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4.5
#14 of 106 hotels in Kodaikanal
Location
Rooms
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Hotel Villa Retreat is a serene, heritage hotel that has been run by a family since 1989. The hotel is an ideal choice for honeymoon couples and small families seeking to enjoy the tranquility of a charming English cottage with a picturesque view. Its classic Victorian-style architecture is a perfect alternative to the contemporary hotels in Kodaikanal.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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Villa Retreat is celebrated for its impeccable cleanliness and superb service, with guests frequently lauding the friendly staff and gourmet dining options, though some note breakfast inconsistencies. Nestled in a central location, the hotel's charm is accentuated by its cozy atmosphere, complete with floral touches and a warm library nook.
While the newer rooms and suites are applauded for their spaciousness and scenic views, the old wing attracts criticism for being outdated. Despite the overall appreciation for the amenities, opinions are divided on the hotel's value, with some guests feeling the costs outstrip the quality and views offered.
Location
Central
Atmosphere
Inviting
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Spotless
Service
Attentive
Amenities
Well-appointed
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Located in entrance of coakers walk, and you can have sunrise view and valley view, clouds move on your top, had car parking space, room service was good and prompt.There are different views based on your selection of room. If you have own transport it is easy to go for local sightseeing as this is the starting point for one side of local sightseeing (max imp places)and no need to struck in heavy traffic inside the city. But start at 8.30 AM and you can reach back in 3hrs.Also you can complete cookers walk, briyant park and Kodaikanal Lake which is walkble distance, no need to take your vehicle. Wycof restaurant: Complementary breakfast was tasty and excellent. You can enjoy candle light dinner in laung with very cool climate. Last but not least .. it is heaven.
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Date of stay: October 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Â If your car break down please call this mechanic number. He helped me a lot when my car stopped...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This is the third time we have been here and the reason is you cant get any place better than here.... the rooms, view, food, the sight seeing (very unique ) and the staff all are one of a kind... we have always gone in groups and they have never failed to give us the best. we stayed in the best rooms of the property 107 108 ! the windows of which are like gateways into the valley it feels like u live in the clouds. The rooms are very elegant and well maintained and the location is right in the center of the town so you get the best of shopping as well as views which is very rare.
The speciality of this place is the trips they arrange they take us to private falls, plantation walks , golden hour drives which no other hotel can provide. the credit for this goes to Vinod Venugopal one of the best staff of Villa retreat, he explores several untouched places and plans these exciting and wonderful itenaries. Vinod planned everything in advance, he took care of all our needs he meticulously packed our food and drinks and it was so comfortable that we just had to enjoy without worrying about anything else. Trust me none of our friends believed we had visited kodai looking at our pix because all the places are very unique and private, Thanks to Vinod, A big shout out to all the staff of Villa retreat!!
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Date of stay: March 2022
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Â Bookings need to be done well in advance... most of the time they are fully booked.!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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We simply cannot say enough good things about our stay @ Villa Retreat right from the time we arrived till the time we left!
From the operator, to the manager, to the front desk team and even those at the restaurant, all of them were so friendly and made us feel so comfortable. They all make an amazing team together providing a wonderful service!
We went there as a family and booked 3 rooms altogether. One of our rooms had a balcony and the early morning view from there was simply breathtaking!!!
The breakfast choices were also excellent which were prepared hot (different from the regular buffet spread available at most hotels) and served with such warmth.
A special mention of the chef who specially prepared their signature dish 'Chicken Malabar Biryani' for us for dinner. The Biryani was simply 'out of the world'. The ambience was also so soothing and cozy with the fireplace!
A big thank you to all the staff @ Villa Retreat for making our stay such a pleasant and memorable one!
This would definitely be our choice of stay when we come back to Kodai and would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a cozy, comfy, homely stay!
Our special thanks to Shyam, Harish and Pradeep for their excellent service and not forgetting all the other staff as well.
Kudos to the entire VR team!!! Great job everyone!!!
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Date of stay: December 2019Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Room : We booked Deluxe Room 200 Series Room which was at ground level and there was no view as the fence was at slight higher than road level and there was a green net / cloth covering on fence for privacy reasons. So having a costly room with no view is the main negative of this resort. We paid approx 5500/- per Room per night after all discounts as we stayed for 3 N, 4 D. When comparing other resorts / hotels are almost half the price. The rooms with view are costly and some even offer fireplace facility so for people willing to spend more for luxury the view room / suites may be suitable.
Breakfast was good (included in price) , it was alacarte, and every day there were minor variations in the menu. Service does take time as they make everything fresh, but sometimes it takes too long, hence we took breakfast early, before going to sightseeing.
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Housekeeping service was good and was on demand. The overall location of the resort is very in the heart of the small city so you end up saving money on Taxi. This city does not have Autorickshaw and Taxi charge minimum 300 rs. Bryant Park, Coakers Walk, Lake are very near and at walking distance, so is the Bus Stand if you want to catch Taxi for sightseeing, the Hotel also has travel desk wherein you can book Taxis.
Heater Service was provided complimentary from 7 pm to 7 am but had to remind many times on some days to ask them to connect the heater switch. The Heater switch is controlled externally by Hotel.
Room was ok and so were the bathrooms. Kettle and tea ./ coffee making facilities were provided and bathroom had some toiletries shampoo, bodywash, moisturizer. Drinking water was provided in glass bottle and we did not have any issue with it. If concerned you can always buy the packed water from outside and have it.
Wifi is only in reception there is no Wifi in Rooms (Deluxe Room) maybe the suites / rooms near to reception may have good wifi.
Seems the rooms on ground floor were smoking rooms , two days we didnt have any issue but on third day, some guys moved in next room and they threw cigarette stubs right outside on pathway, mentioned this to housekeeping lady when she was cleaning. The resort should have better management of smoking facilities and strictly instruct guests that cigarette stubs not to be thrown on pathways and have to be disposed in their dustbins.
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Date of stay: January 2023
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip:Â Deluxe Room does not have view.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We traveled their last year. Based on trip advisor reviews we chose Deluxe room with balcony. But was not satisfied with the room. It looked like just another normal resort. The view from the balcony was also not good. And the worst part is there was Ganesha celebration happened some 1 to 2 kms away from that resort. The room was not sound proof so we heard the devotional songs till midnight. So we didnt get the break that we needed. The lawn area is a best place to have breakfast. Food was good there but we found a small worm in it another day. We didnt made that as an issue but we reported that to the management and they promised us to take care. Another good thing about this resort is the location, you could reach the places to visit just by walk. This is not the best place for people who prefer a break from crowd and want to have nature connect, because its located in the crowded part of kodaikanal. That was a 3 days trip. 2 days of unpleasant stay at villa retreat was compensated by the one night stay at Fern creek.
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Date of stay: January 2020
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We had travelled for 7 hours from Thanjavur and arrived in the deepest for. When we turned up at the hotel, we were barely acknowledged by grumpy and unpleasant staff. Not even a inquiry about how our journey had been. We were promised welcome drinks that never materialised. The room was terribly humid and cold. You can hire a heater at a cost but it only works between certain hours and in any case didn’t make a difference. The owner was more interested in talking about himself rather than giving helpful tips. The food in the restaurant is good but the waiter, who doesn’t speak any English, stands there and watches you eat during the whole meal. All in all, this hotel is weird and I wouldn’t recommend it. On the positive side, the room was clean and the views amazing (when the fog eventually dissipated)
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Date of stay: December 2019Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Its been a while that we did this travel and always thought to write a review sharing our experience, only that it its materialising now amidst the lockdown. I hope that the property is still managed with the same zeal
Nothing much to state outside the title, Unless you stayed at Villa Retreat you have not experienced Kodaikanal the optimal way. This was our second visit to Kodai wanted to stay with in the town, had to wait a bit with the plan to get a booking with Villa Retreat.
This property ,its manager and staff and the location provides an eclectic mix of experiences , their in-house food is outstanding, staff always ready to walk the extra mile to make you comfortable and in property manager Shyam you can find the best host to curate your stay and provide suggestions.
Villa Retreat is located at the heart of town so much that once you step out of the front gate you have the entrance to Coakers walk to your left, path to Bryant park and Kodaikanal lake to your front, Bus stand ,main Bazaar road ,club road and main restaurants and eateries like Astoria and Pastry corner at a small walk to your right.
Wish Shyam and his team the very best and hope they continue to make each visit a special one.
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Date of stay: June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We spent 3 nights here in Kodai. From what I found there a couple of large hotels around the lake plus a mix of mid/budget places in and around town. Villa Retreat is near the start of the Coakers Walk a few minutes from the town centre. It has a pretty little terrace garden with great views, which is quiet and peaceful; nice place to chill out. We had a room which overlooked the garden and valley, other rooms may have a town view and vary in size. Family run business, clean and cared for. We had lunch and dinner here, both very enjoyable; breakfast menu was a little limited. One of the best places to stay if you are visiting the hills.
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
First look of Villa Retreat gives you the feel of hotel with old charm. This property rates high with its central location, proximity to Kodai Bus Stand, Coakers walk and a short walk to Kodai Lake.
Coming to the rooms at the property, rooms are spread across two wings. The rooms in the old wing are not the best ones. They don't have any view of the valley. The rooms though are of decent size, comfortable bed and functional washroom. The rooms in this wing may make you feel a little claustrophobic.
The new wing rooms are more spacious and some of the rooms have valley view.
Overall the rooms in old wing seems to be overpriced for the kind of room and views it provides and rooms in new wing with valley view are definitely a splurge considering that only 1-2 rooms have partial valley view.
The in house restaurant in Villa Retreat is a small cosy place where you can have your breakfast, order you meals. The choice of food is decent and taste acceptable. The prices of food though is high compared to city standards.
My stay plan included breakfast. The breakfast had good choice of Indian and continental however the food served was bit cold.
Wifi is only available at the reception and not in your room. May come as let down for travellers needing access to internet in their room.
Overall a hotel to be considered if you are looking at staying centrally in Kodai.
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Date of stay: January 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Zoheb Nazar, Owner at Villa Retreat
Responded 12 Feb 2024
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with us, we truly appreciate the feedback. By our team, we would like to apologise for not meeting your expectations in regards to your rooms. Please know we value our guests’ feedback and your comments have been shared with our team so we may continuously improve the guest experience. We would love the opportunity to exceed your expectations and would like to invite you back to the hotel very soon.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We started our year staying in this Little Botique villa nested in this small quaint town of Kodaikanal with breathtaking views and heartwarming service. We stayed here for 3 nights during the new years and i cannot think of any other way we would have wanted our year to start thanks to hospitality of the staff, the good vibes, beautiful views, well maintained property and our cosy fireplace in the room. I highly recommend the place esp during this pandemic, this was such a great escape as this was not a crowded property , a very safe place for a staycation. The Manager Anubhav bhan will definitely make your stay memorable and keep you company with life stories. Also stop by and ask the head chef to sing a song or two , so worth it! I would highly suggest room no 101 (room with fireplace) or room# 108
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Date of stay: December 2021
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Â best views from room no 108 and 101. Overall best room is 10 with fireplace
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
They organise a BBQ everynight plues coakers walk, bryant part, Kodailake are walkable distance from the hotel. Moreover, they organise a brilliant morning walk on the house which is also pretty cool. For travellers who wish to explore kodai they offer a host of options, both from generic to unique which other hotels don't offer
You should call reception and ask for Shyam. He is the manager and suggested some good deal. This resort is not like über luxury and lot of landscapes. It’s location is its USP. Is you want luxury n fine dining experience, no doubt TAMARA Kodai is the place.
You are required to make 60% payment in advance and balance can be paid on on check in. This is just to confirm your booking. You can contact the property and check if they can make any other payment arrangements for you
There are more places to choose from in the Kodaikanal area.
PRICE RANGE
₹4,974 - ₹6,744 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
IndiaTamil NaduDindigul DistrictKodaikanal
NUMBER OF ROOMS
18
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
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