One of the best hotels in the Keralan backwaters, this is a stylish addition to the peaceful shores of Lake Vembanad and you can be sure of a unique Keralan experience here. The luxurious rooms and villas here are meticulous reconstructions of manas, the 16th century traditional homesteads of Kerala, many of which have been transported from their original locations and painstakingly reassembled, not omitting even the tiniest detail. Traditional they might be, the rooms and villas are extremely generous in size and feature luxurious modern comforts, like plunge pools and Jacuzzis set in private outdoor courtyards found at the Heritage Villas. The Presidential Suites also have their own private pools while the Meandering Pool Duplex Villas are set on the twists and turns of the resort’s winding 250m pool and have direct access to it from private bathing coves. Lastly, you could stay in a traditional Keralan House Boat moored on the placid waters of Lake Vembanad.
The resort’s speciality restaurant Ettukettu is also housed in an authentic Keralan eight-sided mansion that was commissioned by royalty and now seats 115, serving gourmet buffets of international cuisines including Chinese and Mughlai but specialising in Keralan dishes seasoned with aromatic spices. There’s also a fantastic seafood bar and traditional tea shop. As well as the resort’s gorgeous lakefront infinity pool, there’s an excellent Ayurveda spa and a fitness centre and a range of activities are available in and around the resort including sightseeing trips, cycling and village walks, and traditional Keralan cultural performances.
