India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) - Keith Bain [235]
Muthoot Plaza The city’s chicest little hotel looks a bit like a seven-story steel-and-glass mall, and it’s traditionally a hangout for businesspeople who come to the state capital to pay baksheesh to various government representatives, but once inside you discover a plush, compact oasis of tranquillity and rather good taste. Rooms are very well-appointed and extremely comfortable and despite the lack of views (and matchbox-size bathrooms), have more character than the new Taj (and it’s nearer all the more interesting built heritage, including the University). With good service (starting with the sharp, on-the-ball elegantly attired receptionist to a concierge who can put together personalized tours of the region), a convenient location, plans for a new pool (should be up and running by 2010), and very reasonable rates, this feels like the perfect small city hotel, especially after a hard day of bargain hunting.
Punnen Rd., Thiruvananthapuram 695 039. 0471/233-7733.www.themuthootplaza.com. 57 units. Rs 3,500–Rs 6,700 Plaza double, Rs 7,500–Rs 9,500 deluxe suite, Rs 13,000–Rs 18,000 presidential suite, Rs 1,000 extra bed. Rates include breakfast, deluxe suite rate includes lunch or dinner, presidential suite rate includes all meals; 15% tax extra. AE, DC, MC, V. Amenities: 2 restaurants, bar; airport transfers (Rs 600); concierge; room service. In room A/C, TV, floor butler, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).
NORTH OF TRIVANDRUM: THE RED CLIFFS OF VARKALA
A 55km (34-mile) drive north of Trivandrum (1 hr. by train), the seaside resort of Varkala draws numerous Hindu pilgrims who come to worship in the 2,000-year-old Sri Janardhana Swami Temple and ritualistically cleanse themselves in the mineral spring waters that gush from Varkala’s ruby-red laterite cliffs. The cliffs overlook the aptly named “Beach of Redemption.” Varkala attracts scores of backpackers searching for an untouched beach paradise—and a decade ago, they might have found just that. Over the years, hawkers and shack-dwellers have drifted in and set up shop along the tops of the cliffs; the coconut palms have been replaced by cheap guesthouses and open-air cafes; and children flog cheap jewelry, yards of cloth, and back-to-nature hippie gear.
Nonetheless, being a holy beach, the sand at the base of the cliffs stays relatively free of human pollution—it’s neither a convenient public toilet facility nor a waste-dumping ground. Instead, devotees of Vishnu attend to earnest puja sessions, offering banana leaves piled with boiled rice and brightly colored marigolds to be carried away by the ocean. Usually, the sand is soft and lovely, and you can find a quiet cove for sunbathing without the crowds that are inescapable in Kovalam. In fact, you can find relative peace and calm if you restrict your beach activities to the morning; by lunchtime the gawkers (female bathers are advised to be discreet), hawkers, and dreadlocked Europeans start to file in, and it’s time to venture back to the hotel or guesthouse.
Other activities for visitors here include Kathakali demonstrations, elephant rides, village tours, and backwater trips. You can also take a pleasant evening walk (or auto-rickshaw ride) to the cliffs to visit Sunset Point. If you don’t want to walk back, keep the rickshaw for your return trip (round-trip around Rs 50–Rs 60; more if you want to go farther up the cliff).
Where to Stay & Dine
Varkala has plenty of accommodation choices, virtually all below par, with the predominant market clearly more the backpacker or budget end of the spectrum. Bucking this trend is the classy Villa Jacaranda (reviewed below).
If you prefer hotels, your best bet is the Hindustan Beach Retreat ( 0470/260-4254/5;www.hindustanbeachretreat.com), which looms hideously over the southern end of Varkala beach. An unattractive five-story hotel it may be, and certainly the stuff of any eco-enthusiast’s nightmares, it affords the best proximity to the beach, and has a pool (albeit