Fodor's Expert Review Kumarakom Lake Resort

In the heritage section of this beautiful, lush 25-acre lakefront property, the palatial traditional villas, reassembled from old houses, are set around a network of canals and lawns dotted with long black Kerala canoes filled with plants. Each villa is outfitted with ornately carved wooden ceilings, colorful mythological murals, and enormous garden bathrooms with Jacuzzis. The meandering pool villas are a more modern take on the backwater lifestyle; you can step from your room directly into the curving, amoeba-like swimming pool. You can also relax by a separate lakefront pool, designed so that the far edge seems to magically merge with Vembanad Lake, or in the spacious ayurvedic center.