Staying At Kumarakom Lake Resort In Kerala

Having grown up in a walled city in North India, I have always wondered what exploring the backwaters of Kerala and staying in its uber luxurious resorts would one day feel like. Being a perfect example of such a destination, Kumarakom Lake Resort is an opulent property that has been on my radar for the longest of time. 

Situated right on the shores of Vembanad Lake, it is one of those rare places whose endless lake views would make you feel like you have escaped reality and entered paradise in no time. Having visited a few weeks ago with my high school best friend, I still remember how every part of our being felt relaxed the moment we stepped in.

Encircled by exquisitely landscaped gardens, palm trees and infinity swimming pools (yes, plural!); Kumarakom Lake Resort is a retreat that we all look for in luxury stays. With multiple on-site restaurants, ample number of activities, unmatched hospitality and heavenly ambiance; I can promise you that no other vacation is ever going to feel the same after staying here.

Disclaimer: I was kindly hosted by Kumarakom Lake Resort for a two-night stay, but as always, all opinions stated here are my own. This post may also contain affiliate links.

Arriving at Kumarakom Lake Resort

As we left the hills of Munnar behind and entered the palm tree paradise that is Kumarakom, I couldn’t hide how restless and excited I felt to be amidst such a picturesque landscape. The moment we embarked on the private road leading up to Kumarakom Lake Resort’s grand wooden gate, I could already sense an uncanny connection with nature that was fittingly present throughout the resort.

Welcomed with the warmest of smiles, traditional Malayalam rituals and fresh coconuts with paper straws; the caring staff at Kumarakom Lake Resort ensured that we felt at home even before fully checking in. After exchanging a tale or two about the resort’s history, design, and travelling in general, we were also given a tour around the property as our villa got ready (Spoiler: it was worth the wait).

CG’s tip: Located only two hours from Cochin International Airport and one and a half hours from Kochi itself, Kumarakom Lake Resort is best visited via road. You can either pre-book your transport directly with the resort for a seamless transfer or get a fixed price taxi from the airport upon arrival. And in case you are planning to head there from Munnar like we did, the four-hour scenic drive can also be easily booked at any of the local travel agent offices nearby.

Read More: A Complete Travel Guide to Munnar

Checking in and First Impressions

Very rarely do you step into a hotel reception and get amazed by the mesmerising sights from the front desk itself, but when that happens, you know you are in for a once in a lifetime experience that you’ll most likely remember for years to come. With uninterrupted lake views, streams of water flowing throughout the resort and the peaceful sound of birds chirping everywhere you go; I could totally see myself returning here, year after year.

Having barely started our tour of the resort yet, I found myself noticing how every minute detail at Kumarakom Lake Resort spoke volumes about Kerala’s heritage. When I asked the general manager, Mr. Sanjay, about the same, I was kindly told about how the team located and purchased over a hundred ancestral homes from all over Kerala and dismantled and restored them as functional rooms, doors and windows amongst other things.

From Ayurmana, the 200-year-old Ayurvedic centre that was once home to many generations of a renowned family of Ayurvedic practitioners, to the centuries old martial arts house that is now a functional restaurant called Ettukettu; every nook at Kumarakom Lake Resort is a perfect amalgamation of Kerala’s age-old architecture and modern-day amenities.

After ambling around the lush gardens and getting a glimpse of the different room types, souvenir shops and restaurants at the resort; I found myself searching for a particular pool whose pictures I had seen online. Guided along wooden bridges, we were taken to a private area for our particular room type and it is then that I realised that the pool I was eagerly looking for, was in fact, the reason behind why my room had Meandering Pool in its name.

Our Room: Meandering Pool Duplex Villa

Inspired by the backwaters and nearby villages, meandering pool is a 250-metre pool that looks like a criss-cross of canals, at the banks of which many villas reside. The moment I first entered my villa and opened the door at the far end, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I could simply walk into the pool from the comfort of my own room. With individual bathing coves and private sit outs leading to this tranquil pool, you can bet that this became one of my favourite hotel rooms immediately.

Apart from having direct and exclusive access to this pool, I loved how all meandering pool villas had a sense of charm of their own. Resonating the antiquity of this beautiful state of India and its villages, there was this incredible connection to Kerala that I felt in various parts of our villa. The no-roof bathrooms for instance were the first of its kind that I ever experienced and can only thank Kumarakom Lake Resort for my new-found love for them. I mean, what could be better than taking a shower under the blue sky with sounds of chirping birds and running pool water in the background?

Being a duplex, the ground floor of our villa consisted of a sitting area and bathroom while the first floor had our comfy king size bed, a dresser and a desk. There was even a huge window by the bed that overlooked the pool and I absolutely loved admiring it from this angle. What caught my eye in the room were not only traditional paintings, old-world switches and antique style furniture; but also the eco-friendly glass water bottles that were present in the room. After all, it is always nice to cut down on our single use plastic consumption, right?

Fun Fact: There is a beautiful presidential suite that has its own private infinity pool overlooking Vembanad Lake. The Prince of Wales and Duchess Camilla even stayed there to celebrate the 65th birthday of Prince Charles. From what I have heard and read online, I could tell you that that suite is well worth the splurge in case you were wondering.

Dining at Kumarakom Lake Resort

Being one of the finest luxury hotels in all of India, Kumarakom Lake Resort doesn’t fall short of dining choices. Along with Ettukettu, the main restaurant serving a wide range of South and North Indian delicacies with continental selections; there is another great restaurant called Vembanad seafood bar that is right by the lake. With a bar full of great wines and an even better view, I can only recommend you to reserve a table there for date night.

As a vegetarian, I personally preferred eating at Ettukettu as they would usually have a huge buffet selection for all three meals there. Don’t get me wrong, the sous-chef Mr. Krishna ensured I had lots to eat at the seafood restaurant as well but there are very few things that are better than dining in a centuries old house. In other words, having a meal at Ettukettu is like taking a trip to the centuries gone by. 

Other dining options at the resort include Pool Pavilion and Thattukada, a traditional tea shop. Serving the famous 1-metre chai and many local fried snacks, Thattukada is open in the gardens by the lake every evening. You will most likely find every guest enjoying a cuppa here before embarking on the complimentary sunset cruise (more on this later).

Pool Pavilion, on the other hand, is set right next to the resort’s infinity pool and is a great place to fuel up after a lap or two. You can even reserve a table here for an early dinner and get an undisrupted view of the setting sun and boats passing by.

Amenities & Activities

Talking about sunsets, the main infinity pool at Kumarakom Lake Resort faces west and there is no better spot to admire it than from there. Ideal for relaxing and sunbathing, there are plenty of daybeds and hammocks by the pool and if I am being honest, then there is no other place that I’d rather be.

The infinity pool at Kumarakom Lake Resort

From pottery and mat weaving to yoga and meditation at the poolside, there are oodles of complementary activities that you can take part in when staying at this splendid resort. I personally loved trying my hands at pottery for the first time and actually regret not getting the bowl that I made back with me as a souvenir. Like all of this wasn’t enough, there is even cycling, fishing and village walks organised every day and I only wish I had more time to indulge in everything.

But what I made sure to not miss was the complimentary musical sunset cruise that takes all guests around Vembanad Lake for one hour each evening. I am not entirely sure if I can find the right words to describe how peaceful and one of a kind this experience was, but it’s definitely something that I’ll look back on for days to come. 

CG’s tip: Apart from all these activities and tours, you can even book a backwater or speedboat cruise directly with the resort. Having gone on the backwater cruise on our last morning in Kumarakom, I have to let you know that the feeling of getting to explore such a special area with no other tourist in sight was surreal, to say the least.

What I loved the most about staying at Kumarakom Lake Resort

Keeping all the amenities and villas aside, the thing that I loved the most was how genuinely happy the entire staff was. You could literally ask anyone working at the resort about how long they have been with the property and chances are that you’ll hear something like 7 or 10 years or even more. 

It is not every day that you come across people who are content with the job they currently have and that really tells a lot about how they treat everyone at the resort. The loyalty culture of Kumarakom Lake Resort is something that could easily rub onto their guests as well who would love nothing more than returning and staying here. I know, I, for one, am absolutely engulfed in its magic.

If you too are itching to experience all of this and more, then you can check the availability and prices here. It is honestly worth all the splurge!

Early morning canoe ride in the backwaters of Kumarakom

Staying at Kumarakom Lake resort has been more magical than I ever expected it to be and I hope you had a great time reading my experience as well. As always, stories from my time there are saved on my Instagram highlights and I am happy to answer all your questions in the comments below too.

Happy exploring,
Charu xx

Want to keep reading? You might like “The 100+ Best India Travel Quotes & Captions For Instagram” and “A Complete Travel Guide to Munnar: The Tea Capital of Kerala, India” too.

LIKE THIS POST? PIN IT FOR LATER ⤸

This Post Has 38 Comments

  1. Suvarna

    Your photos are so beautiful here and this place has been on my list for long and the pictures made my decision firmer to visit here soon.

    1. Charu Goyal

      I am so happy to read that Suvarna! I hope you can make it here soon 💗

  2. Nina

    Looks like an amazing place to stay! 😍
    I’ve been traveling around India but unfortunately had to cancel the rest of my trip to fly back home because of the virus 😭 going back as soon as I can and definitely have to visit Kerala! I’ll look into this resort as well 🥰

    1. Charu Goyal

      Oh no! I am so sorry to hear that you had to cut your trip short but its probably for the better considering what’s happening right now. I hope you can return here super soon and please let me know if you ever need any help planning a trip to India. Kerala is beautiful and I only have good things to say about this resort.

  3. Melissa

    Your description of this place is amazing! Thanks for giving me a new travel destination to dream about while in quarantine!

    1. Charu Goyal

      Thank you for reading it, Melissa! Beautiful places like this make it so easy to write descriptive posts.

  4. Taylor

    Wow! This resort looks amazing Charu! I’m definitely keeping it in mind when I eventually visit Kerala! 🙂 Also, your photos are so beautiful!

    1. Charu Goyal

      Thank you so much Taylor! You’d really love Kerala and this resort so much 💗

  5. Elena

    What an absolutely gorgeous resort! You have definitely opened up my travel sphere to Kerala!

    1. Charu Goyal

      I am so happy to read that Elena! This was my first trip to Kerala as well and I couldn’t understand why it took me so long to get there.

  6. Cindy

    Beautiful pictures! Now I’m dreaming of booking a trip!

    1. Charu Goyal

      Thank you, Cindy! Book for the end of year or 2021 maybe 💗

  7. Ophélie

    Such a beautiful resort! I would love to stay here! I have never seen that part of India but it looks fabulous!

    1. Charu Goyal

      I remember you telling me! I hope you can come to India once all this is over and maybe we can go somewhere together <3

  8. Julie

    Absolutely breathtaking photos!!! And I love hearing how happy the staff was. Makes such a difference when enjoying your stay somewhere 🙂

    1. Charu Goyal

      It really does, doesn’t it? They were so kind and always willing to go an extra mile to help 💗

  9. Kriszti

    This place looks like a true paradise! Hope I can visit India soon and I just saved this hotel for later 🙂

    1. Charu Goyal

      I hope so too Kriszti! You would love staying in this resort so much.

  10. Suman

    Wow this is so so beautiful. I have been wanting to go see Kerala for a long time now and I think i would like to stay in this resort too. How long do you recommend?

    1. Charu Goyal

      Thank you, Suman! I stayed there for 2 nights but totally regret not having enough time to do their houseboat experience. I’d ideally like to go for 4 nights where I would choose 2 nights in Meandering Pool Villa and 2 nights for the houseboat. Hope it helps and that you can go soon 💗

  11. Caroline

    Loved Kerala and can’t wait to go back and stay here!!

    1. Charu Goyal

      So glad to read that Caroline! I hope you get to go back soon 💗

  12. Dana

    Just stunning. This looks like the most ideal place to stay! Saving for future!

  13. Tina

    Your photos are to die for. Lovely post, will save it for whenever I get to visit India <3

    1. Charu Goyal

      Thank you so much, Tina! Are you planning to return anytime soon?

  14. Julie

    Looks like a very relaxing place! I’ve never heard of it but your gorgeous photos make me want to visit now.

    1. Charu Goyal

      So happy to introduce you to this place, Julie! It really was one of my most relaxing staycations of all time.

  15. Diana

    What a beautiful resort! I don’t think I’ve ever stayed in a multi-level hotel room before, but I love the sound of the setup and how spacious it must be. And the food on site looks delicious – I would never want to leave!

    1. Charu Goyal

      It was my first time as well and I loved staying in it so much! Oh and the food 😍😍😍

    1. Charu Goyal

      Thank you so much, Carla! I hope that you are able to visit here soon too 💗

  16. Sundaram

    Glad you visited this resort and the pics shared here are fabulous. This article makes me visit this destination again :). Thanks are writing nicely.

    1. Charu Goyal

      Thank you for reading, Sundaram. The property is so beautiful that it is nearly impossible to visit and not take nice photos! I, myself, am longing for another visit as well.

  17. Cherryl

    Beautiful resort, I’d love to visit Kerala one day – such a lush contrast to the North of India…

    1. Charu Goyal

      Absolutely, Cherryl! Being from the North myself, I loved how serene every sight in Kerala felt. It truly is India’s very own paradise.

Leave a Reply

twelve − eight =