Homestays in Kerala, India

I’ll start by saying that we only booked this guesthouse as it was pretty much the only one available for our dates in Varkala that seemed well located and wasn’t a hostel in a dorm room (we are a married couple in our 30s and are passed the days of sleeping in a dorm bunk bed!). BIG MISTAKE! Following 7 weeks of travel in India and staying in almost 20 different guesthouses and homestays, this was by far the worst! One of the most expensive out of all the properties we stayed in and by far the worst in terms of facilities, value for money and management. Where to begin… 1. Frequent power cuts on our first day turning the lights and AC off in the room 2. We stayed in two rooms (one AC and one fan). Almost none of the plug sockets worked in either room with the exception of one 3. The shower was practically pointless and the water came out in a tiny trickle in both rooms. Not very practical for showering. We used the bucket for showering (which we have done many times in India, but not expected here considering it cost 2-3x more than other properties we stayed at in India). It’s also a wet room (common in India), but no mop/brush to push all the excess water into the drain (we had this in majority of our other guesthouses) so you’re walking into a soaking wet bathroom every time you enter 4. The rooms didn’t feel 100% clean - we were walking on sand before we even went to the beach and even felt sand in the bed! 5. Speaking of the bed, this was rock hard and super uncomfortable 6. We shared our AC room with 4/5 geckos each night. We are ok with nature and insects so this wasn’t a huge deal for us but just FYI incase you are not. There are vents in the room that allow insects in easily, despite them having some sort of sellotape over them to try and prevent this 7. There was construction work happening (either the property itself or next door). When in the AC room we were woken up quite early each morning with loud banging and drilling practically outside our window. The workmen also left their tools on our balcony 8. We were interested in doing the cooking class offered but were told that this was not available because the owner Suresh was too busy at his other property in Varkala (it’s called Gypsy Walker so will assume is also poor quality). Just as well, wouldn’t have wanted to have given another penny to this property! 9. The property requests that shoes are taken off before entry and left on the designated shoe rack. Respectful of the property’s policies and Indian culture we did just that. On the last day, one of our pairs of shoes was stolen from the rack. We know this happened that day as they were there late morning when we went out but not the evening when we returned to get them. When we informed Suresh of the issue, he was incredibly rude, shouting abuse at us down the phone and accused us of lying to get compensation out of him - incredibly insulting to say the least. We were told that no one has access to the property

I chose this hotel only because it was within walking distance of the airport and reasonably priced, so I didn't have high expectations. But when I tried to check in, they said they didn't have a reservation. They said, ”Don't worry, we have a room for 1900 rupees.” Even though I told them the pin code and reservation number, they just said, ”We don't have a reservation, so just pay quickly.” A manager came from somewhere and checked the system, hitting the front desk staff on the head, so it may have simply been overlooked, but the truth is unknown. I lost about 30 minutes. The room was spacious and the air conditioning worked well, but the bathroom seemed to be cleaned only occasionally. It was good that the hot water was perfect even in the middle of the night. The amenities were a small soap. There was no toilet paper. Bath towels were provided, but they were an old, stiff towel, which is rare even in India these days, and two slightly newer ones. One of the deciding factors was that there was a Saravana Bhawan chain store nearby, which has a global presence, but I'm not sure about using it again. This website states that there is a free shuttle bus to the airport, but it actually costs 200 rupees. It's cheaper than taking a taxi, but it doesn't look good if you think it's free. Of course, it's better than no shuttle bus at all.

Let's start with this place point by point date of visit (7 may to 8 may) 1- reached the hotel little early around 8.30 am. The assistant manager (Mahesh) said he will try to give the room by 11 after confirming with the manager (who refused to share his name but has worked for 11 years in Hospitality in Colaba, Mumbai) The manager refused and asked for additional amount. Which I understand must be the policy. But the arrogance of the manager is hard to miss 2- the room was filled with mosquitos. There was no Soap. The Linen was untidy 3- the Highlight (Check out) we checked out at 11.30 the official time and requested to keep the luggage at the side for sometime till we get some clothes and snacks. The Manager replied not more than 1 hour as it will create disturbance to us. How can 2 bags create disturbance if it's kept in a corner of the waiting area. Part 2 - we reached back by 1.10 pm which he didn't appreciate. We asked the manager about the other places that we can visit, he was completely clueless and had zero interest in replying. While we were sitting quietly in the waiting area he asked us to get out in an extremely rude manner. You can't ask your guests to get out of the property, they are not causing any inconvenience to other patrons. Please please please avoid this place just for the Manager. He is not worthy of being in the Hospitality industry. I really hope the owner of the property takes note of this incident and takes some action against the manager because despite being at good location the people who are running it are leaving a bad taste. I'm writing this review from a restaurant nearby the property as we were asked to GET OUT. P.S. the assistant Mahesh did apologize on behalf of the manager but the damage was done by then

I’m a British/ Australian female traveller who visited India for the first time with my Partner. Kerala is the first place we visited and I was incredibly impressed with how clean, safe and comfy the homestay was. It is in the perfect location, very short walking distance to Princess street. The hosts are incredibly friendly, they helped me with my washing and also made us two delicious homemade breakfasts. The air conditioning worked really well and there is also a fan. Will recommend this place to any traveller and I would definitely stay here again.

Nice and clean

Room and service is very good. Good hotel to stay with family. The temple is just a 10mins walk away. To visit 3 am darshanam in guruvayoor this is the best nearest hotel.

Ok, where do I start off? Arrival: George welcomed us to their homestay and took the time to answer all questions we had and more. He is a very friendly, honest and patient *** with a ”Can Do” attitude. After speaking to him, we knew: were, what, when, how and how much. The Room: Very clean room with AC and Ceiling fan, good shower and plenty of warm water. There also seemed to be a little kitchen we didn't use which might be handy for some guests. Hospitality: George & Daisy are some of the nicest people you will meet on this planet. Very caring & honest. I was sick for some of my stay and Daisy nursed me back to health with some homemade remedies. George had some tips on medicine and within 2 days I was back to feeling ay okey! They saved our trip to Kerala. Thank you so much. I can recommend Elim Homestay to anyone visiting Kochi. 5 stars across the board!

Simple but clean room with excellent air conditioning. Dining room on 2nd floor (no elevator) has pots and pan ***** with an electric kettle. Owners of guesthouse get food prepared from home, provided we give a 3 hour notice. Closest and decent accommodation for those who want to see wild elephants come for a drink of the water. Just 100 feet away.

I chose this hotel only because it was within walking distance of the airport and reasonably priced, so I didn't have high expectations. But when I tried to check in, they said they didn't have a reservation. They said, ”Don't worry, we have a room for 1900 rupees.” Even though I told them the pin code and reservation number, they just said, ”We don't have a reservation, so just pay quickly.” A manager came from somewhere and checked the system, hitting the front desk staff on the head, so it may have simply been overlooked, but the truth is unknown. I lost about 30 minutes. The room was spacious and the air conditioning worked well, but the bathroom seemed to be cleaned only occasionally. It was good that the hot water was perfect even in the middle of the night. The amenities were a small soap. There was no toilet paper. Bath towels were provided, but they were an old, stiff towel, which is rare even in India these days, and two slightly newer ones. One of the deciding factors was that there was a Saravana Bhawan chain store nearby, which has a global presence, but I'm not sure about using it again. This website states that there is a free shuttle bus to the airport, but it actually costs 200 rupees. It's cheaper than taking a taxi, but it doesn't look good if you think it's free. Of course, it's better than no shuttle bus at all.

I’m a British/ Australian female traveller who visited India for the first time with my Partner. Kerala is the first place we visited and I was incredibly impressed with how clean, safe and comfy the homestay was. It is in the perfect location, very short walking distance to Princess street. The hosts are incredibly friendly, they helped me with my washing and also made us two delicious homemade breakfasts. The air conditioning worked really well and there is also a fan. Will recommend this place to any traveller and I would definitely stay here again.

Ok, where do I start off? Arrival: George welcomed us to their homestay and took the time to answer all questions we had and more. He is a very friendly, honest and patient *** with a ”Can Do” attitude. After speaking to him, we knew: were, what, when, how and how much. The Room: Very clean room with AC and Ceiling fan, good shower and plenty of warm water. There also seemed to be a little kitchen we didn't use which might be handy for some guests. Hospitality: George & Daisy are some of the nicest people you will meet on this planet. Very caring & honest. I was sick for some of my stay and Daisy nursed me back to health with some homemade remedies. George had some tips on medicine and within 2 days I was back to feeling ay okey! They saved our trip to Kerala. Thank you so much. I can recommend Elim Homestay to anyone visiting Kochi. 5 stars across the board!

Madhu ist ein sehr freundlicher Gastgeber. Das ganze alte portugiesische Haus atmet Musik und *** kann eine wunderschöne Morgen-Raga bei Madhu buchen. Seine Stimme leitet einen in tiefe, heilende Meditation. Ein unvergessliches spirituelles Erlebnis. Empfehlung für Menschen, die eine künstlerische und authentische Umgebung in Kochi suchen, voller Herz und individuellem Charme.

Clean, affordable, budget-friendly room. The service and staff were very helpful. What we didn't like was the quality of water as it was brownish colour with a lot of chlorine smell that burns the eyes. Expect for the water issue the hotel is highly recommended for travellers and riders who just need a room to spend the night.

I’ll start by saying that we only booked this guesthouse as it was pretty much the only one available for our dates in Varkala that seemed well located and wasn’t a hostel in a dorm room (we are a married couple in our 30s and are passed the days of sleeping in a dorm bunk bed!). BIG MISTAKE! Following 7 weeks of travel in India and staying in almost 20 different guesthouses and homestays, this was by far the worst! One of the most expensive out of all the properties we stayed in and by far the worst in terms of facilities, value for money and management. Where to begin… 1. Frequent power cuts on our first day turning the lights and AC off in the room 2. We stayed in two rooms (one AC and one fan). Almost none of the plug sockets worked in either room with the exception of one 3. The shower was practically pointless and the water came out in a tiny trickle in both rooms. Not very practical for showering. We used the bucket for showering (which we have done many times in India, but not expected here considering it cost 2-3x more than other properties we stayed at in India). It’s also a wet room (common in India), but no mop/brush to push all the excess water into the drain (we had this in majority of our other guesthouses) so you’re walking into a soaking wet bathroom every time you enter 4. The rooms didn’t feel 100% clean - we were walking on sand before we even went to the beach and even felt sand in the bed! 5. Speaking of the bed, this was rock hard and super uncomfortable 6. We shared our AC room with 4/5 geckos each night. We are ok with nature and insects so this wasn’t a huge deal for us but just FYI incase you are not. There are vents in the room that allow insects in easily, despite them having some sort of sellotape over them to try and prevent this 7. There was construction work happening (either the property itself or next door). When in the AC room we were woken up quite early each morning with loud banging and drilling practically outside our window. The workmen also left their tools on our balcony 8. We were interested in doing the cooking class offered but were told that this was not available because the owner Suresh was too busy at his other property in Varkala (it’s called Gypsy Walker so will assume is also poor quality). Just as well, wouldn’t have wanted to have given another penny to this property! 9. The property requests that shoes are taken off before entry and left on the designated shoe rack. Respectful of the property’s policies and Indian culture we did just that. On the last day, one of our pairs of shoes was stolen from the rack. We know this happened that day as they were there late morning when we went out but not the evening when we returned to get them. When we informed Suresh of the issue, he was incredibly rude, shouting abuse at us down the phone and accused us of lying to get compensation out of him - incredibly insulting to say the least. We were told that no one has access to the property

Let's start with this place point by point date of visit (7 may to 8 may) 1- reached the hotel little early around 8.30 am. The assistant manager (Mahesh) said he will try to give the room by 11 after confirming with the manager (who refused to share his name but has worked for 11 years in Hospitality in Colaba, Mumbai) The manager refused and asked for additional amount. Which I understand must be the policy. But the arrogance of the manager is hard to miss 2- the room was filled with mosquitos. There was no Soap. The Linen was untidy 3- the Highlight (Check out) we checked out at 11.30 the official time and requested to keep the luggage at the side for sometime till we get some clothes and snacks. The Manager replied not more than 1 hour as it will create disturbance to us. How can 2 bags create disturbance if it's kept in a corner of the waiting area. Part 2 - we reached back by 1.10 pm which he didn't appreciate. We asked the manager about the other places that we can visit, he was completely clueless and had zero interest in replying. While we were sitting quietly in the waiting area he asked us to get out in an extremely rude manner. You can't ask your guests to get out of the property, they are not causing any inconvenience to other patrons. Please please please avoid this place just for the Manager. He is not worthy of being in the Hospitality industry. I really hope the owner of the property takes note of this incident and takes some action against the manager because despite being at good location the people who are running it are leaving a bad taste. I'm writing this review from a restaurant nearby the property as we were asked to GET OUT. P.S. the assistant Mahesh did apologize on behalf of the manager but the damage was done by then

Nice and clean

The room was very spacious, right opposite to the beach. If one wants a beach view, go for it. Food in the restaurant was just okay!

The hospitality experienced was way better than a luxury hotel . The owners Nisha, Venu and their 2 little ones made us feel like family. The rooms are extremely beautiful with cozy beds, a spacious bathroom, very well maintained and most importantly clean and hygienic. It has a well equipped fully functional kitchen. For insta pic lovers, the house is full of antiques. For beach lovers, The house is right in front of the mighty sea. They have top notch security as they have cameras all around the house. They will also cook for you for a minimum charge. The food is authentic and mouth watering. You have to stay here atleast once if you are in Trivandrum to experience the warmth of this beautiful family.

Ganga lodge is only a place for stay i mean if you have early morning flight from trivandrum you can stay here as a renu basera as it's a nearby to t2 and t1. There is not proper facilities of drinking water and don't ask for foods. However you can find some nonveg restaurants just front side crossing the road. There is travancore mall is very good place for time pass and shopping and yes very good tea @ rs. 15 only. The staff of ganga lodge is sincere and truly cooperative. Rooms are small but very clean and bathroom are also neat with hot water also. Lodge will provide you towels and a little wash soap. In fact, i have enjoyed the stay and felt it was comfortable. It's a budget staying place and more convenient in trivandrum compare to the others. Best wishes.

I’ll start by saying that we only booked this guesthouse as it was pretty much the only one available for our dates in Varkala that seemed well located and wasn’t a hostel in a dorm room (we are a married couple in our 30s and are passed the days of sleeping in a dorm bunk bed!). BIG MISTAKE! Following 7 weeks of travel in India and staying in almost 20 different guesthouses and homestays, this was by far the worst! One of the most expensive out of all the properties we stayed in and by far the worst in terms of facilities, value for money and management. Where to begin… 1. Frequent power cuts on our first day turning the lights and AC off in the room 2. We stayed in two rooms (one AC and one fan). Almost none of the plug sockets worked in either room with the exception of one 3. The shower was practically pointless and the water came out in a tiny trickle in both rooms. Not very practical for showering. We used the bucket for showering (which we have done many times in India, but not expected here considering it cost 2-3x more than other properties we stayed at in India). It’s also a wet room (common in India), but no mop/brush to push all the excess water into the drain (we had this in majority of our other guesthouses) so you’re walking into a soaking wet bathroom every time you enter 4. The rooms didn’t feel 100% clean - we were walking on sand before we even went to the beach and even felt sand in the bed! 5. Speaking of the bed, this was rock hard and super uncomfortable 6. We shared our AC room with 4/5 geckos each night. We are ok with nature and insects so this wasn’t a huge deal for us but just FYI incase you are not. There are vents in the room that allow insects in easily, despite them having some sort of sellotape over them to try and prevent this 7. There was construction work happening (either the property itself or next door). When in the AC room we were woken up quite early each morning with loud banging and drilling practically outside our window. The workmen also left their tools on our balcony 8. We were interested in doing the cooking class offered but were told that this was not available because the owner Suresh was too busy at his other property in Varkala (it’s called Gypsy Walker so will assume is also poor quality). Just as well, wouldn’t have wanted to have given another penny to this property! 9. The property requests that shoes are taken off before entry and left on the designated shoe rack. Respectful of the property’s policies and Indian culture we did just that. On the last day, one of our pairs of shoes was stolen from the rack. We know this happened that day as they were there late morning when we went out but not the evening when we returned to get them. When we informed Suresh of the issue, he was incredibly rude, shouting abuse at us down the phone and accused us of lying to get compensation out of him - incredibly insulting to say the least. We were told that no one has access to the property

Nice and clean