Palace Estate, aptly named due to its proximity to the 17th century Nalknad Palace, is situated in Kakkabe, Coorg.  We had planned to visit the estate once earlier but called it off due to non availability of stay.  But we managed a day’s stay on our way back from a friend's wedding reception in Kerala.

The home stay is situated at the foot of Tadiyandamol peak and is owned and run by the Apparanda Family. Getting to the place is quite easy since it is very close to the Nalknad Palace. Get to Cheyandane via Virajpet and ask for directions to the Palace. Once there, the home stay is right across.

The path leading up the small hillock opens out to reveal the family's ancestral house. The cottages are an extension to the main house and two storied.  The estate is covered on one side by the coffee plantations belonging to the family and the other side by a huge garden with perfectly manicured lawns.

All the rooms have a wooden finish to them with furniture that seem hand carved.  All the rooms open out to a common corridor. As our room was being readied by Prasad and Vincy (hosts during our stay), we strolled about in the open corridor.  Amidst the old Kodava artifacts that line the corridor, there is a small library, guest books with loads of praises to the place, a list of dos and don’ts and to our surprise, a cannabis plant! The view from outside the room is beautiful, beginning with all varieties of pretty flowers in the well maintained verandah and ending with lush green hills surrounded by mist.

While Prasad takes care of the stay facilities, Vincy takes care of the kitchen and the garden. Though our stay was short, we got to taste some delicious food from Vincy's kitchen. The food was served in the main house which is a typical Kodava home complete with a hanging lamp, swords and guns :). One gets a glimpse of their family history through photographs adorning the walls. Prasad made sure that he spent at least some time with each of the guests, getting to know them, patiently answering all their questions and also taking them through a bit about the family's history. The smiling couple were hospitable and had no problem handling the holiday crowd.

Morning was spent visiting the Padi Iguttappa temple and we got back post lunch. In the evening we walked to the Nalknad palace which is just a stone throw away from the stay.  The palace which was supposedly a hideout of the king during that period has all the remains of its past glory.  The art on the ceiling and on the walls of Queen's chamber is simply brilliant. Most of the artistry on the walls has faded away with time.  Thankfully, the palace along with its artwork is currently being restored by the government. 

We spent the rest of the evening sitting on a stone bench at the edge of the property. A walk through the coffee estate led to a small private waterfall. To our disappointment this had reduced to a trickle, probably due to summer, but might be better once it rains. Palace Estate also serves as a base camp for adventurists wanting to trek up the peak.

I figured that the owners do not canvass about the place too much since we did not find any sign boards enroute.  Only when you get to the place do you see the name written on the outer wall of the property.  The home stay was almost full nonetheless, the day we landed there. It speaks of the popularity of the place. But, even with the crowd, the place gives one their share of peace and quiet.  Serene location, nice food, great hosts and moderate tariff make Palace Estate a good getaway.

All images are shot with a Sony Point and Shoot Camera