India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) - Keith Bain [224]
Privacy If you’re more of a “villa” person, crave solitude and hate the impersonal resort vibe, this is a great option: two secluded traditional bungalows situated at the edge of Vembanad Lake. The waterfront “Privacy Suite” is exactly that, with lake views from your bed, while the “Heritage Cottage” is set slightly farther back, behind the pool and deck, with its own, more traditional charm (and friendlier rates). The location and atmosphere certainly live up to its name, with a maximum of only two parties present and even then set quite far apart from each other, meeting only for meals (if you choose) and at the pool. Besides the fabulous location, interiors are in a class of their own, designed by talented owner Joerg Drechsel (of superstylish Malabar House). Privacy may make you feel a million miles from anywhere, but it’s only 45km (28 miles) from Kochi and 15km (9 1⁄3 miles) from the backwater-access town of Alleppey.
Kannankara PO, Alleppey 688 527. 0478/258-2794. Reservations: The Malabar House, 1/268, 269 Parade Rd., Fort Cochin 682 001. 0484/221-6666. Fax 0484/221-7777. www.malabarescapes.com. 2 units. High season Oct–Apr 220€ Heritage Cottage, 360€ Privacy Suite; May–Sept 150€ Heritage Cottage, 250€ Privacy Suite. 35€ extra bed. Rates include breakfast; 15% taxes extra. Cottage rented to 1 party at a time. MC, V. Amenities: Electric country boat; kitchenette; mountain bikes; outdoor pool. In room: TV, fax.
Moderate
Far less luxurious than the resorts reviewed above, but offering lake-facing rooms at a fraction of the price, is Whispering Palms, where a lake-facing cottage (make sure you specify “lake,” not “lagoon”) costs only Rs 8,500 double with all meals included ( 0484/238-1122;www.abadhotels.com; 15% tax extra). The downside is less-than-riveting accommodations. Better-looking, but situated near Alappuzha (on Vembanad Lake but without the sunset views), Punnamada Serena Spa Resort (www.punnamada.com) offers a handful of lake-view rooms that are charmingly decorated with four-poster beds, straw curtains, and massive picture windows framing the lake, and a real bargain at Rs 10,500 to Rs 15,000 double in high season. Make sure you specifically bag one of these rooms, since other accommodations suffer from some crazy design flaws (in fact there are odd, distracting touches throughout the resort). There’s a large pool, a round-the-clock Ayurvedic center, and now a brand-new spa (open since Oct 2009), which has prompted a name change (this was formerly more plainly called Punnamada Backwaters Resort). Clearly they are aiming very high indeed; they have their own houseboat, too, with well-priced packages that combine a night on the water with another on shore.
But neither of these resorts has the intimacy of the Backwaters’ increasing number of well-run homestays, including a few that feel just like classy little guesthouses. One such place is the very attractive Anthraper Gardens Home Stay ( 0478/281-3211;www.anthrapergardens.com) in Chertala (40 min. from alleppey and 90 min. from Cochin). This historic family home is perched just a few steps from the water’s edge and set amidst 557 sq. m (6,000 sq. ft.) of landscaped gardens (some might find them a bit too cultivated compared with the jungle-style wilds normally associated with the Backwaters). With wraparound verandas, large rooms, high ceilings, and period furniture, the home affords some gracious