Kerala hotels & places to stay

From check in until check out we really enjoyed our stay at the UDS. This was our last stop on our trip to Kerala. Every member of staff from the porters up to the management were so friendly and respectful. We liked our room which had everything we needed to enjoy a relaxing stay. The access to the beach was great and contrary to what other reviewers have written, the beach is great and you can swim in the sea. The local shops and restaurants are great and everybody is so friendly. Such a difference to the other side of Kovalam on Lighthouse Beach where everything is just too much! I almost don't want to write this review, as we may not get a room when we next visit Kovalam, but feel it is so worthy. We have been visiting Kovalam for six years but have never stayed at the UDS before. We will definitely stay there again and would recommend it. We feel it offers very good value for money and far outweighs any of the other hotels in the same category. Keep it up UDS, we will most definitely be back. Thank you. John and Debbie H (London).

We live in Delhi and spent 3 nights at Turtle On The Beach for holidays. This hotel offers best scenery in Kovalam Beach area (except Leela which is located slightly away from Kovalam Beach). Please have a try climbing up at Sky Suite for the best view. The hotel is not located ‘on the beach’ but in a walking distance from the beach. The only thing you need to consider is a steep slope which you need to climb up when coming back to the hotel. The staffs are super friendly and are ready to offer any support. At the time of our visit, we were offered to take better rooms instead of the lower grade room which we booked. This may not be expected every time however, the readiness to offer the best service feels so nice, especially if you are a visitor from other major cities in India. The hospitality of this hotel is definitely better than those ‘Luxurious’ and ‘Gorgeous’ 5 star hotels. Besides, surfing at Lighthouse Beach is FUN!

we were on a luxury trip to Kerala and planned to stay in the finest.When it was KUMARAKOMS turn, we were confused between few properties, and we are so glad and grateful that we chose zuri. What a service, what a property, what amazing views..just speechless. It was so good!!Just one thing, dot go for basic rooms atlas upgrade to lagoon view rooms for the best experience.Also don't forget to go to the spa as its really one of the best spas of Asia. Thank you Zuri for such memorable holidays<3 Highly recommended.

I had to cancel the booking that I booked first. The cancellation was done on the date of checkin and according to their rules, they do not need to provide me a refund or postponement. It was a surprise that they extended us the booking for a later date on my request and it was done a month afterwards. Really I didnt expect that from a hotel in Kerala and they outperformed. Their service, staff were beyond expectations and I will only use uday suits in future for my visits to Trivandrum...Thumps up to Team Uday...

My family and I really enjoyed our stay here. The staff was exceptionally professional and courteous. Some of the continental and north indian food items in their in-house restaurant were truly exceptional and probably the best I have had in any Kerala hotel. My only grouse was with the bed linen which smelt good but looked tired and used. The bed linen needs to be properly bleached and starched more often. But generally speaking, we had an awesome stay! And a special congrats to the Hotel owners/Management for selecting and designing such a unique resort!

We reached this calm and quite Vaythiri Village Resort on last Sunday morning after a whirlwind drive of 300km from buzzing city like Bangalore . As soon as we crossed that big wooden gate of that resort , we simply landed into the lap of luxury in the midst of jungle . Staffs are very courteous and the facilities are really value for your hard earned money .Quality and the wide variety of food will tempt your test buds .For Photography enthusiast it's a perfect place to explore and take some rare pictures of Giant Squirrel , green frog, green chameleon lizard etc . We spend 2 nights and 3 days in this property and my 5.5yrs old daughter enjoyed a lot in the swimming pool , Play rooms and other open green areas . We stayed in Delux room which gave a really cosy feeling altogether .They maintain the cleanliness through out their property which is really a good thing. As a family man , I would suggest this Resort to others as well , to enjoy the beauty of Waynad and obviously the state Kerala .

The resort and staff were wonderful - grounds and pool were immaculately maintained. The welcome was very warm and genuine and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay, wish we could have stayed longer to enjoy the private plunge pool of the private villa. Views and main pool were stunning and we thoroughly enjoyed the music played during dinner. We were lucky to get the table with the best view of the pool and lake.The fish curry and kerala parota were delicious - thank you for the assistance with selecting items from the menu. The hostesses helped us book a village tour for the afternoon, adjusting the time to meet our itinerary and took care of all our bags when we arrived too early to check in. Their warm smiles and genuine concern for our comfort were one of many highlights of our trip. Have recommended highly to friends and family and would definitely stay here again.

Through an excellent deal with Agoda I finished 2 weeks of travelling around Kerala at The Hycinth. I primarily booked this hotel because I wanted some luxury and to swim in their pool. On arrival I was told the pool was closed. Very frustrating. Overall this is a good hotel, very clean, excellent breakfast and spacious and very comfortable bedrooms. The highlight was the multiple interactions I had with the incredibly helpful, kind and happy reception staff member called Adya. She was wonderful. As was the restaurant manager. However many of the rest of the staff struggle to understand English and at times were quite rude. Saying please and thank you and listening to the customer is key to good customer service. There is room for improvement in this hotel however much of it is excellent and I would definitely stay here again.

Complementary Early Check-in/out, Welcome drink(fruit juice), Sweets snacks(Indians sweet one), Their service was excellent and it was so warmful. It's not like 5 star hotel, however very At-Home style Indian hotel and I prefer here than Gorgeous Luxury 5 stars resort hotel. One of our group said that Breakfast Buffet was more tasty and staff's hospitality was better than Taj's one... Room is not so special, but clean. Location is a lil bit hill side hence it was like exercise to walk from the beach for me. Although I didn't try Ayurveda at this time but it is reasonable & friendly price, Expert Dr. is always in the hotel... I want to try it next time!!! Anyway totally it worth of staying!!

Their are few places which comes with the right blend of modern amenities , best of service with a genuine smile all around. This is the place where it will make you think you under payed for the services you received. Let me explain why I think it is exemplary service. As soon as we entered the premises, they welcomed with a Garland, gave wet towel, with welcome drink . It was my wife birthday and due to busy travel schedule I couldn't arrange anything to celebrate her birthday. Once I checked in I asked for a cake in the restaurant, they were kind enough to take the request and gave me the cake as complimentary and made it has a surprise for my wife, they were part of our small celebration and money can't buy these small happinesses :-), it is next to beach however it was already late in the night and my wife wanted to see the sea in the night, security told that it is not safe however the obliged my request and escorted us to the sea shore , morning we attended the yoga session as well which was refreshing, morning troll on sea shore will be the best thing to do in the morning, it has one of the cleanest beaches in India. The rooms are very spacious and designed by US architect,which shows up in every detailing. Best part is that even though it has lot of outdoor space, all the spaces are isolated. One of the unique thing is that the bathroom is outdoor which let you explore taking bath in outdoor keeps ng your privacy intact, try it , you won't be dissappointed. Breakfast had a very good spread and meets both Western and Indian requirements. Swimming pool is next to restaurant and swimming pool has depth up to 4 feet, Children friendly pool. They have a orchid garden , butterfly garden and a very big farm where they grow vegetables as well. It a huge property and plenty to explore. They have a huge pond where you can try kayaking if you have enough pond in the pool. They have a local tuk tuk to explore the resort. You can also avail the bicycle to explore it yo

Apollo Dimora Thiruvananthapuram This is a lovely hotel, quite modern with clean, comfortable rooms that are quiet at night. A rooftop pool that is clean and inviting with staff that are friendly and helpful. We stayed here for 3 nights to sight-see and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Across the road from the railway station and the famous Indian Coffee House which is a cylindrical building built in 1970 serving tasty inexpensive local cuisine that is a must visit. This hotel is in a fantastic location next to the bus stop and great Kerala-style street food serving chapati, parotha, naan breads and vegetarian foods. Also non-veg too. We're from Australia and would recommend it highly for travellers on a reasonable budget who like the little luxuries like a rooftop pool. After the heat of the day a trip upstairs to cool off is just lovely. We didn’t eat in the hotel so cannot comment on that, sorry. This is a great value hotel in a wonderful handy location.

The stay was very pleasant. Our reservation was handled well and we had a very smooth check in. The Heritage Villa with the private swimming pool had been very convenient and our young kids had lots of fun. They were kept busy by the hotel team with the pot making and mat weaving activities. Other games and fishing opportunity were delightful for the kids. The tea at Thattukada is one that should not be missed. We had been privileged to have a great view of the sunset during the evening cruise although it was the monsoon season in Kerala. The food at Ettukettu and the cultural program along with it is very interesting. Overall, we had a great time and returned with a refreshed body and mind. The stay was very relaxful and our kids insisted to return back to the resort some time soon.

My husband and I wanted to have a nicer hotel for a few nights while in Kerala. We chose the Ramada and were not disappointed. The pool is lovely and overlooks the river. The staff were always helpful and friendly. We even were able to order beer at the pool bar! The resort is lovely and has all these interconnected roofed pathways to the restaurants. The food at the Pearl is delicious (pricey, but delicious and well-prepared seafood). The buffet breakfast was VERY good. We felt like after we got to see inner city India, we were able to escape for a more 'honeymoon' feel while at the Ramada. A must!

lemon tree is just a lovely old charming hotel, with its location so beautiful, so memorable, we cannot wait to go back. we were upgraded on check in to a bigger room which looked out over the lake and onto their private housboat. the restaurant provided some of the most exquisite keralan dishes we have ever eaten...at prices beyond reasonable.the houseboat experience again was amazing. the 2 boat drivers and the chef made our second night so so special! the boat itself is beautifully appointed with 2 bedrooms and bathrooms. upper and lower decks, all providing spectacular views of lake vembanad and the kerala backwaters. a very emotional experience!

This is one of the best value for money property I have visited in recent times. The location is too good and the staff is very courteous. We took buffet dinner and breakfast and the food was amazing ! Finding too scrumptious Dal Makhani in Kerala... is it true ??? Yes, it is true in Raviz. The ghazals during dinner was music to ears. Had a great time in their big pool also. I would surely suggest to visit and stay at this place.

Marari Beach is a lovely resort, the cottages are superb, and the whole place is wonderfully peaceful, especially the butterfly and vegetable gardens. BUT, and this is a big 'but', at the time of our visit there was a ban on the hotel serving any kind of alcohol. This was not their fault - Kerala had had some weird alcohol policies such as it was OK for Kochi hotels to serve alcohol as they were within a municipality, but other hotels within 500m of a road could not. Marari Beach compensated by arranging to buy alcohol for you (a max of 3L beer or 3L wine) from a registered government outlet and you were permitted to drink it in your own cottage, but any social aspect of drinking around a bar after dinner, meeting other guests etc. just didn't happen. On our last day there (18 March) the ban was lifted for beer and wine only (no spirits or cocktails) and I don't know what the situation is now. If you like a beer of a glass of wine, CHECK THIS OUT BEFORE YOU TRAVEL!

We had a one night stay at this hotel, during our travel to malaysia from kochin. Even though we just booked it on an opinion by a friend, we were quite impressed at the hotel facilities and hotel employees. The room were pretty good and since the hotel is new.. everything was wonderful. the rooms were spacious with balconies and the hotel location itself was in a highway and easy access. the employees were very helpful and check in and check out were smooth. the night we stayed the hotel was pretty booked completely, but still it was well organized and all requests were well handled. The only issues was the breakfast, which was not upto mark. the swimming pool was good, but could have been a bit more clearer water.. neverthless we had a wonderful time and pleasant stay at this hotel.

The hotel was lovely, and easy to find. Very comfortable and the views were exceptional. All the staff - front desk and waiters in the restaurant especially - were incredibly attentive, friendly and extremely helpful. The staff on the front desk helped me plan a day of sightseeing and had no problems with me leaving my luggage there for a full day, even dropping me at the station to catch the night bus. Food was great and very reasonable priced. Overall a very comfortable but short stay in a beautiful part of Kerala. The hotel will be perfect once the pool and ayurvedic centre opens and I wish them the best with the official opening later in the year.

My wife and I spent three nights in February 2017 at this absolutely lovely boutique resort. To make a long story short, here are some of the things we liked about the place: 1. The staff is superb. Before our arrival, we had not set up anything in terms of visiting the nearby wildlife reserve. In short order, the staff arranged a trek and boat ride, as well as transportation to and from the reserve and our onward transportation to our next stop in Kerala. And they were very helpful in so many other ways I don't have time to list. Saji (I hope I'm spelling his name right) was the fellow who stood out most for us. But the resort manager, the food manager and all others were great as well. 2. The view from the room was really something special. I'm usually one for panoramic views, which you don't get here. BUT instead we had a unique view of a beautiful forest on a hillside a few hundred feet away. 3. The sounds of the birds complemented the view wonderfully. Especially in the morning and late afternoon, they were a symphony of natural music. 4. The room was fairly large and fine, with a comfortable bed, a couple of nice chairs, air conditioning and a fan that worked well, and with a great sunken tub in the bathroom that my wife loved, as well as a very nice rain shower. 5. Tasty food in the restaurant, including a nice masala dosa (which you might have ask for if you're not from India, as the staff might assume you don't want it) for breakfast, as well as great omelettes with mozarella cheese and various fruits. Room service was very competent as well. 6. It's on a working cardoman/pepper plantation. You can get a one-hour tour of these and other plants, walking through the aforementioned hillside. 7. There are far more staff than rooms - only five of the latter, all nicely separated from each other in different buildings (except 104 and 105, which are on top of each other). 102 and 103 are the best in terms of privacy, though all are fine. A few other

My wife and myself spent my 80th birthday at the Vythiri Windflower Resort. We enjoyed our stay immensely and wished if we could have doubled our stay. May be we will visit again. The rooms were maintained very well as also the hospitality and helpfulness of each and every person at the resort. They prepared items of our choice. I wish the Resort arranges for training the service staff to speak in English as we found that they were more comfortable with local language Malayalam. All the best. Unfortunately due to recent heavy rains in Kerala the approach Road to the Resort is badly damaged. I would therefore suggest that the Resort arranges to incorporate the better approach which is available with directions on their website.

neat and clean, huge area for an evening walk, friendly staff, reasonable price through agoda, great break fast...what else we want. Outstanding place...one of the best resort in South kerala.... Special mention to the staff who is doing boat service. while entering to the boat my specs fell in to the water, thought its gone. But this guy changed his dress and immediately jumped to the water and after a few minutes of searching he came up with my specs. really great......Thanks

I was searching for the perfect retreat in India and have found it in the Kerala, the famed southern state of India. The Beach Garden is amazing, the restaurant on the same private beach serves superb food prepared by chef Prakash. The place is not too big and the service is personalized. There are standard rooms as well as beautiful villas that are directly facing the sea. Whosoever plans to visit southern India, this place is definitely worth-visiting!

I only stayed one night, and I loved it! A delightful room with surprisingly good bathroom and confort level. Everything in the hotel was immaculate. The peace of the garden and pool area were just what I wanted and needed. The pool was clean and water felt almost body temperature on this hot April day. Perfect. Staff were attentive and helpful, obliged me by making a drink not on their menu, yet readily available most everywhere else in Forr Kochi so I suggested they add it to theirs. It’s a pity the consumption of chilled soda drinks has become so prevalent in India these days! Food was tasty and freshly prepared. A very limited Vegetarian selection though, only 4 choices on the menu which surprises me too. But Kerala seems to be less Vegetarian oriented than the rest of India. Overall I really enjoyed my stay here, and would love to return one day.

This was our honeymoon and we went during the month of June 2013. The best part of the resort is the entry through the back waters and the warm reception. The room which we stayed was the heritage mansiona nd it was truely done in a very detailed way keeping in mind the old tharavadus of kerala. The lighting and the extensive use of the wood add to the ambience. Another attraction we really enjoyed was the open bathroom which was attached to the property. That is a really great addition to this wonderful property. Since the room is not with a TV you are forced to stay outside during the daytime and let me say that, it was great to explore the property. There was absolutely no noise and it was hard to hear the honks once we were coming out after the vacation. The concept of not using plastic any where in the propert was really great. For me this was a really great vacation and looking forward to visit there onece more soon.

After cheap and cheerful guesthouses as we travelled through north India we decided to treat ourselves for the final few days in Kerala at Brunton Boatyard and were highly impressed with the hotel. The rooms were so comfortable especially the beds and had amazing views from our balconies from the bedroom and bathroom. The breakfast each morning was delicious (vast array of items to choose from, particularly loved the fresh juices, warm banana bread and the eggs benedict) and the one evening we had dinner there was nice. I have nothing but praise for all the staff that we encountered during our stay (friendly and extremely helpful). Would highly recc staying at Brunton Boatyard.