Marari Villas

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

Before falling in love with this beautiful corner of Kerala, Rupert and Olga (an English-Russian couple) searched every inch of southwest India’s golden coast from Mumbai down to Trivandrum. They were looking for their dream beach: a mile or so of pristine white sands, fringed with cool shady coconut groves and more or less empty other than a few local fishermen working the surfy Arabian Sea. And Marari, they discovered, had it all.

They now offer 3 serviced villas here. The first, Orchid, is a contemporary recreation of an existing thatched bungalow, set beneath the shady palms, within a few minutes' walk of the dream beach. The second, Hibiscus, sits alongside Orchid - this they designed and built themselves (Rupert is a trained architect) using the reclaimed framework of a traditional Keralan wooden house. The third, Palm Beach, is cool, contemporary and right on the beach. They still have big plans - there are other villas in the pipeline - but the idea is to keep it small: each villa offering a secluded haven (your own living space, your own garden, some with a pool) with all the luxuries of a larger resort, but closer to nature, more intimate and better value.

Highs

• The seaside location: Marari beach really is a beauty, and for now, it’s mostly free of touts and tourists - in one exclusive corner, there are sunbeds reserved for you
• The charm of the serviced villas: homes from home, with all mod cons, little kitchenettes (useful for long-term guests) and staff at your beck and call
• Dining by candlelight, on fresh, seasonal Keralan dishes, in your private garden. Breakfast is included in the rates, other meals are on request.
• The friendly staff (Olga and Rupert, villa host Shan, plus the chef, housekeepers and beach attendant) are very much part of the experience
• Popular with couples, friends and families - the different sizes of the villas means there's something for everyone

Lows

• Strict cancellation policy
• Tucked away, down narrow back roads, the villas are a little hard to find and we got lost. We'd recommend an airport pick-up
• The open-to-the-sky bathrooms are lovely but tend to invite bugs and wildlife - if showering at dusk, make use of the mosquito coils provided
• The neighbourhood can be a little noisy - though just the usual colourful cacophony of Indian village life (cockerels, car horns, barking dogs, drums, temple chanting and the like)
• Palm Beach does not have a pool, but it’s right on the beach (which is usually safe for swimming)