Genuine Keralan hospitality at its best.
My family(3 senior citizens,my cousin and myself) thoroughly enjoyed our relaxing & refreshing 2nights 3days stay at this luxurious plantation house.
Salim Pushpanath's brilliant team includes Pirkko-a perfect hostess taking care of all our needs including arranging an early dinner as we had decided to go on a jungle patrol one night,Pran Krishnan Kar -fabulous chef taking good care of our dietary prefences & dishing out a variety of the tastiest Keralan fare that we've tasted on our Keralan trip & also providing us an educational mixed vegetable korma Keralan style demonstration,ever smiling Shameer who guided us through the plantation.
The details of the previous reviewers regarding the rooms,the experience & the desciptions are absolutely correct.
From complmentary tea and vegetable pakoras on arrival to Mr Salim's personalized -Flavours Of the Raj,a cook book,this hospitality surely left us wanting to stay on for more than 2 nights.
Look no further if travelling to Thekkady.

We were recommended to Aanavilasam by our travel agents Kerala Connections and after a long and bumpy drive from Cochin we could see why. The location, aproximately 20 minutes from Thekkady, was very quiet and peacefull. The host Pirko was exteemly charming and made my wife and I very welcome and nothing was too much trouble. The food prepared by the chef was some of the best we had tasted during our whole trip. Our room in the main house was perfect with an outside veranda overlooking the garden and the bathroom even had two showers, one an enclosed all over type shower and one partially oen to the elements. We only stayed for two nights but on reflection wished we had stayed for three. would definitely recommend Aanavilasam to anyone visiting Thekkady.

We spent two nights here in December 2011, and it's completely stunning. The main house is beautiful - light and airy and effortlessly stylish. We stayed in one of the pool suites, which are detached, across a short bridge over a gully. They're huge, with massive windows, and a plunge pool looking out over the cardamon plantation and down the hills. The bathrooms are really well fitted out, the bed huge and comfortable. Pirkko, the hostess, is fantastic - full of warmth and information. Nothing is too much trouble. The chef's exquisite - food is delicious and cooked to order, breakfasts are leisurely, with coffee grown on the plantation itself. I'd definitely stay here again. If you're coming from the coast, remember it's quite a bit cooler up in the hills - this was the only place in Kerala we needed long-sleeved tops in the evening, and the real fire in the dining room was very welcome at night!

We have stayed in many varied places in India in 40 years, Aanavilasam is one of the best, just perfect.Peace, a warm weclome, a wonderful chef and hostess,a stylish comfortable suite, and our driver was well looked after, too.