I visited Kerala for the first time in 2014 and fell in love with the Niraamaya retreats- nestled on a quiet stretch of Kovalam Beach. Naturally, when I was invited to review their property in Thekkady- I was ecstatic and packed my bags that night. I travelled to Kerala from Delhi with a companion from the 1st to the 3rd of November.

It was a long and tiring journey to the cardamom plantations in Thekkady but we were pretty awestruck with the weather and how verdant everything was around us. It was sweater weather and we were welcomed to ginger coffee to ease some of the nausea from the trip and help settle our tummies for the local specialties. I ordered the dry pork with coconut shavings, some avial and a bowl of yoghurt to wash it down. The food was absolutely delicious and everything was perfectly spiced.
We wanted to shoot in the evening but it started to drizzle so we found cozy spots on our balcony overlooking the lush cardamom plantation, listening to the birds and the crickets as we watched it rain. The estate is really quiet and has only 6 cottages, a small spa area and a dining area. The guests who choose to come and stay at the Cardamom club do it for the solitude, peace, quiet and proximity to national parks and the reserve. Guests normally have an early breakfast, leave for a trek, go explore the spice bazaar at Kumily, visit the Periyar jungle reserve. The weather didn’t permit a trip to the reserve but we did go for a guided trek/walking trail along the periphery of the reserve. We saw scintillating views of the mountains, spotted some exotic birds and worked up quite an appetite. It is customary to wear leech socks and special hiking boots to prevent getting bitten and stung by spiders, leeches and other insects. Personally, I didn’t get to see any elephant or gaur on my hikes, but I did get to see a couple of Malabar Giant Squirrels, a Nilgiri Langur family, some hornbills and a lot of evidence that these trails are indeed trod upon by elephants and gaurs. If you are into hiking or bird watching or if you are a nature enthusiast, you will find a lot of avenues to keep yourself super occupied here. Just make sure that you have your binoculars and good walking shoes with you at all times.
The food at Cafe Samsara has been curated by Executive Chef Prakash Nayak. He shuttles between the two properties to oversee the cuisine and makes changes wherever necessary. We would head to the restaurant for early dinner and made our way through most of the menu. We sampled the non vegetarian thali- which comes highly recommended if you wanted to taste all the local specialties in one dish. Their pork and seafood specialties are absolutely divine and the staff takes into account your dietary preferences. I suggest that you try the avial, red rice, the non vegetarian thali and the dry pork with coconut shavings. I would stick to Indian food at the resort because the produce is absolutely fresh and the chefs do an incredible job at whipping up local Kerala dishes. You can let the resort know in advance to pack some sandwiches, fruit or some rice porridge if you plan to eat your lunch on the go in the morning on a picnic or in the jungle.
Each of the 6 cottages at the Cardamom Club are named after a spice that is easy to acquire in Kerala. The rooms are well appointed and fitted with all the latest amenities. The rooms are cozy, warm and have an outdoor shower. You should keep the doors closed at all times to prevent mosquitoes from entering your room and to prevent the monkeys from eating your food or grabbing your stuff. The weather is always cool and pleasant at Thekkady so you don’t need a fan or the air conditioner at night. We had to carry jackets and woollens for early mornings and evening walks into the jungle.
The spa at Thekkady isn’t as large as the one at Kovalam but you can still choose from a range of ayurvedic rituals. I highly recommend the shirodhara, padhabhyangam or the ‘spice magic’ as you watch your stresses melt away. The globally acclaimed spa is infused with timeless therapeutic traditions, and other Indian healing processes. Therapists trained in Yoga, meditation and other therapies like reflexology. Tailor made therapy and diets are available on request – suggested by qualified doctor who is available for personal consultation.
Some of you could choose to come here with absolutely no agenda. Fret not, you can choose to do exactly that. They have enough hammocks for lounging, you can order your meals to the room at your leisure and you can choose to stay indoors curled with a book and listen to the sound of the birds and the rain. This little slice of paradise takes a long time to get to and I wish they could do something about the access but it’s definitely worth a trip. I would recommend that you club it with a few nights to Kovalam and spend about 3 nights at Cardamom Club so you get the best of both worlds. Safe Travels!
Verdict- beautiful, cozy and quiet place far far away from all the madness and noise. You won’t burn a hole in your pocket if you stay at this resort and the food is absolutely incredible. Getting here is quite a trek but the vistas from your room in the morning make it worthwhile. They don’t have a gymnasium, a pool or an extensive spa because its a boutique property with only 6 cottages. The wifi connectivity can be poor most times of the year so please have sufficient data on your phone and use that for emails and messages.
Quick Notes-
V&V Estates, Spring Valley,

Kumily 685 509,

Kerala, India

Front Office: Tel: +91 48 6922 3905

Reservations: Tel: +91 80 4510 4510

Email: reservations@niraamaya.in

http://www.niraamaya.in/thekkady.html