After walking the strip and checking out all the bungalow like hotels we liked the look of, the Hill View stood out as the best of the bunch. We stayed for five nights. We love the beach but like a measure of privacy and quiet for hanging out as well and the Hill View provided this. We had an upstairs room with a peek a view of the sea. The room was large with a fridge (big bonus for us) and the biggest bathroom I've ever seen in India. Optional (and very pricey Rs 3500) air conditioning would have been nice be we opted for the cheaper fan - they just don't give you the air conditioning remote (Rs 2000) and tho it was a little hot, it was bearable. Breakfast was included and okay, but not as good as ordering off the menu at their cafe Cafe del Mar (which was excellent), so consider this when deciding on included breakfast options - there were nice rooms at the back without the view that were less expensive and didn't include breakfast (Rs. 1500) All in all we were happy with the Hill View as a pretty good mid-range option.

I stayed here initially for 3 nights and ended up extending my stay to 6 nights. I stayed in the a/c room with a balcony view of the sea. The room was spacious, has a tv and fridge which is a great addition especially as your drinks tend to heat up so quickly. The bathroom was large and clean, the shower isn't brilliant but you do get hot water. This is one of the best hotels I've stayed in this price bracket.

The hotel restaurant is a popular choice and is always busy. The food is delicious especially the Odiyam Prawns, a definite must try. The staff are attentive and helpful.

The hotel is at the top of the cliff and the steps to the beach are just to the left of the hotel. Its a great location as you are in the middle of all the shops and restaurant.

Would most definitely stay here again.

I researched on Trip Advisor for a good hotel with good location and found that Hill View was the best (wrong!). I called the hotel and wanted a deluxe A/C sea view room . When we arrived, we had a peak of the sea through the trees from our balcony. We looked at another room with a better view but it was very small, so we stayed at the first one. We didn't have water most of the time and our bathroom was grubby and moldy. There are so many nicer hotels on the North Cliff area for the same price or cheaper, look around before committing! Some hotels that we looked at while walking around said they didn't have a website. We liked the balcony outside our room and the hotel restaurant had good food but it was always very crowded and very slow, which most places in Varkala are.

We doubled our time here as we liked it so much. The sea views - with dolphins and sunsets thrown in (though not arranged by the hotel) are a highlight and the restaurant is fantastic (probably the best in Varkala and one of the best we went to in all of Kerala). Try the Odayam Prawns for the best dish you will eat in Kerala and the tandoori chef is an expert.

The hotel included breakfast which was great for the coffee alone and you can get wifi whilst sipping your latte.

Hillview is very close to the beach (though we would recommend walking up to a quieter swimming place further north) but set back so it's not disturbed by music in other places.

Finally, the rooms had AC and fans so sleeping in the heat wasn't a problem.