

  1. Sanchita 6 August, 2014 at 06:19 Reply

    What would I like to do at Tea Nest after I recover form the swoon-worthy-factor of the name of this place:

    1. The obvious: Drink tea. I've had tea form across the globe: green, white, black, flavoured, etc. (basically, I like all tea except the milky variety). This place sounds a little bit like tea paradise.
    2. Go for long walks, amble on the winding pathways and soak up the sun, fresh air and, weather permitting, the rain.
    3. Visit the botanical garden. Having lived in Bombay all my life, the craving for open spaces cannot be easily satiated. Just being able to take a sheet and lay on the grass and feel the sensations would be enough.
    4. Visit a location at an altitude so that I can savour the mist, mountains and the greenery around.
    5. …and it'll give me another excuse to visit Bangalore 🙂

  2. Khushnaz 6 August, 2014 at 07:40 Reply

    Wow, looks like an awesome place! I would love to lose myself in the grounds, surrounded by nature, and explore the place, taking photos as I go along. And I'm sure the foodie in me would definitely appreciate the delicious local cuisine…. perhaps they'd also teach me how to make it??

  3. Rekha Navani 6 August, 2014 at 10:26 Reply

    Let’s begin with Mum’s the word.
    It’s my mother-ships birthday today. She turns 59 today, one year away from retirement. She is my lifeline and she doesn't even know how important she is.
    And one of the things I am looking forward this year is to take a trip with her.
    Our best conversations happen over Chai Time!
    So here is my reason to take part in this #GiveAway!

  4. Zenia Irani 6 August, 2014 at 12:36 Reply

    Having spent most of my life studying and immersed in books (seven years of UG, PG, and specialization) the biggest regret I have is not being able to travel as much as I wanted to.
    Recently I've made a conscious decision to change that. I really want to explore and travel. And what could be better than to see my own country first.
    My idea of a vacation is relaxation. One where I do not have to slog or exert. I can put up my feet, relax, and be one with nature. And reading about Tea Nest got me excited because of just that! It seems like such a quaint, serene place. Perfect to immerse yourself in nature and all that it has to offer.
    Since I'm a tea buff, I would like nothing more than to put up my feet, relax to the sound of the birds chirping, and sip tea. Also the tea tasting class is something I would love to do!

  5. Renita 6 August, 2014 at 15:09 Reply

    Out amidst the nature, sipping on some fine tea would be ideal to get some creative juices flowing. I'll like to find my space, rejuvenate and pen down a few thoughts.

  6. Perzen Patel 7 August, 2014 at 05:18 Reply

    Thanks for this giveaway Prachi – it sounds absolutely fantastic! One of the reasons why I'd love to win a retreat to Tea Nest is quite an obvious one – I am a tea fanatic and sip on 7 – 8 cups a day. The tea tasting would be a great way to learn more about the regional teas offered there and also indulge in some serious tasting to soothe the soul.

    Re-visiting Koonoor would also be quite nostalgic for me as I remember visiting the place when I was 8. Back then, we had gone with some family friends and I had a great time prancing about the tea estates with their son while dressed in an inappropriate-for-travelling frilly dress. These family friends are now my in-laws and their son my husband! Revisiting Koonoor would therefore surely be a great blast from the past experience for me!

    Finally, 2014 is the year that I am trying to join my passion for food, travel and writing into one and expanding the Bawi Bride blog into one that talks about all these things. Visiting Tea Nest would offer some great writing material while also being a chance for me to get inspired as well as rejuvenated!

  7. Ekadish Bal 7 August, 2014 at 05:34 Reply

    Reading certain books at certain places or times improves them.

    I read Gone with the Wind (not that it needs any improvement) on the couch in my house in the middle of my board exams. I’m certain that that shaved off more than a few marks off my total score. The fear and guilt of knowing it was doing that and yet being unable to put it down gave my experience of reading that book for the first time an edge. When i think of the story still, my heart starts to thump a little. I get that ‘I have an exam tomorrow’ feeling that gets mixed up with Rhett and Scarlet’s chemistry.

    I read Peter Mattheissen’s The Snow Leopard while on holiday on a beach. The book is set in the snowiest, remotest Himalayan regions and perhaps the contrast between that and where i was when reading it made me experience my surroundings even more keenly. I’d read about snow, frostbite, amazing mountain vistas and the most elusive of all cats and I’d look up and be under a blazing sun, on hot sand, with sweat trickling down my back. I think the combination made both feel sharper. I love the book and can never forget that holiday because of the book.

    So now, I save certain books until i think the setting for reading them will be just right. I’ve got one such book saved. Its ‘I Capture the Castle’ by Dodie Smith. Its a coming of age story set in the Engoish countryside in the 1940s. With a whole lot of tea drinking in it 🙂

    If i do win this giveaway, all I want to do is lie down on different surfaces in the property (grass being top) and read my book. That’s become my most recent definition of perfect bliss.

    Good luck to me! 🙂

  8. saurabh patange 7 August, 2014 at 07:05 Reply

    Your blog about the Nest made for an interesting read and the pictures look lovely. It seems to be a perfect location to relax and rejuvenate over a cup (or a few pots!) of tea 🙂

  9. i2cook 7 August, 2014 at 07:19 Reply

    I would like to participate in this give away for 2 reasons:

    1. Today is my B'day and I want to see how lucky I can get 😉
    2. As a child, I've always wondered how a walk in a tea estate would feel as compared to a coffee estate (I spent most of my childhood in Coorg & never visited Kerala for some lame reason).

  10. Juhie Kothari 7 August, 2014 at 08:10 Reply

    Tea is to me what water is to most people. Necessity. I drink tea for all the moments in my day- to get started, to keep focussed and most importantly to relax and calm down. From Oolong tea to green tea to white tea to a good cup of indian chai, i love 'em all. The Tea Nest Annexe is a beautiful resort where amidst the fresh air, with a good cup of tea and a great book, one can escape from the material world and give some time to themselves. I love yoga and this seems like a great place to practice it outdoors as well!

  11. Shilpy Bhomia 7 August, 2014 at 09:08 Reply

    In just few words I want to enjoy and relish the whole experience of being in the nature's lap at Tea Nest… 🙂

  12. puspita 7 August, 2014 at 10:46 Reply

    This summer vacation my daughters were looking forward to a trip to the Tea Nest. It got cancelled due to leave issues. My elder daughter has planned to write about her whole experience and both had many plans to trek in the tea plantation. Needless to say they were disappointed.

    So for me, it is as simple as that. A win would mean, their wish come true and all I'd do is soak in the peace and serenity while I watched their faces glow 🙂

  13. reshma gurupura 7 August, 2014 at 11:19 Reply

    I love to travel nd visit d amazing nature beauty on earth and Nature Resort s the one 🙂 and as I liked ur page n Fb keep watching all d pics ur posting about ur resort 🙂 and I love to spend some time there and make those moments as most beautiful moment of my life with my love 🙂 so fingers crossed 🙂

  14. kalyani gs 7 August, 2014 at 15:54 Reply

    Seeing the resort description I was transported to a place devoid of any pretense,as if the nature is waiting to give me a view of unspoilt beauty, if I get a chance to visit I will not waste a single moment to enjoy nature at its best

  15. Amar Patil 8 August, 2014 at 01:59 Reply

    Such a beautiful location you the nest built on..lush green natures spread for miles together, beautiful scenery, the best weather now which will add to the beauty and having fresh tea in such an awesome place would be just the ideal thing you would wish for from this place.staying in the middle of nature's heart would be a very peaceful two days to just relax and forget about the crazy cosmopolitan city life. Amazing place you guys have setup. Good Stuff

  16. Manan Dhuldhoya 8 August, 2014 at 04:56 Reply

    Having savoured estate fresh teas in Munnar, Darjeeling, the Dooars, and Assam, I'd like to do the same in the Nilgiris and then attempt the impossible task of ranking them 🙂

  17. Hanisha Lalwani 8 August, 2014 at 06:57 Reply

    Thanks to your blog I realized I don't need to plan that trip to Switzerland after all! For those Bollywood-esque landscapes we have our very own Coonoor. If I win this contest, I can't think of anyone better than my tea-a-holic mum to accompany me. Staying and sipping at Tea Nest would perhaps me my best belated Happy Mother's Day gift 🙂 Also, Coonoor would be that perfect spot to complete reading 'Hot Tea Across India' by Rishad Saam Mehta…such brilliant experiences have been shared by him in the book where the underlying message is that no matter where you live in our country, everyone's sipping that cup of chai! Your pictures make Tea Nest look all the more enchanting… I can just imagine experiences from a trip like this to make for a fascinating post on my blog: http://hanishalalwani.blogspot.in/. Wish me luck!
    P.S. I have liked both pages on Facebook.

  18. Chandra Ramamurthy 8 August, 2014 at 07:40 Reply

    The Tea Nest Annexe appeals to me as i am the harassed- living- on-the-clock- Mumbaikar who thrives on open spaces, nature and the beautiful hills. With a setting like the Tea Nest-its ambiance that has a homely charm that offers comfort and privacy, its surrounding; lush with greenery and the fragrance of freshly brewed tea- one can only go back healed- both in body and soul. It's the perfect panacea for someone like me who has suffered urban concrete jungles and yearns for the healing touch!

  19. ivahhc 11 August, 2014 at 07:47 Reply

    Ah, Prachi, as if your posts haven't made this enticing enough already with snapshots of all there is to do here!
    If I were to visit, I think I'd probably start by taking in all the greenery, sipping some tea, inhaling the aroma of the tea bushes, sipping some tea, walking around the property, sipping some tea, letting my eyes rest on the green hillocks, sipping some tea and then maybe having a nap in the hammock.
    And over the course of the next days, I'd do yoga in the lawn, sip some tea, hike up a hill, have some tea, rest my feet on a cushion and take in the view from the verandah, drink some tea, walk up to the chapel, have a tea break, go gaur spotting amidst the tea, stop for some tea, take a nap in the beautiful room, wake up with a cuppa … You get the idea 😉
    I believe that anything accompanied by a spot of tea is elevated to the sublime. Being at the Tea Nest would automatically just qualify as heaven on earth! I'd so love to go!

  20. Satish TP 11 August, 2014 at 15:47 Reply

    Wow! Great pics and reviews ! Seems like a perfect getaway from BLR.
    Im really looking forward to DRINK – DRIVE – SLEEP. drink tea of course, drive directionless around those serpentine estates and sleep in the cozy comfort of the room.

  21. Tina Mary Rajan 12 August, 2014 at 10:19 Reply

    Hi Prachi,
    I really liked this give away cause there are so many things to while exploring the Coonoor trail. Tea Nest looks amazing – the perfect getaway to unwind soaking in the amazing view/nature. Butler, Cook, No mobile reception signals sounds like the ideal way to start a vacation.

    I would love to explore the tea plantation. My grandfather used to work at a tea estate and i have grown up hearing lovely stories about tea plantations but never got a chance to visit one. So i am really excited about exploring Tea Nest. A must do on my trip would definitely try out the tea tasting session – Tranquilitea. All the outdoor & indoor activities at Tea Nest seems exciting to try out. The non veg tea menu sounds interesting. I think Tea Nest offers the perfect balance of calm and fun activities and amazing chai!

  22. Khyati Dodhia 12 August, 2014 at 15:42 Reply

    Great post Prachi! The photographs look superb. Been wanting to get away for a few days and this place just sounds perfect and picturesque. Thank you for writing about it!

  23. gaujoy 12 August, 2014 at 17:10 Reply

    Sometimes you just want to get away. you want to be in the midst of Nature as long as time lets you with nothing to disturb you. Soak in the nature. The pictures are deliciously "delightful" and long to resort to Nature's lap of love. Hope to get lucky!! Thank you Shivya for showing this wonderful place. – Lakshmi Mohan

  24. Anuradha Sridharan 13 August, 2014 at 04:56 Reply

    One of the items in my bucket list is "spend a year living in the hills". I have been to Ooty multiple times but the commercialization didn't appeal to me. I have heard Coonoor to be a simple, cozy and relaxing town, nestled amidst tea plantations. Would like to spend a few days in Coonoor and see if it's THE place where I want to spend a year of my life. The word "nest" is one of my favorites. Symbolizes a closely knit family with lots of love and care. I would like to cozily spend a few days in "Tea Nest" with my family, which includes my 3 year old who loves to travel all the time. Ofcourse, sipping tea in a relaxing manner in the mornings and not in a hurry.

  25. soham sabnis 14 August, 2014 at 03:43 Reply

    The joy of sipping Chai looking around, remembering cycling moments and penning down stories! I would love to ride a cycle there. Loads of pictures – especially InstaFeed of Tea Nest! Like a free bird…

  26. delnavaz mehta 15 August, 2014 at 09:20 Reply

    I would like to introduce my mom to the charm of the tea gardens, the magic of plucking the tea leaves, hear stories where entire generations have stayed true to their art, enlighten her about the sustainable practices for a healthier cup each morning and most importantly getting lost in the mist that will engulf the Rosemary room in Tea Nest Annexe. So, hope to introduce her to the magic side of the tea business that I' am so passionate about.

  27. Fiola Sequeira 16 August, 2014 at 11:25 Reply

    The enticing Tea Nest Annexe; I would love to visit,
    As the exotic tea's, gastronomical experiences, scintillating vistas of Coonoor; one can't resist.

    I am a tea lover,
    And what other way to savor;
    The aromatic tea's, verdant valley while residing in a mesmerizing place,
    This definitely will leave exhilarating memories; never to erase.

    This would be a tranquil escape,
    A rejuvenating holiday,
    From the existing hectic & mundane city life,
    Serene exquisiteness for 2 nights/3 days, hurray!

    P.S. I have liked FB pages of Deliciously Directionless & Nature Resort.
    Thanks, Fiola Sequeira

  28. ani_aset 19 August, 2014 at 10:48 Reply

    Have been to Orange county Coorg and was mesmerised by the beauty of living amidst nature. Here's what i would like to do
    1. Soak in as much of nature as i can
    2. Record all the bird songs and get it back to city, because thats how i would like to wake up early morning
    3. Go chase birds as they forage for food early morning
    4. Taste tea, may be one variety every hour
    5. Soak in some more of nature while i have conversation with the locals
    6. Above all, make my baby rhea touch nature with her own hands and experience the joy, I can picture that smile on her face as she touches the leaves soaked in morning dew

  29. yash wadhwani 19 August, 2014 at 19:07 Reply

    A weekend getaway so close to Bangalore will be an ideal way to unwind for a tea enthusiast like me.
    what better than spending a couple of days learning about tea tasting, varieties and how its made right in the lap of nature.

  30. Rakesh Dharwar 20 August, 2014 at 10:01 Reply

    Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer's day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.

    There is pleasure in the pathless woods, there is rapture in the lonely shore, there is society where none intrudes, by the deep sea, and music in its roar; I love not Man the less, but Nature more.

    The Universe is one great kindergarten for man. Everything that exists has brought with it its own peculiar lesson.
    A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.

    Nothing is more memorable than a smell. One scent can be unexpected, momentary and fleeting, yet conjure up a childhood summer beside a lake in the mountains.
    The best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain & sip a tea 🙂

  31. Pragya 20 August, 2014 at 12:00 Reply

    In just few words I want
    To spend
    Enthralling holiday
    Among
    Nature with
    Excellent
    Sugary
    Tea in hand 🙂
    I have liked both the pages on fb (Pragya Garg) and following you on twitter (twitter handle mbi9)

  32. Mazahir Poonawalla 20 August, 2014 at 17:37 Reply

    Hi,
    I would like to gift this wonderful holiday experience to my parents on their 30th anniversary next month. My dad's been really busy with work since the past few years and it's been ages since they've been on a holiday. So, this would be a perfect anniversary gift for them to spend some quality time with each other, sip their favourite drink – fresh aromatic tea and enjoy n relax amidst the beautiful surroundings and nature.
    Cheers – Mazahir Poonawalla

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