We did much research for the ideal 2-nite getaway to Kovalam. We were prepared to pay a premium for reliably world-class service as we experienced in Kumarakom (Coconut Lagoon). The staff, except for Mr Gireesh the Front Desk Manager, are poorly trained and do not communicate well with each other. The reception area is dead and thefan and lights don;t work -- no buzz at the meeting area. The food was bland and they made no effort to offer Kerala cuisine for breakfast. The room we stayed in had a great view. The spot for yoga on top of the cliff was sensational. Did not get a chance to do the ayurvedic spa here -- we went to other centers in Kovalam. Over priced -- will not be able to recommend to our friends in terms of value. for money. Roy Varghese, Singapore

We stayed here 3 years ago and because we enjoyed it so much decided to stay again at Christmas. Unfortunately the whole character of the resort has changed. I must admit the accommodation has been transformed and is first class but the staff are not very well organised and we had to ask on two occasions for our room to be cleaned. On the one occasion we went to the bar (which was closed before we sat down) the only drinks available apart from wine and beer from their drinks menu was whisky and cognac. We definately will not be going back again.

Having stayed in other retreats in India at far less cost, I was expecting a seriously top class resort. The location is beautiful and the resort itself is set in lovely extensive grounds with access to a quiet beach. However, the accommodation falls short of the cost. The rooms need decorating and my bathroom flooded for 3 days even after continually reporting this to the hotel reception/manager. The rooms need a serious clean and are just passable. The service be it housekeeping, reception or the restaurant is seriously 2 star. Most of the staff speak some English but not nearly enough for a resort which charges this amount. The restaurant continually 'ran out' of drinks over the Christmas period. The buffet breakfast was very basic though the food served in the evening restaurant was excellent though over-priced for Kerala. The yoga teacher was excellent though again over-priced. The spa offered top class ayurvedic treatments but expect London prices. There is no-one caring for this hotel/resort but not surprisingly it is owned by a private equity company and the onsite manager clearly had no real hotel experience and did nothing to contribute to a welcoming atmosphere.

I must first apologise for this review being severely delayed. It has no reflection on how much we enjoyed our stay!

We stayed at Surya Samudra in April 2010. The stay was particularly memorable, as my boyfriend proposed to me during our stay. The staff helped him in every way to make that night happen perfectly. He had arranged for a private little tented area to be set up over looking the ocean, it was done beautifully with candles and flowers everywhere. It was also set up so that we had total privacy, but we had our own waiters serving us. I was given a cake and a beautiful bouquet of flowers at the end of the evening from the hotel as well! We have to make a special mention to one member of staff named Koyel. My fiance had liaised with her throughout and she was incredibly helpful and friendly. The head chef even took a special interest in the evening and a 6 course menu was specially designed for that night! In general, the staff at Surya Samudra were great. Everyone was very friendly but left you to your own privacy as well.

Now the rooms and resort. We arrived at about 4am, so everything was pitch dark but even so we could tell this resort was special. On arrival we were taken to the beautiful wooden open air reception area, where a little ceremony took place to welcome us to the resort. We were then taken to our room in a little buggy, with sound of the ocean all around. Our room was breathtaking: big four poster bed, plasma screen TV etc. The bathroom even better. It was probably just as big as the room and had a very large rain shower. It led out to the garden area with another private shower outdoors.

The resort amenities were great too. The pool was very natural and fitted in with the ambiance perfectly. We had massages at the spa. However, at this time the spa was still under construction, so we had our massages in a make-shift spa. The massages were great, and now with the new spa open would be an even better experience.

I can honestly say that after our 3 nights here, we simply did not want to leave! In fact we didn't leave for the full 3 days, there is simply no reason to.

We can't wait to plan another visit here! Keep it up!