We were initially hesitating about where to stay in Kaziranga, as everyone told us that Wildgrass Resort was expensive; but since several people, including also told us that it's the best, we decided to book it. And we were very happy we did!
It turned out that Manju Barua, who owns and runs Wildgrass, went to the same college as KM did in Shillong…St Edmund’s! Here we are, on the last day, as we prepare to leave for Nameri…
Though built only some 15 years ago, the resort has been built in a very classic, there-for-a-hundred-years style that speaks of solidity. Here's the lovely woodwork frieze on a small cottage that we pass to go into the main resort:
The main building also has solid timbering:
There are two sets of rooms, built in this lovely style, with sloping roofs to keep off the torrential rains in the monsoons:
There are also individual cottages, and ours looks so pretty:
Manju Barua has actively encouraged the local artists and artisans in the construction of the resort. Everywhere there are tiny, beautiful details, and the great thing is that they are not only in the public spaces, but even in the kitchen cabinets. Local artists were invited to make these lovely paintings:
Another view of the kitchen cabinets (the kitchen is not open to the public; I went to take a peek and loved the painting so much that I asked and took photographs.)
The dining area has this lovely old desk as the billing area, with an antique chair:
There is a beautiful, painted, old post box behind it!
The lampshades in the dining area are hats made of cane. The cane work in Assam has to be seen to be believed!
Even elsewhere in the resort, small buildings and balustrades have these lovely touches.That's a wicket gate:
The detail on a small staircase in a kind of coffee lounge:
Some of the chairs, too, had these paintings!
There was a lovely hookah in the dining area, we never got to see if it worked!
Even in the grounds and on the walls surrounding the resort, the details were beautiful. Here's a Vishnu-and-fish detail from one wall:
Tortoises adorn a gate-post:
Every evening, there was one form of tribal dance, where the guests were invited to join in:
I loved this animal-on-animal detail:
Wildgrass is a resort which I would unhesitatingly recommend for visitors; solid, comfortable, and value for money!