Taj Madikeri Resort and Spa, Coorg

Privacy’s one thing, 180 acres of unspoiled rainforest is quite another. The slopes and valleys of the Western Ghats, the surface of which has hardly been scratched by tourism and development, offer prime pickings for an eco-conscious, low-impact luxury resort like Taj Madikeri Resort and Spa, Coorg. Self-sufficiency is the name of the game here, a considerable 4,000 feet up, and this Taj outpost delivers on all counts: you’d be hard pressed to exhaust its opportunities for dining, exercising, or even just idling with a satisfied eye on the mist-swaddled hills.

Massive picture windows frame the scene throughout, keeping the impossibly lush flora and cerulean skies in sight at all times. Each of the 62 rooms and villas enjoys a wide-angle view of the region’s cascading greenery, a fittingly natural balance to traditional architectural elements — lofty pillars, gently sloping roofing, ornate wooden screens, hanging lanterns — and a subtly luxurious earth-tone palette. Upper-tier rooms justify themselves with substantial updates like personal fireplaces and plunge pools, though all of them benefit from spacious, hardwood-floored rooms and stone-clad bathrooms with Forest Essentials amenities.

A serene, partially exposed courtyard imbues the whole affair with a suitably reverential air, matched in kind by a contemplative infinity pool and a 30,000-square-foot spa complex, replete with immersive Ayurvedic treatments and all manner of personal training. Sooner or later, though, you’ll need to satisfy the body’s baser needs at a trio of on-site restaurants. Go full-bore regional at Nellaki or broaden the cuisine with all-day global plates at Fern Tree, whose attached wooden terrace presents yet another opportunity to ogle the landscape; in between, Dew’s lighter fare and a pick-me-up at the coffee shop (Coorg is famous for its coffee plantations) should do nicely. The landscape isn’t just for looking, either — concierge-guided treks allow you to explore to your heart’s content by foot, pedal, or zipline.