12 Best Hotels in Central Kerala, Kerala

Set around a network of canals and pristine lawns, this lush 25-acre heritage resort is right on Lake Vembanad and is known for its palatial traditional villas fitted with ornately carved teakwood ceilings, colorful mythological murals, and open-air garden bathrooms with private pools. Some offer direct access to a 250-meter (820-feet) meandering pool. There are two main restaurants, an excellent ayurvedic center, and houseboats, as well as daily yoga, afternoon tea, and traditional dance performances.

Small design details, spacious grounds, and lake-view rooms with private patios just steps from the water make this large backwater resort sparkle. The traditional tile-roof buildings have ornate wooden carvings on the facades, while rooms have high ceilings, exposed wooden rafters, and decoratively tiled floors. The resort also has luxury one-bedroom and two-bedroom houseboats and floating cottages that can be booked for a day cruise or an overnight stay on Vembanad lake.

Although not as luxurious as some of its neighbors, this backwater resort with pretty white bungalows with terra-cotta roofs is set on a lovely 13-acre property that has ponds, lush coconut palm groves, and a small lagoon running through it. The rooms, each with their own patio, are spacious, stylish, and furnished in muted colors. High ceilings, wood trim, and solid-wood furniture give them a substantial feel.

A seriously steep walk downhill through green environs brings you to a clutter of whitewashed, terra-cotta-roofed cottages, clinging to the slope, where you get a bird's-eye view of tea plantations for miles around, including workers' settlements and a small blue-roofed church. These snug, modest cottage rooms, with parquet floors and interiors done in soothing creams and white, and their verandas, are peaceful and make great spots to catch the valley action.

This serene Kerala backwaters resort, bordered by the lake and the backwaters on three sides and crisscrossed with canals and footbridges, is dotted with bungalows, private pool villas, and mansions. Ettukettu, one of the restaurants here, is painstakingly reassembled from parts of an approximately 300-year-old Kerala tharawad (traditional house). The hotel has a butterfly garden.

The highlight of this relaxing resort with elegant rooms is the impressive infinity pool, which overlooks the mighty Vembanad lake. The 27 rooms, all in a two-story heritage Kerala building, have four-poster beds and wooden accents. The lobby and other shared areas are simple and functional and look out onto well-tended lawns. The resort is about a 30-minute drive from Alleppey.

This 25-acre eco-friendly resort, built to resemble a traditional fishing village, offers an unspoiled palm-fringed beach and an excellent ayurvedic center. Brick paths lead through rows of deceptively modest thatched-roof cottages that are both extremely spacious and comfortable—they have traditional red oxide floors, coir matting, bamboo roll blinds, cane furniture, and hand-loomed furnishings, with open-air bathrooms sporting banana trees.

Set on the secluded Marari beach—considered one of Kerala's finest—this select set of luxury villas each has its own butler and chef plus a fully equipped kitchenette. The villas, built in authentic tharavad style, have either dark wood or brightly colored walls, and showcase stylish furniture and brass fittings; bathrooms are open-air and filled with trees. There are plenty of activities on the grounds, including cooking classes, yoga, and ayurvedic treatments. Kochi is an hour away.

One of Thekkady's finest resorts, Spice Village has well-maintained thatch-roof cottages that are built into a hillside with lush plantings, including a spice garden that adds fragrance and privacy. Room interiors have knotty pine furniture and trim, white walls, red-tile floors, and hand-loomed upholstery and bedspreads. There are two restaurants and a bar, and the resort organizes jungle treks, paper-making lessons, and Indian cooking classes. The property is also eco-friendly, running partially on solar energy and recycling all its waste within the premises.

The brightly colored villas and cottages at this tranquil resort set among rubber trees have broad verandas overlooking a small lagoon where guests can canoe or pedal-boat. A few of the cottages offer views of Vembanad Lake. The main building here is a former 19th-century plantation house built by the son of an English missionary. There are two restaurants, a bar, and an outdoor swimming pool, as well as daily houseboat trips.

Set along Lake Vembanad, this luxurious resort offers a variety of rooms from cottages with lagoon views to villas with private pools overlooking the lake. There are three restaurants and a bar, an excellent spa, daily yoga, along with a slew of outdoor activities from cycling to fishing and bamboo rafting.