The silently flowing river inside the premises had my jaw hit the ground as soon as I enter gates of Mekosha in Trivandrum, Kerala. Later I was told that it was river Vamanapuram and appears muddy because of the Kerala monsoon, otherwise, it is a clear river. It was the second half of the June month and monsoons have already arrived in Kerala, making everything look greener and soother. After a hectic month of work and deadlines, I was craving for a break. And when I got the opportunity to experience a wellness holiday at Mekosha Ayurvedic Spasuite Retreat, I accepted the offer without a blink.
Mekosha, the name comes from Sanskrit’s word “Kosha” which means something which covers the Atman (soul) or self.
Mekosha is India’s First Luxury Ayurveda Retreat with unlimited All-Inclusive Wellness & Spa Experience. Situated in Trivandrum, the capital city of God’s own country Kerala, Mekosha offers a perfect solution to heal your mind, body and soul. The setting of Mekosha is such that it feels like a mini Kerala in itself. Numerous palm trees line articulately by the river Vamanapuram is reminiscent of backwaters in Kerala. Green is the dominating colour inside the premises and needless to say it soothes from within.
We all have our own ideas of perfect holidays/vacation. Some like to laze around and indulge in pampering themselves. Some like to keep it adventurous and be agile all the time. Rarely the concept of a holiday comes along with health and wellness. After all who wants to work out or follow a diet when they are on a holiday, no one I guess? But this is where we go wrong and this is where I would like to introduce you all to the concept of “Wellness Holiday”. The concept is pretty new in India and people are still warming up to the idea of wellness holiday. The spasuite, Mekosha has now been a frontrunner in promoting the concept of wellness holiday.
Mekosha offers a holistic wellness experience by treating all your senses.
Mekosha offers a variety of wellness packages around rejuvenation, weight loss and stress management. This includes various therapy sessions and varied varieties of spas and massages. A brief session with the doctor decides the wellness regime for your entire stay. It also poses a huge impact on your meal plan for the entire stay. Mekosha offers bespoke wellness packages and regimes to create a healthy transformed way of life. One may choose from a short stay Rejuvenation or a longer Transformation wellness vacation.
This boutique hotel has 11 suites (all of the same kind), which corresponds to maximum 22 guests (when they are fully booked), a number which can be very ably handled by the adept staff of Mekosha. The number is important because a concept as important as wellness cannot be accounted for a large number of people without compromising the quality. All the suites come with a private treatment room and a balcony overlooking the gleaming swimming pool. The resort also has therapy rooms for oil intensive treatments.
At Mekosha the rooms are rustic with sylvan interiors.
There is no television and phone inside the room, but there is a Marshall speaker which needless to say is an audio treat. Also, there’s no wifi, yes your mobile network is all you have (that’s pretty good anyway). The idea is to disconnect and retrospect into your own life, indulge in natural retreat and work towards building a better lifestyle. They encourage you to sleep for longer hours, there’s no arduous workout session and no early morning yoga (that’s scheduled for the evening). Once you are up without an alarm, your day is planned. A leisurely walk around their whole property is a good enough physical workout when combined with right meals and treatments.
The food you consume plays a huge part in wellness.
At Mekosha all the meals are meticulously planned in order to ensure your body gets all the nutrients in balanced amounts. The meals throughout the day are planned well in advance. Another aspect that I appreciate a lot was that there was no buffet. You won’t find a lavish spread lying articulately in front of you. So no fancy Instagram pictures at Mekosha. Also, your meals are served one after another as in the starters come first and the staff will wait until you finish it and then only the main course will be served. The idea behind this is to keep up the appetite. Because people like me get full even at the sight of a buffet.
The head Chef at Mekosha comes with 6 years of experience with a leading hotel chain. When not serving the guests he is busy giving a healthy twist to the most mundane food items like Oats, daliya and many more. Nobody wants to come for a holiday and eat food that doesn’t taste good, no matter how healthy it is. The idea is to meet health and taste mid-way and provide a gourmet experience to the guests. Don’t be surprised to find some detox water and soaked almond and cashew at your doorstep first thing in the morning. The myth that healthy food cannot taste good has been shattered big time.
Massages at Mekosha:
Below Massages are available for the guests at Mekosha.
Abhyangam: A full body massage with warm medicated oil. Gentle to moderate pressure with hands and fingers for an effective Massage. Massage is done in four to five standard positions. It improves blood circulation and tones up muscles relaxing mind and body, relieving body pain and inducing good sleep.
Podikkizhi: Herbal leaves are warmed in medicated oil and bundled into cotton cloth. These bundles are steamed and the fomentation is patted rhythmically all over the body. It stimulates nerves and consequently provides relief from body pains, stiff joints, backaches and similar ailments.
Shirodhara: A therapy where medicated oils, milk or buttermilk are poured in a continuous stream on the forehead for a period of 45mins to one hour. Shirodhara alleviates fatigue, improves memory, vitality and sleeping patterns and is useful in the treatment of stress, depression, insomnia, migraine, ear-nose conditions, Administered typically for the long stay programme guests.
My experience at Mekosha:
I had a fulfilling experience at Mekosha. There isn’t a single thing that I can be critical about. I know sounds quite unbelievable but that’s how it is. The staff is generous beyond words. The idea that one could strive towards a healthy body by striking a balance among massage, exercise, yoga, mindfulness, rest, pampering along with the healthy food was a revelation to me. I took all the three Massages and I felt the relief then and there. I would recommend Mekosha to anyone and everyone who is seeking a mindful vacation around health and wellness. The team at Mekosha also organizes itineraries for local sightseeing in Kerala. You can easily combine both and have a memorable stay at Mekosha.
Book your stay at Mekosha here.
I was at Mekosha on their invitation and that has not influenced my review in any way.
Disclaimer :
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Feels luxurious
What a gorgeous place to relax and unwind yourself. I am sure this would have been such a wonderful experience for you.
Your post prompted me to plan a trip for myself.