A quest of the hidden: The Postcard Hotel on the Arabian Sea pins a new beachside getaway in Karnataka

Gazing at the virtual postcards of The Postcard Hotel’s idyllic new property, some kilometres away from the city of Mangalore, a gushing sentiment takes over — that of therapeutic travelling. Christened The Postcard on the Arabian Sea, the property in Karnataka stands as a resounding translation of a true seaside escapade; a hidden, undiscovered gem at that. 

Roosted on the sequestered coast of Maravanthe Beach in the Udupi district, The Postcard’s new venue carouses in the company of itself and of the dulating stretches and sounds of the sea and swaying palm trees. 

Living the postcard life

With a collection of ten rooms and suites — each caressed with endless vistas of the sand and sea — comfort and indulgence become the winning synonyms of The Postcard on the Arabian Sea, championing the quintessence of The Postcard Hotel founded by Kapil Chopra, a cluster of private, luxury boutique hotels nested in the most holiday-esque locales across India and the world.

“The Postcard on the Arabian Sea is not only perfectly positioned to indulge in all that coastal Karnataka has to offer, but the location of the resort itself, on a near private pristine beach, is what convinced us on this being a perfect postcard location,” divulges Kapil.

With setting benchmarks comes the exigency to be responsible. While the design of the rooms is visibly influenced by its immediate environ, that of the easy tropicals, the basis of its architecture and facade went beyond.

Helmed by Akshat Bhatt, Principal Architect, Architecture Discipline, he recalls, “The Postcard on the Arabian Sea is one of India’s first resorts located in a high tide zone. The coastal location poses challenges such as high winds, heavy rainfall, high tides, high humidity all year round and compliance with the CRZ regulations. We employ a prefabricated hybrid steel and light gauge frame structural system for the double-storeyed cottages to reduce in-situ construction on the sensitive site. They are also tactfully propped on stilts to minimise impact and protect the structures from seawater.”

Architecture is public art, and we hold ourselves accountable to the communities and places we build in. We must build responsibly, with minimum or ideally no damage, to a region and its people, he signs off. With its proclivity for the simple joys of getaways, The Postcard Hotel has been accorded as ‘Asia’s Leading Boutique Hotel Brand’, while The Postcard on the Arabian Sea, has been voted as ‘Asia’s Leading Boutique Hotel’ at the globally recognised World Travel Awards 2023. 

Between expected and unexpected

An exemplary discourse on food finds its way to the property where regionality informs the spread on the table, thanks to its coastal threshold that commands a variety of flavours. “Our commitment to celebrating this remarkable region is also reflected in our carefully crafted menus, influenced by the rich culinary local cuisines of the Bunt, Goud Saraswat, Catholic, and Konkani Muslim communities,” confirms Kapil. 

Charting the boundaries of solace and adventures, the bespoke boutique hotel unassumingly transpires into a reason for escape, rejuvenation and connection with the self. 

Things to do around The Postcard on the Arabian Sea:

Scuba diving and snorkelling

A rested beach stroll

Trail to Agumbe Peak

Dolphin spotting

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