Location

10 kms (20 minutes drive) from Alleppey, in the heart of the backwaters. Situated on the banks of a backwaters island and reached by a dug out canoe.  Don’t worry, the staff will ensure that your luggage makes the crossing safely!

There are a number of walking trails departing from Emerald Isle to guide you in the exploration of this backwater island.  We joined the local school run with the children, about a 30 minute walk away.  There are schools, temples and villages to explore in the locality where you will gain a real insight into local life.

Further afield it is possible to visit a market by canoe or arrange a visit to Alleppey town for shopping.

Facilities

• 9 acre gardens with hammocks
• Ayurvedic Body Massage & Treatments
• Country boat cruise, Village tour
• Visit to historic-temple and 1400 years old church
• Fishing in the Family’s own Fish Farm
• Local walking route maps
• Cookery demonstrations
• Visit to Snake Boat and Pottery works
• Swimming; Fishing, Rowing, Birding
• Visit to Coir Marking units
• WiFi, Internet & Telephone Facilities
• Car Rentals

Accommodation

There are only 5 rooms (All Air-conditioned) for guests and each has its own en-suite ‘open to the sky’ shower bathroom with all modern facilities. To retain privacy, each room has its own entrance from the central courtyard.

The house itself dates back 150 years and retains its original architectural features, mostly in teak, with splendid wood carvings. There is also a fine Ara, the timber storeroom used in former times for the golden harvest of rice – golden because the island’s lush green paddy fields turn gold at the time of the harvest.

Dining

This is where the Homestay experience comes into its own.  Meals are a communal affair with fellow guests and served in the main Family dining room.  The ladies of the house prepare and serve the meals but do not eat with guests.

All meals are traditional Keralan specialities using locally-grown spices and herbs, local fish – Karimeen Pollichathu, Avoli Fry, Neimeen Curry – and chicken and duck dishes which are a specialty of the region, as well as dosa, appam-egg roast, puttu-kadala for vegetarian dishes.  Expect lavish banquets, often impressively served on fresh banana leaves.

Food can prepared according to the level of spice that guests prefer.

For those that would like to continue the experience at home, free cookery demonstrations can be arranged with the Family.  We did and I have even managed to source fresh banana leaves to serve a traditional Keralan feast back home!

Location

Located in the midst of historic Fort Cochin, very close to the Dutch Cemetry and right on the shoreline looking out to the Arabian Sea and Cochin harbour.

All major attractions in Fort Cochin are within easy walking distance. You can enjoy a pleasant stroll along the beachside to the Chinese Fishing nets and fish market.

Old Lighthouse Bristow Hotel is 45 km from Cochin airport and takes around 1 hour to transfer by car.

Facilities

Facilities:

Swimming pool & Jacuzzi
Spa
Wi-Fi throughout the hotel
Bicycle rental to explore Fort Cochin
Fort Cochin walking tour
Cooking demonstrations
Sunset cruise (additional charge)
Evening cultural programe (weather permitting)
Laundry service

Accommodation

Eleven rooms in total stylishly furnished and decorated in boutique style. All rooms include the following amenities:

Air conditioning
Mini refrigerator
Safety deposit box
Bottled water
Flat screen TV (with cable connection)
Hair dryer

Poolside Villas x 2 are located next to the swimming pool and have views of the beach from the outdoor seating area. The en suite bathroom has a particualrly large bathtub.

Garden View Rooms x 7 are located at the front of the property and have views across the gardens and to the swimming pool.

Deluxe Suites x 2 are on the first floor and have a large balcony with seating area overlooking the beach and Arabian Sea.  These are very nice rooms indeed, definitely our favourite.

Dining

A choice of three venues are available at the Old Lighthouse Bristow Hotel:

Bristow’s Bistro: the main restaurant with fabulous views out across the Arabian Sea. A fine dining experience serving everything from traditional Keralan cuisine to international delicacies such as ceviche.

Lighthouse Lounge: poolside location serving snacks and refreshing drinks under the shade of century old gulmohar, coconut and mango trees.

Vinocean: an air conditioned lounge serving drinks and tapas along with fabulous sunset views.

Location

Activities

Cardamom Walk
(4km/ 2hr) A walk through the Windermere Estate, a cardamom plantation is a treat for a naturalist. With a vast variety of evergreen trees under the shade of which the cardamom is cultivated. The walk is 4 Km long and the normal duration is around two hours.

Surrounding area
See Munnar page

Accommodation

Garden Rooms
These are four rooms set in verdant gardens with a lavish veranda and typical plantation home interior having a view of the Chithirapuram valley below.

Cottages
Six exquisite rooms owing their names to the vegetation around (Cardamom, Coffee and Vanilla ). The cottages are large having an area of 600 square feet each. Even the king sized beds, the huge bathroom and heavy furniture leave enough space to swing a few hats. The huge window frames do justice to the picture perfect mountains beyond.

Planter’s Villa Room
Set amidst the oaks with a perfect vista of surrounding tea-clad hills of the Western Ghats. Each villa being 1,100 sq ft of wood with a private balcony, sitting & dinning, amd a bathroom which opens into a courtyard still leaves you with an enormity of space. Massive, rustic & cozy furniture makes it a synonym of ‘Comfort’. The large French windows, only a barrier between you & the birds actually facilitates your link with the landscape

Dining

The Barn
Dining with an old fashioned fire place and wooden pillars, it has an old world charm. On top of the dining is a library with books and metarials on Plantation, Nature and a range of other subjects.

Boulder Garden
Tucked under a big boulder, this an ideal spot for barbeques and campfire. Enjoy a variety of grilled meat, fish and vegetables served here. The blacksmith’s bellow gives it a very rustic feel

The Hut
Snacks, sizzlers and fruits are served. Built in native Kerala style under a tribal home like thached roof with wooden blocks as furniture, redifines the connection with nature

Location

About 20kms (30 minutes drive) from Trivandrum Airport. Walking distance to the beach.

In our opinion, Chowara is a much better option than Kovalam itself which has quite a touristy, commercial feel to it.  You will not find throngs of people on the beach at Chowara.  Instead, you will find local traditional fishing boats dotted along the miles of sand.  There are a number of local fishing villages close by and this is a great spot to watch the boats bring in the days catch and fishing nets being expertly manoevered in the ocean.  The Travancore Heritage provides a great vantage point to observe these activities, especially first thing in the morning.

Kovalam and Trivandrum are within easy reach for sighseeing and shopping.

Please note that although there is a lift available for access to/from the beach, the resort is built on an incline and does involve some fairly steep slopes and a number of steps to reach the main restaurant .

Facilities

2 Swimming pools: one adjacent to the main restaurant at the top of the cliff and one at beach level

Ayurveda centre: for single treatments or a tailored package

Yoga Pavillion

2 Gift Shops

Health Club

Wi-Fi

Accommodation

A total of 90 rooms divided into six categories.  The accommodation is set amidst landscaped gardens and coconut plantations on the cliff and on the beach side.  The fabulous Heritage rooms are constructed from reclaimed traditional Keralan timber houses and are delightful.  Well spaced apart, with the odd hammock strung up between them, they offer wonderful views of the gardens and Arabian sea.  The Premium Mansions and Suites offer the best sea views whilst the Beach Grove rooms are adjacent to the beach and lower level swimming pool and offer great value for money.

Pool Mansions x 2
Situated on the cliff with garden and partial sea view, these 100 year old reclaimed wooden houses offer the ultimate in privacy and luxury. Independent villas, with air conditioned spacious bed room, a drawing room and sit-out or verandah with rich period furniture and all modern amenities of attached bathroom with lavish fittings and 24 hours cold/hot water showers. There is also has a private dip pool in an open back-yard, completely walled in for privacy. These suites are ideal for that extra special ocassion.

Heritage Premium x 22
Heritage Premium cottages are located on the cliff overlooking the arabian sea and the garden. The wooden cottages are superbly equipped with comfortable furniture and modern amenities.

Heritage Home x 23
Heritage Home cottages are located on the cliff overlooking the gardens and with a partial sea view. The traditional designed wooden cottages are both comfortable and full of character.

Premium Mansion x 15
Located on the cliff, Premium Mansion Rooms feature the best sea view. Each patio or balcony will allow you to enjoy the views of Arabian Sea.

Premium Suites x 4
Situated on the cliff, this accommodation provides excellent views of the Arabian sea – ideal for watching the local fishermen. Suite rooms have a separate living area and bedroom with wooden floor and a spacious balcony.  Amenities include air conditioning, mini bar, tea and coffee maker and a plasma TV.

Beach Grove x 24
The beach grove block is located at the foot of the 120 ft. cliff  and is slightly set back from the beach, beyond the swimming pool.  A lift facility is available to move between the different levels of the resort.

Dining

We were impressed with the standard of food at the Travancore Heritage.  The main restaurant ‘Open House’ has a pleasant location by the main pool and has partially open sides allowing a breeze to flow through.  There is also a beachside seafood restauarant and a dedicated Ayurvedic dining area.

‘Open House’:  The ‘open house’ restaurant has open arches on the front sides and overlooks the swimming pool. In the main dining hall, the exquisite decorative wooden ceiling is some 100 years old, sourced from the marriage hall of a feudal chief in Tamil Nadu. The restaurant offers multi-cuisine fare with the specialty of seafood and local ethnic cuisine and can serve 80 guests at a time.

‘Ocean Grill’:  ideally situated between the beach grove and the sea. With thatched roofing and sea breezes, this restaurant specialises in sea food.

Ayurveda restaurant: There is a separate Ayurveda Restaurant which only serves ayurveda dishes.  Combined with a series of ayurvedic spa treatments, this provides an ideal opportunity to indulge in this traditional Keralan healing remedy.

Location

Tea Bungalow is located in the heart of the heritage area of Fort Cochin.  The Chinese Fishing Nets are around a 15 minute walk away, or a few minutes by Tuctuc.  It is a very peaceful area, making a perfect setting for this calm and tranquil heritage boutique property.

Tea Bungalow is 43 km from Cochin airport and takes around 1 hour to transfer by car.

Facilities

The Garden is the perfect setting for Tea Bungalow, enhancing its calm serenity. Lounge on the garden chairs under a lawn umbrella or in the dappled shade of the jackfruit, breadfruit and cinnamon trees, and enjoy the exotic shapes of the bonsai plants. At night the cleverly lit garden is transformed into the stuff of dreams.

The aquamarine swimming pool is lined with leather polished granite and Italian Bisazza tile.  Sun loungers are arranged around the pool-deck. Each one provided with a fresh, soft, snowy white towel.

The Travancore Lounge is an exclusive retreat for residents only, with a well stocked library. There is a wide wall mounted plasma screen for those who are curious about what the world has been up to while they were away.

• 10 Luxury Heritage rooms with centralised air conditioning
• Travancore Lounge – a coffee lounge with home theatre and library
• Café Du Mahe – a multi cuisine restaurant
• Swimming pool
• Pool side Barbeque Lounge
• Satellite Television
• 24 hours in-room dining
• Travel Desk
• Tea/Coffee Maker in all rooms
• Bathroom amenities such as grooming kits and luxurious bathrobes and slippers
• Doctor on Call
• Laundry & Dry Cleaning Service
• An In-Room Electronic safe
• 24 hours on-site security
• Complimentary breakfast and fruit basket for all rooms
• The entire hotel is Wi-Fi enabled

Accommodation

Tea Bungalow has 10 large en-suite rooms each named after a port involved in spice and tea trading from lands around the Indian Ocean. The rooms are named Cochin, Zanzibar, Galle, Mombasa, Muscat, Malacca, Mauritius, Cambay, Goa and Calicut. Each room has design touches of each ethnic port.

Spotlessly clean, the bedrooms are elegantly designed to exude, warmth and comfort and an ineffable sense of quiet luxury. Each bedroom has large comfortable beds and fabulous bathroom facilities.   Stylishly decorated and complimented by selected pieces of art, this is a fusion of history and modern boutique style.

The beautifully designed bathrooms have hot and cold showers and world-class fixtures. Specially handcrafted sandalwood soap provided, is made exclusively for Dempo Resorts.

There are wide verandahs with broad comfortable armchairs and teapoys, to do that most pleasurable of all activities – nothing.

Dining

Café du Mahé is named after the 18th century hero Governor of Mauritius Bertrand-François Mahé de La Bourdonnais. This is a multi-cuisine restaurant which serves Indian, Kerala and Continental cuisine. Café du Mahé is an elegant dining area with tables that seat four or six. The tableware is exquisite. Beautifully designed, this restaurant which seats 50, opens onto the garden. Some tables are also set up al fresco near the pool. This special ambience when added to the excellent cuisine and superb service makes every meal at Café du Mahé, a supremely pleasurable experience.

Location

Excellent central location in the heart of historic Fort Cochin, very close to the Chinese Fishing Nets. Some of the Suite rooms have views across to the sea and the fishing nets.

All major attractions in Fort Cochin are within easy walking distance.

Old Harbour Hotel is 45 km from Cochin airport and takes around 1 hour to transfer by car.

Facilities

Spa Treatments: There is a small Ayurvedic spa centre within the hotel where treatments and massages are available. In-room treatments can also be arranged on request.

Yoga: early morning sessions are often held on the rooftop for a revitalising start to the day.

Internet Access: is available at the hotel

Accommodation

A total of thirteen rooms located in either the main building or the garden annexe.  Attention to detail is evident with the provision of  organic soaps and lotions in the bathrooms, comfortable robes and slippers as well as plenty of bottled water. All rooms have been beautifully restored and decorated in a stylish, natural fashion with the addition of local antiques and artwork.

Rooms: each room is named after the various old streets of Fort Cochin and are plush with high ceilings and either look into a courtyard with a fountain or over the ancient Chinese Fishing nets.

Garden Cottages: have open-to-the-sky showers, a veranda and views of the lily pond and beautiful garden.

Suites: The 3 sprawling suites, complete with four-poster beds, are particularly luxurious; the Bastion Suite has a romantic swing chair for two, while the Princess Suite has a private balcony and is the only room with a bath.

Dining

Dining at Old Harbour Hotel is a delight, particularly at night when the garden is lit up to create a magical atmosphere.  The restaurant has an indoor dining area that spills out onto a terrace with tables dotted around the garden and under the ancient mango tree.  There is a good range of Western and local cuisine to suit most palettes but the speciality has to be the fish which is freshly caught just across the road!  There is a special seafood menu and barbecue every night in the garden. We also enjoyed the duck curry – another Keralan speciality. All vegetables are organically grown and there is an emphasis on freshly squeezed juices.

Breakfasts are a leisurely affair with a good selection of buffet and cooked to order options.  Local newspapers are at hand whilst you sip another another cup of spiced chai tea.

Location

Cinnamon, one of the best design and lifestyle shops in India, is situated on the ground floor of the building. Trinity is also just around the corner from ‘Fab India’, a must for Indian home decorations and local style clothes. Gorgeous.

Trinity is 45 km from Cochin airport and takes around 1 hour to transfer by car.

Facilities

Accommodation

The red room, the largest room, A/C, patio terrace with open ‘garden’ bathroom, TV, mini bar , original lithograph of M.F. Hussain, additional mezzanine bed, DVD player
The blue room, A/C, additional mezzanine bed, TV, DVD player , open ‘garden’ bathroom, contemporary Indian art
The yellow room, A/C, open patio, TV, DVD player , separate dressing area, contemporary tribal art and photography

Dining

Malabar junction, the gourmet restaurant is a crossroads of tradition and innovation, of South India and the West. Specialising in market fresh food, this is reputed to be one of the finest seafood restaurants in the South.  Having eaten here on several ocassions I would tend to agree.

I would also recommend the lunch time Thalis, vegetarian Thalis (an assortment of several dishes) are particularly popular in this area.

Breakfast is a combination of fresh fruits, breads, pastries, eggs, bacon and a local speacial which tends to change on a daily basis.  I loved the dosas.

Divine, the wine lounge and Tapas bar located on the first floor overlooking the courtyard.  This is a first in historic Cochin and for me, epitamises the style of Malabar Escapes.  A funky modern space with glossy red bar stools is the setting for a fabulous range of  wines and tapas.  Try the degustation of tapas with wines carefully selected to match the flavours of the food.  Yet the style is still India and down below in the candle lit courtyard, cultural perofrmances are held to complete this unique  ambience.  Fabulous.

Location

Great central location in the heart of historic Fort Cochin, facing the Parade Ground which always has something interesting going on, be it a cricket or football game or just the locals ‘hanging out’.  All the major attractions of Fort Cochin are within easy walking distance and the St. Francis church is just opposite.  The famous Chinese Fishing nets are a three minute walk away.

45 kms (1 hour drive) from the Cochin airport.

Facilities

Small courtyard swimming pool
Ayurvedic Spa
Bicycles available free of charge and walking trails of Cochin
Outdoor cultural entertainment is often staged in the evenings in the courtyard
Money changing service

Accommodation

All rooms have the following amenities:

Air conditioning
Cable TV
Telephone
Mini Bar
Coffee Maker
Wi-Fi Internet
Safe Deposit Box

Dining

Malabar Junction: a multi cuisine restaurant offering international and Indian cuisine along with seafood speciality.  This is renowned to be one of the best restaurants in South India and I wouldn’t disagree.  The menu is varied and lives up to expectations.  We recommend the Lunchtime Thali, particularly the Vegetarian Thali which is popular in this area of India.  Breakfasts offer a combination of fresh fruits, eggs, bacon, pastries and local specialities which we do recommend you try – especially the breakfast Dosa.

‘Divine’: the wine lounge. Funky, modern bar serving a range of wines and tapas but somehow managing to retain that unique Malabar Escapes Indian style.  Fab.  Try the degustation wine and tapas.

Location

Facilities

Facilities: Swimming pool, Ayurveda centre, billiards table, souvenir shop, sun-set cruises, cookery demonstrations. Excursions to the many cultural attractions in culture-rich Fort Cochin.

Accommodation

Accommodation: 22 rooms with excellent views of the sea.

Dining

‘History‘, a specialty seafood and multi cuisine restaurant (where the menu adopts the names of places pertaining to the times of the British Raj) and the Armoury Bar. Fantastic outdoor dining on the first floor with amazing views over the harbour and chinese fishing nets.