21 MUST TRY HOTELS & RESORTS, KERALA

21 MUST TRY HOTELS & RESORTS, KERALA: These were the places I stayed and eat during my first visit  in Kerala, India. Thank you for making it a trip of a lifetime

21 MUST TRY HOTELS & RESORTS, KERALA

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In my entire 2-week  visit to Kerala, India, I had the opportunity to experience the hospitality of 22 Hotels and Resorts in this beautiful district of India. While my stay in these Hotels and Resorts were sponsored, the words written below were entirely based on my opinions and personal preference.

Wait, did I mention 22 Hotels and resorts? Well, I experienced the 23 properties as opposed to the 22 mentioned in my title. The last one, however, was given by Silkair the official carrier of 5 bloggers (including me)  in the entire Kerala Blog Express 3.

In as much as my stay in these hotels and resorts were very short, I didn’t have the opportunity to explore their entire offerings. I’m sure If I only had a little more time, I could give more justice to my reviews of these properties.

Generally, most of these hotels received us very well literally with some sounds using their traditional drums, garlands in various materials like flowers, spices, and shells, welcome drinks like fresh coconut juice and, of course, their traditional tika or tilak. (Tika or Tilak is a ritual mark on the forehead. It is used  as a sign of blessing, greetings.)

So here’s the 22 Must-Try Hotels and Resorts in Kerala, India and find out the reasons why I like them.

1. Vivanta By Taj Green Cove, Kovalam

I arrived at Trivandrum on the eve of February 14, and I was brought straight to a lovely resort where I spent my first night in Kerala, the Vivanta By Taj Green Cove, Kovalam. The resort is a 12-kilometer  drive from Thiruvananthapuram airport and 14-kilometer drive from the railway station.   The resort is located amidst lush vegetation with a beautiful view of the sea.

Three things  I like most  about  Vivanta By Taj Green Cove, Kovalam:

• I love the Balinese influences in the architecture and décor of their villas. This is the kind of resort which I would want to stay if given a chance to enjoy for a few more days.
• I enjoyed their restaurant where we had our breakfast. It’s beside the pool at the second level of the main building of the resort.
• While having my early coffee, I was entertained well by the waiters and cooks on my queries about Indian Food.

 

2. Vivanta By Taj, Trivandrum

February 15, my second night in Kerala, India. I stayed at one of the best 5-star hotels in Trivandrum, the  Vivanta by Taj. The hotel is  1.5 kilometers from the railway terminus and 10 kilometers from the airport.

What I like most about Vivanta By Taj, Trivandrum:

• Need I say more? It’s a beautiful 5-star hotel equipped with fantastic and luxurious amenities any guest will surely love. Unfortunately, It was just an overnight stay. But we were given the best service and hospitality from this hotel.
• This beautiful hotel is located in the heart of Trivandrum. Surely, I highly recommend that you will visit this hotel.

 

3. WelcomHotel Raviz Ashtamudi, Kollam

February  16, we were on our way to experience the Kerala Backwaters, we stopped for an excellent breakfast at WelcomHotel Raviz Ashtamudi. The moment we arrived, we were well received by the traditional drumbeats of Kerala, Leis, welcome drinks and warmth.

What  I like most from WelcomHotel Raviz Ashtamudi

• The main building of this hotel is overlooking a big lake which emulates a very relaxing feeling. For me, this hotel is perfect to spend a pleasant vacation when visiting  Kollam, Kerala.

 

4. Lakes & Lagoons

In my previous post, I made a lengthy review about  Lakes & Lagoons being a sponsor in my overnight stay at the Boathouse in Kerala Backwaters.  Please click here for my Kerala Backwaters Experience.

Lakes & Lagoons takes pride to be the first & only ISO 9001 – 2008 certified Houseboat Tour Company in Kerala.

What I like most about Lakes & Lagoons:

• Their staff was amiable. We made sure that all our needs were taken care of. For me, one of the significant factors which make my stay memorable in a particular facility apart from their amenities is its people.   Lakes and Lagoons have great men.

5. CGH Earth – Marari Beach Resort

We were welcomed gracefully by their traditional tika, lei, and the fresh coconut juice.

We just drop by Marari Beach Resort for our lunch so I cannot speak so much about the property. But   Marari Beach Resort is one place which I ate a lot.

What I like most about Marari Beach Resort

• They have a wide array of food selection in their main dining hall. Their food is just perfect for me. I can say that they offer one of the best food among the places we’ve visited in Kerala. I’m sure you will love it too.
• To those who are not really into spicy food, they have a wide array of food selection for you to choose from.
• The place is quite large and ideal for a peaceful vacation, they have a pool and has a beautiful beach front.

6. Kumarakom Lake Resort

Tradition, culture, arts, service …just the first few words that come to my mind when describing this place. One of my favorite resort in Kerala.

What I like most about Kumarakom Lake Resort

• The rooms, villas, and suites at Kumarakom Lake Resort reflect Kerala’s traditional architectural art with luxurious, modern comforts. According to one of their staff, each building is a careful reconstruction of manas, the 16th-century conventional homesteads of Kerala. Most of these structures were transplanted from their original locations and reassembled painstakingly by hand, plank by plank, tile by tile, to create the luxurious accommodation.
• I was flabbergasted at seeing the luxuriously modern, open-roofed bathrooms set in small, aesthetically designed pocket gardens. I was so excited about taking a bath in an open-roofed bathroom with matching garden plants in it, the whole space was furnished by the Home Furniture Website.
• Another surprising feature of this place which amazed me was a 250-m long meandering pool. The room which was given to us has direct access to the pool.

7. KTDC Waterscapes

We just had a short tea break from this exotic backwater resort. Located on the shores of Vembanad Lake and inside the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary. It is said that migratory birds from as far as Siberia visits the place.

8. Lakesong Resort

Lakesong Resort is located amidst the beautiful backwaters of Kumarakom. The architectural design of  Lakesong Resort was based on the traditional Kerala style.  It was very heartwarming to note that Lakesong Resort had prepared a cooking demonstration for us on some conventional Kerala Cuisines.

9. CGH Earth – Spice Village, Periyar Sanctuary

For a quick lunch, we dropped by at CGH Earth – Spice Village, Periyar Sanctuary. We were welcomed by an elephant, drumbeats and their traditional tilak. As we entered the resort, we were offered a various flavor of teas as welcome drinks.

10.Elephant Court

We stayed for two nights at the Elephant Court in Thekkady. The Elephant Court, the only five-star hotel in this region, invites you to come and experience the rejuvenating power of nature. Come, surround yourself with dense rainforest.

What I like most about the Elephant Court

• Every night this hotel offers a free show showcasing some traditional Indian Dances
• Since I stayed in this hotel for two nights, I had the opportunity to enjoy my early morning coffee and evening tea in their poolside which I like.

11. Spice Tree – Munnar

One of my favorite Hotel in Kerala is this premium boutique luxury resort at Munnar, The  SpiceTree. Unlike in most resorts we’ve visited in Kerala that we were given buffet meals, at Spice Tree, we were given a sit-down dinner with the Chef explaining each dishes being served.

12. KTDC Tea County

One of my favorite Hotels in Kerala, the KTDC Tea Country.  This beautiful sprawling hotel is located on top of the hill offering a beautiful vista of the place.

What I like most about the KTDC Tea County

• The location of the hotel is perfect for people who wanted to relax.
• The place is quite cold at night-time and in the early morning, making it a perfect summer destination.

 

13. Kalypso Adventures – Camping

We stayed overnight at the Kalypso Camp in Munar. Kalypso Adventures, the company operating the place received us with a welcome gift such as a box of chocolate, a box of assorted spices, a cap and a shirt which we used for our outdoor activities. The campsite is not an ordinary site. It has good bathrooms and comfort rooms, tents with beds and sleeping bags – just a few signs that the campground is operated by professional people.

Kalypso Adventures offers various outdoor activities like trekking, cycling, kayaking, wildlife, and bird watching holidays among others. If you are an active person and would want to experience outdoor activities, I do recommend that you contact Kalypso Adventures.

14. Cherai Beach Resort

We had a quick stopover at Cherai Beach Resort for a quick lunch. Cherai Beach Resort is landscaped with lagoons and canals meandering in and around some cottages built around the serene backwaters.

 

15. Holiday Inn

Holiday Inn is located in the heart of Cochin City. Holiday Inn Cochin has 211 spacious and lavishly furnished rooms,   with modern amenities.

What I like about Holiday Inn

• They offer a wide array of food selections and a pleasant culinary experience.
• I love their rooms.

16. The Windflower Resorts and Spa, Vythiri

Another hotel, I like most in my entire Kerala trip was The Windflower Resorts and Spa, Vythiri. The hotel offers a cold climate and surrounded by lush greenery year round.

What I like most about The Windflower Resorts and Spa, Vythiri

• The hospitality and charm of the people working in this hotel made my stay extra special.
• See some monkeys the moment you get out from your hotel room.

17. Vythiri Village

I didn’t stay at this hotel; instead, they hosted all of the bloggers for a night at the fun party. This resort has all the rights to brag about being called as a 5-star resort. The resort features were spectacular, such as man-made falls, zip line and many more. Looking at the property simply amazed me. Their main dining hall was one of the biggest dining halls in all of the places I visited in Kerala. Their food selections were excellent. Two thumbs up to Vythiri Village. I enjoyed sharing personal stories with the Managers of this hotel who were quite familiar with my culture of being a Filipino. Two thumbs up to you Vythiri Village!!!  Next time, please let me stay in your hotel.

18. Hill District Club 

The Hill District Club is a sprawling resort in over 3.5 acres of green land; the club boasts many facilities such as mini-convention center to nice swimming pools.

19. WelcomHotel Raviz Kadavu

We arrived late after lunch in this hotel, and we need to leave the place as early as 8 in the morning as we don’t want to be caught with so much traffic. The reason? The President of India is expected to arrive and stay at the hotel.  Maybe that was enough reason for you to imagine what is this hotel all about.

 

20. Kunnathor Mana Ayurveda Heritage Resort

Being one of the few ancestral homes in Kerala, what attracts me first about Kunnathurmana Ayurveda Heritage Resort is its building. For me the old charm of the place made me feel at home.

Website: http://www.kmaheritage.com

Bolgatty Palace, Photo: From Bolgatty Website

21.Bolgatty Palace, Kochi

Located on the Island of Bolgatty, the Bolgatty Palace has four palatial rooms. Initially built by Dutch traders in 1744 and it is the oldest of its kind that exists outside Holland.  The resort is encircled by a nine-hole golf course established in 1925.

22.Xandari Harbour, Fort Kochi

The Xandari Harbour is located right at the spice trading district of Kochi, Kerala, the Mattancherry. The Mattancherry is an exciting place to visit during daytime as you will see ancient structures which are being used for spice trading. It is also a Bazar Road, where art galleries and cafes are located.

The resort offers  16 beautiful guest rooms and has a great view of the harbor. We were treated at the resort’s signature restaurant, Restaurant 51 which has a 2-story waterfront view. I only stayed at this resort for our farewell dinner, so I cannot give a full detailed review.

What I like most about Xanari Harbour’s Restaurant 51

• I guess they offer the best food in Kochi.
• The restaurant which was a restored old building spells modern comfort and luxury.

 

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