Description
Serenity is an old estate house converted into a charming 6 bedroom hotel. It is situated in a little visited region of Kerala that is an ideal stopping place between the backwaters and the hills.
As well as wonderful staff to attend to your every need, there is a resident chef who can cook a range of Indian or Continental cuisines.
The six colourful rooms offer delightful views overlooking the hilltop landscape towards the Blue Mountains and feature beautiful antique objects d’art, hanging space, verandahs, terraces and direct dial telephones.
A trained chef will prepare delicious meals, based on the recipes of the Malabar House cuisine. Local Indian and Mediterranean cuisine is available. Meals are taken either on the privacy of your
verandah, on the patio by the swimming pool deck or in the dining room.
Among the many delights of this house is Laxmi, the resident elephant with whom you can tour the estate’s rubber, spice, cocoa and coffee plantations, and with her Mahout’s help, bathe her in the river.
Accommodation
Serenity offers guests six bedrooms, comprising 4 double rooms and 2 twin rooms.
Childcare
Serenity accepts children of all ages and is ideal for couples and families who want to escape to a retreat in the low hills with its tropical climate. Children are welcome but parents must be aware that noise does travel given its such a small place. Children may be accommodated in their parent’s bedroom for an extra charge. Only one additional child per room is permitted. Babysitting can be arranged on request.
Facilities
Facilities at the hotel include a sitting room with a TV and DVD player with a collection of recent films and a record player, a dining room and Internet access is available free of charge. Bicycles with gears for hotel resident’s use are complimentary and there is a beautiful swimming pool, surrounded by cocoa trees. There is also a badminton court, yoga stage and spa with one large treatment room offers a range of Ayurveda treatments and rejuvenation massages. The drawing room can be used for meetings and seminars.
Activities
At the hotel, you can swim, play badminton or enjoy a massage in the spa. Reception will also be happy to arrange escorted walks through the surrounding plantations and tropical gardens. The area also includes cocoa, pepper, coffee, cardamom, pineapple, tapioca, papaya and banana plantations. The major highlight is a program called the Day with the Elephant - Lakshmi but there are also bullock cart excursions, cooking demonstrations and visits to an orchid nursery.
Services
Services at Serenity include money changing facilities and babysitting is available on request.
When to travel
Isolated from much of India by the Western Ghats, the climate of Kerala & Karnataka is tropical and as a result of the mountain ranges the area isn’t as dry as much of India. The best time to visit is from April through June. While there can be the occasional light showers these are just a prelude of the wet weather to come. The weather is generally hot and humid during this early summer. The monsoon season arrives in late June and thus can wash out July and August. September is much more humid as a result of the rainy season, and the fall can be dry but with the humidity this makes it feel quite the warm. The temperatures cool down and the humidity lets up as winter comes in around December, with this season lasting until February when the dry spring returns. Winter can be a pleasant time to visit, especially if you’re looking to head off the beach and explore this Indian land of mystery.
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Best time to visit
Good time to visit
Average time to visit
Not applicable
Location and directions
Kanam, India
Serenity is set on Kanam Estate close to Kottayam, on a plantation in between Cochin, the backwaters and Thekkady, in Kerala, southern India.
How to get there
13-hour flight (1 change) to Cochin International Airport. Cochin is the nearest airport to Serenity, the drive from there takes around 1.5-hour.
