Kerala: 30 places to stay
India : Kerala (1)
Tailormade Tours - Kerala, Trivandrum
Specialist operator who can create customised itineraries to cater to your personal travel dreams
India : Kerala : Cochin & the Backwaters (17)
Discovery, Lake Vembanad
Eco-friendly houseboat with contemporary design and silent electric motors for exploring the quieter backwaters (sleeps 2-4)
- £££
- MAP
Malabar House, Fort Cochin
A haven of stylish hospitality: an 18th-century residence in one of India’s historic trading ports
- £££
- MAP
Privacy at Sanctuary Bay, Lake Vembanad
Two stylish and fully-staffed backwater bungalow villas (sleeping 6) on the shore of Lake Vembanad in Kerala
- £££
- MAP
Purity, Cochin
A serene and romantic waterfront retreat on the southwest shores of Lake Vembanad
- £££
- MAP
Vaamika Island, Near Cochin
Romantic island in the north of Lake Vembanad; restored Keralan houses and villas share 7 acres of tropical gardens, a world away from the bustle of nearby Cochin
- £££
- MAP
A Beach Symphony, Alleppey
Four beautifully furnished traditional fishermen’s cottages on Marari's white sandy beach - a symphony of serenity, warm hospitality and private dining
- ££
- MAP
Kumarakom Lake Resort, Kottayam
Dreamy bungalows set amidst swaying palm groves and silvery canals beside Lake Vembanad
- ££
- MAP
Lakes & Lagoons, Alleppey
Cruise languidly along the Keralan backwaters in a floating wooden hotel and watch the world go by...
- ££
- MAP
Marari Beach Resort, Alleppey
Big but beautiful village-style resort of thatched cottages with a strong environmental ethos, behind an unspoilt sandy beach
- ££
- MAP
Marari Villas, Marari
On the beach at Marari, within a whisper of the sea, these boutique villas for 2-6 offer a rare combination of luxury, personal service and private space
- ££
- MAP
Old Harbour Hotel, Fort Cochin
Stylish art-centric heritage hotel with superb service in the heart of Kerala’s colonial jewel, Cochin
- ££
- MAP
Philipkutty's Farm, Kottayam
Homely waterfront cottages run by a charming family on a small farm-island in backwater Kerala - a truly personal insight into Keralan life and cuisine
- ££
- MAP
Tea Bungalow, Fort Cochin
A restored colonial villa, the former guesthouse of a British tea company, offering cool plantation-style rooms close to Old Cochin’s historic spice district
- ££
- MAP
Trinity, Fort Cochin
A stunning set of three contemporary suites in the former headquarters of the Dutch East India Company in Fort Cochin
- ££
- MAP
Gramam Homestay, Cochin
Get a taste of the real Kerala by checking into this authentic and super-friendly homestay, just 10km from Fort Cochin
- £
- MAP
Raheem Residency, Alleppey
A super-stylish heritage hotel with swimming pool, Ayurvedic spa and rooftop dining in Alleppey, the capital of the Kerala backwaters
- £
- MAP
The Old Courtyard Hotel, Fort Cochin
A wonderfully intimate and historic hotel close to the bustling Fort Cochin’s north waterfront, with open-air dining and live Indian music
- £
- MAP
India : Kerala : Southern Beaches (4)
Surya Samudra, Near Kovalam
Beautiful and luxurious cliff-top resort with glossy heritage cottages, an Ayurvedic spa, restaurants and an infinity pool looking out over the stunning sea
- £££
- MAP
Karikkathi Beach Houses, Near Kovalam
Simplicity and style beside a truly stunning private beach - 2 lovely cottages (sleeping 2-6) with staff, quite literally off the beaten track
- ££
- MAP
Varikatt Heritage, Trivandrum
A calm oasis of colonial elegance and charm at the heart of Trivandrum, with cultured hosts and a heritage homestay feel
- £
- MAP
Villa Jacaranda, Varkala
A charming and peaceful 4-room guesthouse in Varkala, with rooftop terrace, fragrant garden and veranda views of the Arabian Sea
- £
- MAP
India : Kerala : The Hill Country (6)
Serenity at Kanam Estate, Vazhoor
Truly delightful, fully staffed 5-bedroom hotel or villa on a rubber plantation midway between Cochin, the backwaters and Thekkady (sleeps 2-12)
- £££
- MAP
Aanavilasam, Thekkady
Spoiling plantation retreat with romantic suites, set high in the hills near the Periyar Tiger Reserve
- ££
- MAP
Paradisa Plantation, Near Thekkady
Peaceful hillside resort, with traditional Keralan cottages and a gorgeous pool, set amid a 40-acre coffee estate
- ££
- MAP
Shalimar Spice Garden, Thekkady
Cross the wooden bridge into this aromatic mountain garden with stylish cottages, pool and Ayurvedic centre, and leave the world behind
- ££
- MAP
Windermere Estate, Munnar
Charming cardamom plantation retreat for walkers and nature-lovers, high on the emerald slopes of the Western Ghats
- ££
- MAP
Casa del Fauno, Munnar
Alpine-style mountain lodges on a working cardamom plantation above Munnar, with glorious, misty-mountain Chinese-painting views
- £
- MAP
India : Kerala : Northern Kerala (2)
Neeleshwar Hermitage, Malabar
A beautifully calm retreat with a fabulous spa and houseboat on the undeveloped North Keralan coast
- ££
- MAP
Tranquil, Wayanad
Authentic plantation homestay in the unspoilt hills of northern Kerala, set on a 400-acre coffee and vanilla estate
- ££
- MAP