Kumarakom Lake Resort

Dreamy bungalows set amidst swaying palm groves and silvery canals beside Lake Vembanad

When the serene, blue-green beauty of Kerala’s ‘backwaters’ began to attract Western travellers a decade or so ago, a rash of new resorts sprang up in the south exploiting the successful ‘wooden-cottage-in-palm-grove’ formula. But this addition on the quieter shores of Lake Vembanad is a cut above the rest.

You feel it immediately on entering the spacious, open-sided reception foyer, where uniformed staff greet you with a smile. Look around and you'll see a carefully-tended patchwork of ‘lotus’ canals lined by palm trees and red-tiled, wood-walled bungalows - 50 of them in all, though you would never guess. Head away from the cottages and you reach the infinity pool, whose invisible lip makes you feel as if you are swimming in Lake Vembanad itself. Although there is a slightly ‘resorty’ feel, the attention to aesthetics and quality make you feel cosseted and privileged. Rice boats, fishing trips and farm visits are also available, but chances are you won’t want to leave the resort.

Highs

• The careful architectural mix of old and new has been very tastefully done
• Banquet-style meals are served each night
• The open-sided reception and dining areas are spacious and airy
• There's a gorgeous play of colours - blues and greens reflected in silvery waters, with all turning yellow at sunset

Lows

• This is not an exclusive retreat - there are about 50 cottages spread over 10 acres, making it sociable rather than crowded
• It does still feel new, the cottages more so than the grounds
• It’s expensive by Keralan standards