Ivy Cottage at Stumpfields, a self-catering mountain retreat | Apartment in Ooty

This is a self-catering cottage with two main rooms, a bedroom/ living area and a kitchen/dining room and an en suite bathroom. With exposed brick walls, walnut finished wood and hand painted tiles, Ivy Cottage is delightfully shabby chic. Rustic and yet luxurious, its red, white and black color theme and art work celebrate the local Toda tribe and the animals found in the Nilgiri mountain biosphere. An entire wall of floor to ceiling windows look out on a private patio and gardens and a stunning view. Space Just 7 kilometers outside of Ooty town, this property is close to all the major tourist highlights but is secluded and remote at the same time. Away from the hustle and bustle of Ooty town, Ivy Cottage is a serene and peaceful retreat, overlooking tea estates, wild forest and mountain ridges. A little iron gate invites a short walk into national reserve forest surrounding the Stumpfield property. A private flight of stone steps leads down to the orchard of fruit trees and herb garden. If you look carefully you might find some strawberries as well! Feel free to pick your own herbs, spring onions or leeks, or just sit back and sip some tea at the garden table. Guest access Guest are welcome to walk through the gardens and explore the property. Feel free to play games or exercise out on the lawns. Wander down to the barn and lower acre to have a look at the horses. But be warned, the horses are not so friendly inside their field! When they are caught, saddled and bridled, they are perfectly safe. Hiking trails through forest and tea estates crisscross the land around Bilberry Cottage. A short walk through the forest brings you to a lovely playground for children at a government tea estate called the Tea Park. This is a new government tourist spot, and as yet is not too crowded or well known. A great place for the view, park benches and a 1 kilometer concrete path loop for hiking. Guest interaction Greg and I travel frequently so may be away when you visit. We keep our property well-staffed with 2 maids, an outdoor groundsman and our manager Solomon. They are all very helpful and will answer all your questions. Feel free to reach out to me on email if you would like to give me some feedback or have specific questions and I'll do my best to answer promptly. Neighborhood overview We live in the wilderness, completely secluded with no other neighbors around. You probably won't feel too isolated because we have two other houses on the property, with guests and staff during the day. At the end of our drive, along a main road is a small village where the local tea-pickers reside. You can catch a glimpse of this village from the balcony of the cottage. There is a dry goods shop in Buttercombai, which has rice, sugar, tea, lentils, onions and eggs. For greater variety be sure to shop for food in Ooty town before arriving at Stumpfields. I'll have salt, pepper, tea, coffee, biscuits, cumin, chili powder, coriander, and turmeric powder and oil. So, if you are planning to cook, please bring your fresh veggies and or meat and fruit. Since we live at the top of the mountain, we have a freshwater well, and you can drink straight from the tap, no boiling needed, so don't plan on buying water. Since Ooty is 7 km from, its best to buy your food in the market in Ooty before arriving at the cottage. Getting around There are government buses that stop every half hour at the Tea Park on the Kotaghiri Rd, a short walk through the woods from our house. This is a very cheap way to get to town and back. Just Rs. 10 each way. To return, go to the bus stop on the Kotaghiri Rd next to the petrol bunk near Charing Cross. Of course you can take rickshaws from Charing Cross to Ivy Cottage as well. It costs Rs. 250 to go one way to Tea Park, then walk your way through the woods to Bilberry Cottage. Two wheelers can make it up our drive, as can cars. Otherwise, be prepared for a short, but exhilarating hike. Other things to note Most people are surprised at how cold Ooty is! We have equipped Ivy Cottage with a radiator oil heater on wheels so you can move it easily around the cottage where you need it most. It really warms up the space in a short amount of time and makes it nice and cozy on even the coldest nights. There is a feather duvet on the bed as well. A 30 lt hot water geyser heats water both for the bath and the kitchen tap. Please turn it off when you are not using. 2. The property has a steep, long, unpaved drive that leads to the main house and cottage. The drive is rocky and narrow and winding. All cars can drive all the way up to the cottage if you go slowly and carefully! However, it is not an easy driveway. In fact, our drive shocks most of our guests. We have spent many months and significant resources to improve the drive, but it is still, well, challenging. Your car will get dusty if the weather is dry and muddy if it is wet. You can drive up to the cottage and unload your things, but please park down by the horse barn. 3. If you need help with your things, and arrive between 9:30 am and 4:30 pm then our house help can assist you! If you want the cottage cleaned during your time, let us know. We ask that you be generous towards our staff for that any extra help you require, and tip accordingly. 4. This property is not suitable for people who have trouble walking on uneven surfaces, or climbing stairs. It is not the ideal location for elderly folks, unless they are very fit and energetic. The whole property is on a 45 degree slope, so almost everything is either up or down! 5. Wild bison and other animals frequent the area around the cottage outside of the boundaries of Stumpfields. If you are lucky you may get to see one or even a whole herd. 6. We have 1 Labrador Retriever and a German Shepherd. These are watch dogs that will bark at newcomers, but are friendly. They love to go for walks, so if you hike, you are welcome to take them along for company! Please remember our dogs are not tied up and are allowed to roam around the property freely. If you are afraid of dogs, this may not be the right place for you to spend your vacation. 6. We do not have any facilities for a driver on the property, no outside toilet and washroom, no extra bed. Our place is not set up to host drivers. 7. Ivy Cottage is perfect for two adults. A child can be accommodated on a mattress on the floor if necessary.

This 1 Bedroom Apartment provides accommodation with Parking, Bedding/Linens, Kitchen, for your convenience. This Apartment features many amenities for guests who want to stay for a few days, a weekend or probably a longer vacation with family, friends or group. This Apartment is less than 2 km from Ooty, and gives visitors the opportunity to explore it. The rental Apartment has 1 Bedroom and 1 Bathroom to make you feel right at home.

Check to see if this Apartment has the amenities you need and a location that makes this a great choice to stay in Ooty. Enjoy your stay in Ooty at this Apartment.