Swosti Chilika Resort Odisha

We were excited to visit the Swosti Chilika Resort located near Asia's largest lagoon and the second largest lagoon in the world, Chilika Lake.

It was an exhilarating experience to step into the impressive eco-resort and experience the unmistakable aura of the resort spread across nine acres on the banks of the Chilika Lake.

After a traditional warm welcome complete with 'Mangal Tika' and welcome-drinks, we made ourselves comfortable on the battery-operated vehicle and set out for our room. The aesthetically-designed resort in the resplendent verdant locale made its presence felt.
   
Eco-Resort, Chilika Lake View, And Greenery
As we journeyed on our eco-vehicle, we soaked in all the sights, sounds, and smells that seemed to greet and transport us to another world... Birds were singing even in the afternoon! 

The gentle breeze and the lush greenery welcomed us as we crossed elegant cottages and presidential suites to reach our well-furnished 'Lake View' room in the 'Wind Chimes'.

The view from the common balcony leading to the room was great.

Our room's two balconies presented two spectacular and different views- 
The swimming-pool-and-resort-facing front balcony gave a great view of the resort's pool.

The rear balcony showed nature's-gift-  garden, ground, sprawling lagoon- Chilika Lake and some islands.

The resort overlooks the majestic Chilika Lake with its sparkling and playful waters and diverse avian friends.

Apart from these two water-bodies, there is the cool bath-tub in the wash-room that even gives a Chilika Lake view!

We were spoilt for choice. This is what "timeless bliss" means and Swosti Chilika Resort totally lived up to its promise.

Four Types of Accommodations at Swosti Chilika Resort

Swosti Chilika Resort has a charming and contemporary design amidst serene natural surroundings. The resort has over 78 well-planned cottages. All the four types of accommodations make guests feel at home.

1. Sanctuary - The Presidential Suite - A spacious Presidential Villa with Chilika Lake view can prove to be a real 'sanctuary' for the guests with guaranteed privacy and personal space. The view of a well-maintained garden and greenery greets guests from the private balcony. 

2. Millpond- The Pool Villas - 5 Pool Villas where guests get to enjoy Lake view with Jacuzzi.  These villas offer a luxurious holiday near the Chilika Lake. 

3. Wind Chimes- The Quad Villas - 36 Villas are available and guests can choose from Private Garden View (the lower apartment) or Lake View (the upper apartment). Depending on the choice, guests can enjoy a spectacular view of the the glorious sunset with the lagoon or private garden. 

4. Mid Lake County- The Hotel Blocks - 36 luxury rooms are aesthetically set. The private balconies offer a view of the verdant lawn. All modern amenities are available in the rooms. 

Dining And Cuisines

It was great to dine at the restaurants. The warm ambience, fresh sea-food from the Chilika Lake, the amazing culinary skills of the local chef, and the friendly and courteous staff made the food even more tasty!

Orana that means 'welcome' in Australian language, welcomes the Swosti Chilika Resort guests to sumptuous food. Orana serves a variety of local Odia food and international cuisines. The buffet menu was great! 

One can order food to the room too.

Bean Hive, the centrally located coffee shop with open walls and green spaces, offers a great treat to tired minds. Guests can rejuvenate with coffee and snack offerings and hang out with friends. One can order one's favourite pastry and beverage. Masala Mudhi or Jhaal Mudhi is on the house.

I loved the books on the shelf and didn't know which one to read first!

Tangrr is the open-air Tandoor Restaurant overlooking the Chilika Lake.
The Harbour is an interesting place to enjoy drinks.

 The view from the terrace is great! One can enjoy the food and drinks here.

Things To Do At The Resort

Guests can avail themselves of cycling, game zones, gymnasium, sports bar, and fine dining restaurants among others. 

One can indulge in a wholesome experience for the wellness of mind, body and soul. 
The Ekayaa Spa is equipped with single and double beauty treatment rooms.
We loved the fact that some herbs are being cultivated at the resort premises for usage in the spa.
Check out the spa therapies offered at the Ekayaa Spa.
Guests can avail themselves of meditation and relaxation decks. 

Sports enthusiasts will love the game zone Relayy that houses shuttle turf, pool table and other games. 

Youngsters have a game zone breakk that is a promising space of their own with games and amenities.

One can just relax. 

And chill out!

  One can explore the beautiful resort, enjoy the garden and the natural beauty.

The night view is wonderful too. I enjoyed the soft music in the background and the colourful lights.

After the sunset, all I did was sit in the balcony facing the Chilika Lake, and basking in the light of the twinkling stars and the flickering ones from the islands.

The soft cool breeze and the enchanting view gifted my mind and soul a certain comfort and calmness that was new! You can nurture the poet in you!

 Poet Radhanath Roy's lines in his poem 'Chilika' came to my mind- 

"O Chilika!... You are indeed the treasure-trove of enchanting beauty!"

There are experienced boat-drivers and new boats to take you out on a fascinating journey to explore the Chilika Lake and its interesting islands. 

We had a great time island-hopping on the Chilika Lake. 
Nalabana Island is a bird sanctuary that attracts several migratory birds from all over the world especially during the peak season- November to February. 
My post- 'Boat Ride On The Chilika Lake' has some more images.

The resort is planning adventure sports. Guests will have interesting activities to look forward soon.

I loved my maiden visit to the Kalijai Island and Kalijai Temple.

Venue for Weddings and Business Events
Swosti Chilika Resort is a great wedding destination set in the lap of nature.  
Offering 32,000 square feet and 25,000 square feet space, the halls Shehnai and Ektara respectively are popular wedding venues.
In front of its premises, on the shore of the Chilika Lake, the resort has constructed a temple similar to the Kalijai Temple. 

During weddings, the baraat (groom's procession) starts from the temple and proceeds towards the chosen spacious hall inside the resort!
Swosti Chilika Resort is an ideal setting for corporate/business events like conferences, meetings, trainings, presentations etc. Inspiring ideas get generated in such wondrous locales! The well-furnished conference hall and meeting-rooms with hi-tech amenities like audio-visual equipments and internet access etc. offer an impressive setting for get-togethers. 

The pillar-less Conference Halls named Mahogany, Maple, Chestnut, and Business Centre/Board Room offer a fabulous range and one can choose based on size-of-hall requirement. The qualified in-house team of the resort plays a great role to facilitate the meetings. 

Some Must-Visit Destinations Near The Resort
There are many tourist places near the resort. One can plan day-trips to visit the sites.
Swosti Travels desk at the resort assisted us with the vehicle booking for sight-seeing.

Nirmala Jhara - Natural spring and picnic-spot
Bateshwar Temple And Sea-Beach - An ancient Shiva Temple near a serene beach
Tampara Lake - A great lake and picnic-spot near Chhatrapur
Potagada and Jaugada - Ancient forts of Odisha
Maa Tara Tarini Temple - A scared shrine dedicated to two Goddesses Tara and Tarini on a hill
Gopalpur - A famous sea-beach 
Berhampur i.e. Brahmapur- Silk City of Odisha famous for 'Berhampur Phoda-Kumbha Sarees and Joda' that have earned the Geographical Indication (GI) tag
Taptapani - Natural hot-water sulphuric springs 
Narayani Temple - A temple dedicated to Goddess Narayani i.e. Maa Durga
OdiArt Museum -  A beautiful museum with awesome Odisha art and artifacts
Ugratara Temple - A temple dedicated to Goddess Ugratara
Salia Dam - A dam, temple, and a scenic picnic-spot
Olasingh - A textile village where one can see handloom weavers at work
Mangalajodi - This is a birds paradise where one can take a boat cruise to see migratory birds

How To Reach
The Swosti Chilika Resort at Odia Alapur, Pathara via Gurapalli in Ganjam district of Odisha, can be reached from the nearest airports Bhubaneswar in Odisha or Vishakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, on road to Chilika on NH16. 
One can travel by car, bus, and train.
Check this post for the details: How To Reach Swosti Chilika Resort From Bhubaneswar 

Explore #OdishaWithSwosti. Plan to stay at Swosti Chilika Resort to experience the magic and luxury. 
You can book your stay here. 

My thanks to Shri J.K.Mohanty, Chairman of Swosti Group, for inviting me over to review this super property. I believe just one post cannot do justice to Swosti Chilika Resort as there is so much more to explore and share.

This is an honest review. All views expressed are my own.

Linking with:
#Barathon Day5-  Give Me Five! - My trip to Chilika Lake and stay at Swosti Chilika Resort was a wonderful experience. I rate it five stars! Those who visit are sure to be impressed. I said- "Give Me Five!" and slapped palms in celebration and joy with my co-traveller!
'Give Me Five' days, weeks, months or years to travel and I am ready!
Does travel to such places make you say "Give Me Five!"?
Also linking with:
Wordless Wednesday
Nature Notes
Our World Tuesday 
Travel Tuesday