like water and energy. Shibulal believes that her brand of hospitality caters to a breed of travellers who believe in truly exclusive, refreshingly unique experiences that reassess the concept of luxury beyond ostentatious consumption. Exclusivity, exploratory and emotional are the three trends that will propel this concept of niche tourism according to her.
NICHE HOSPITALITY
That’s precisely what she provides at Tamara from the bean to cup, coffee brewing experience that allows guests to brew their own blend or the guided plantation walks. Not only do you feast on the unexpected as you savour with an open mind but, most importantly, you do so while maintaining a minimal footprint on the plantation. She has intentionally desisted from using career hoteliers as managers and resort staff, choosing locals instead. “It’s easier to guide the staff to your specifications when they don’t have to unlearn years of institutional training”. The result: genuine smiles and intimate service as opposed to the convenience of rehearsed standardisations common across luxury hotels. This stems from Shibulal’s own varied career; she majored in Chemistry from Haverford College in the US, but found a job in the finance sector at Merill Lynch. “Hospitality wasn’t top of my mind but I wanted a project of my own,” she says. Back in Bangalore, she found a chef, Abhijit Saha, and started popular restaurants Caperberry and Fava in 2008. “I got my hands dirty; I was in marketing and sales, doing everything besides being in the kitchen. I even waited on tables.” But
the outdoor pool and island bar at tamara with the heated indoor pool in the background
the bedroom at a suite cottage
30 INDIA TODAY SPICE u NOVEMBER, 2016