It’s not every day that you come across a resort where the owners greet you with an enthusiastic ‘Hi’ instead of polite smiles, three extremely friendly dogs lead you in instead of a doorman and a warm grandmotherly hug awaits you inside instead of practiced welcome speeches. A couple of months ago, we were fortunate enough to visit a place where we experienced all of this and much more.

Hideout International Eco Centre is a mere two and a half hour drive from Mumbai, on the Mumbai-Gujarat highway, alongside lush fields and meandering village roads. Set over five acres of farm land, amidst the forest of Jhadpoli village, Hemant, his wife Sangeeta and his mother manage this property with the help of a few locals. There are no rules, regulations or set patterns, except for the brow raising for some "no non-veg – no alcohol – no smoking" policy.

The idea is to ensure all those who visit relax, detox and the freedom to do as they please: an atmosphere as welcoming and informal as a family holiday home makes it easier. Over our weekend there, Hemant proudly showed us around the property and his farm where we plucked fruits and vegetables, learnt all about plowing fields and milking cows and everything that goes into a basic village life. A breath of fresh air from our monotonous and stressful city lifestyle.

A stay at Hideout is all about going back to the roots, understanding and respecting nature and pretty much valuing what one tends to forget and takes for granted. The property is dotted with seven rustic ‘eco cottages’, made of mud, bamboo, brick and dried leaves, each one very different from the other. The only modern hint is in the bathrooms, a complete contrast with the rooms, with all the modern amenities one can think of.

For the more adventurous, beds with mosquito nets are put up in the open at night. So much for safety and security we said. To which Hemant calmly responded, “Don’t mess with nature and it will not mess with you. Simple.” His explanation extended to the windowless rooms with pretty jute curtains and doors with no latches. While it seems rather unsettling in the beginning, you soon begin to realise that none of the initial forest inhabitants are interested in you. The insects go about their own business, the birds are perched high up in their nests and there is not a single animal in sight. The only animal who has free access to all the rooms as and when he pleases is Bonzo, the property dog. You can hear the gentle sound of his paws against the floor as he potters in and out of your room watchfully all through the night.

Though purely vegetarian, every meal at Hideout is delectable. Much to our amusement, mornings began with Hemant's mother's home made remedy for a clear stomach, a surprisingly tasty concoction of warm water with some honey and lime juice. Breakfast followed and was steaming hot poha, idlis with coconut chutney and fresh fruits, all prepared lovingly by her and their local cook. No bread, brown or otherwise.

Lunches and dinners were always simple, yet elaborate. At least two types of vegetables, lentils, rice, chappatis, curd, multiple salads, various home made pickles, papads, chutneys and delicious butter milk. Because the entire family believes in eating organic food, everything used is grown on and taken from their farm. Dessert varies and depends on what one is in the mood to cook. If you’re lucky, like we were, you could get to taste grandmum’s kheer. With the open kitchen policy, any of the guests are free to whip up an interesting dish for everyone else, if they so please.

How active you want to be at Hideout entirely depends on you. You can spend the two days lounging in the hammock and indulging in very interesting conversations with grandma or trek up to "the fall", which is a dam overflowing into a big waterfall, creating a beautiful hidden lagoon.

The following day, after another session of the ‘stomach cleanser’, we found ourselves engaged in a rather interesting conversation with Hemant and his mum. What a treasure trove these two were. Of knowledge and love. They live the simple farm life, respect nature, mingle with, teach to and learn from the locals, guide them on how to live a healthy life and the importance of being environmentally responsible and devote time to their brainchild, ‘The Bicycle Project’, dedicated to collecting of old cycles from city dwellers, refurbishing them and give them to village children so they don’t have to walk everywhere.

As most of their other guests would have, we walked out of there with a bag full of their farm goodies, fond memories, an enriched mind and a promise to return. Soon.