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5.0
#3 of 59 hotels in Kovalam
Location
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Value
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.
Strikingly poised on the southern tip of Kerala, Kovalam is a photogenic beach town; a labyrinth of generous green palms, pristine blue waters, mesmerising sunsets and the landmark red & white lighthouse in the distance. Originally a seaside hotel in the 1980’s, Rockholm is now an iconic Ayurveda and Yoga retreat rooted in sustainable practices. An immaculate inventory of 25 spacious rooms and suites offer a close up view of the Arabian sea with direct access to a secluded, coved beach; making this wellness sanctuary an ideal getaway in the lap of nature. Interspersed with an interplay of minimalistic art deco architecture and warm earthy vibes this refreshing beach retreat offers the best of traditional Ayurveda, Yoga and holistic well being enhanced with bespoke meals and intuitive services. Our passionate team at Rockholm invite you to this tranquil abode of mindful living defined by multi sensory experiences, unmatched hospitality and spectacular views of God’s own Country. We hope you will keep returning to create soulful memories by the Lighthouse beach.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Boutique
Romantic
Location
Light House Road, Kovalam 695527 India
Rockholm
290 reviews
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
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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Rockholm Hotel garners high praise for its comprehensive amenities, including serene ambience, stunning views, and acclaimed Ayurvedic treatments, all contributing to its exceptional value. The stylish and spacious rooms, with daily maintenance and awe-inspiring vistas, receive particular accolades for their cleanliness and comfort.
Guests consistently laud the hotel's professional service, with staff members recognized for their friendliness and attention to detail. Nestled in a dreamy oceanfront location, the hotel offers a cordial atmosphere enriched by cultural experiences, making it a favored destination for many travelers.
Location
Beachfront
Atmosphere
Welcoming
Rooms
Spacious
Value
Exceptional
Cleanliness
Immaculate
Service
Attentive
Amenities
Outstanding
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Communication before and during our stay was excellent. The staff always remained pleasant and accommodating. They fulfilled our special requests with perfection and were very helpful regarding our journeys and activities in and around Kovalam. The location itself is breathtaking, even surpassing The Raviz. We just couldn`t get enough of drinking it all in. The beach is secluded, clean and hassle-free and the property itself shows attention to detail. Not only are the architecture, decor, interior design and appliances matching, tasteful and of good quality, but also everything is spotlessly clean (i guess it helps that they just opened). The room was lovely prepared and shown to us with care and charm. We found everything one could hope for, including a safe, hair dryer, soft, fresh towels and first-class organic soap, shampoo, conditioner and so on. The room, lobby, hallways, elevator and garden always carried a pleasing fragrance, so all in all, it was a delight for all the senses and refreshing for our weary minds.
For me there was one downside, though probably most will consider it an upside. The Rockholm advertises itself as a Ayurvedic retreat, offering Ayurvedic cuisine, which traditionally does not allow meat, fish, eggs, onion or garlic, but the menu consists mostly of seafood, some chicken and a few vegetarian items. Luckily though, on our request all dishes were prepared according to the aforementioned rules and whatever the chef served us was simply delicious and a feast for the eyes, too. Understanding Indian culture as I do, I am sure that the staff would prefer to serve only pure vegetarian meals, but felt they had to adjust the menu to please their mostly European customers, who seem to have a hard time letting go of their eating habits. So it is up to those customers to shape the menu by either supporting a truly healthy diet or denying themselves the rich vegetarian cuisine of India.
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Date of stay: March 2020
Room Tip:If you can afford it, take the premium ocean view room. The view is truly premium and the room...
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 NikhilNair_Nattika, Front Office Manager at Rockholm
Responded 23 Mar 2020
Dear Guest, Thank you for choosing to stay at the Rockholm Kovalam and for posting such an endearing review on TripAdvisor.. It feels great to hear that you loved everything about our resort and especially its breath-taking ocean view location, the secluded beach, the décor and ambience, and the spotlessly clean & well-appointed accommodations, everything was at par with your expectations. We are further delighted to read that the service at our hotel is unmatched compared to the other hotels you have ever stayed at in your extensive travels One thing which you felt as a bit compromising was the food which according to you is tailor-made to meet the taste of every guests irrespective of our Ayurveda context. Though our cuisine is more emphasized and prepared in harmony with the fundamental philosophy of Ayurveda and Saatvic Principles, we do offer some dishes of local cuisine with some coastal touches and also some International signatures in order to widely appeal our guests coming from various other gastronomical backgrounds Thank you for highlighting the grandeur of the hotel, the food, and all other facilities and services. We are in the business of creating memories and this definitely means the world to us. My team and I value your patronage and sentiments and we would love to have you stay with us again Best regards, Nikhil Nair Front Office Manager
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The Rockholm at the Lighthouse at Kovalam is a lovely boutique hotel, very well appointed with rooms that offer views overlooking the ocean or the private beach! The room amenities are well appointed, we had a premium ocean view room that has a lounge area, while the bedroom has a view to the beach with an added small balcony. Breakfast is also served along a terrace overlooking the ocean, really great ambiance. There is an ayurveda centre on the premises that offers treatments as well. Great location, walking distance to Kovalam beach, with lots of shopping options and eatieries and the beach, all round a great venue! Our interaction with Vidya was very helpful and she assisted us with travel options and advice, much appreciated, a great ambassador for the Rockholm
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Date of stay: February 2020
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip:Most rooms have views of the ocean or the beach
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 NikhilNair_Nattika, Front Office Manager at Rockholm
Responded 24 Mar 2020
Dear Guest, Thank you for staying at The Rockholm, Kovalam and we appreciate your time to share feedback of your experience on TripAdvisor. We are delighted to read that you had a wonderful experience and that you enjoyed your room overlooking the ocean, the calm and serene ambiance, the location, your dining experience at our restaurant and most importantly the service. The view from The Rockholm is indeed amongst the best. And the location is our USP too as we are located close to various heritage sites, restaurants and places of interest. Our guests have always been so happy with the expansive beautiful views of the ocean and Kovalam skyline. Your generous feedback is very encouraging and motivating and will inspire us to do even better. I have shared your compliments with everyone and especially with Ms. Vidya for being of great assistance to you. The team and I hope that you have many more opportunities to visit us again very soon. Kind regards, Nikhil Nair Front Office Manager
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Brilliant setup, pristine rooms, well-maintained facilities, a soothing sea-view and a constant drive for cleanliness and improvement makes this hotel the best in Trivandrum. The icing on the cake is the team of extremely humble and keen staff whose customer service orientation can be rated as the best in the business. When I informed the hotel crew that I am on a holiday to celebrate my first wedding anniversary, little did I know that they would make a fabulous set of arrangements that included beautiful flower and towel decorations in the room, private location for a fantastic dinner date, followed by other surprises.
Kudos to the entire team for their exemplary service and hospitality, especially to "Sarath Warrier" for arranging some brilliant moments in a short notice!
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Date of stay: January 2020
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Lovely 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.
Response from NikhilNair_Nattika, Front Office Manager at Rockholm
Responded 1 Feb 2020
Dear Guest, We are pleased to read that you chose to celebrate your anniversary with us at Rockholm and that we were able to help in making it a memorable one. At the Rockholm we constantly strive to create unique experiences for guests that would remain for a lifetime and we are happy that we could curate something similar of that experience for your stay. Positive recognition is a tremendous source of motivation for our exemplary team. Our service philosophy encourages us to deliver efficient and personalized service to all our guests and your recognition of our service feels wonderful. It will be my pleasure to share your compliments with the entire team and especially with Sharath whom it will be a great source of motivation. Thank you again for your kind comments. We are extremely delighted to have you as an “ambassador” for The Rockholm, Kovalam and look forward to welcoming you back soon. Best regards Nikhil Nair Front Office Manager
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This property is on the edge near the lighthouse with a secluded private beach access. The staff present are extremely hospitable and go out of their way to make your stay a memorable one. Ms. Viji from the front office ensures that from the time you set foot into the property everything is taken care off. Mr.Ranjith and his team ensure that you try out as many delicacies as possible by the Chef! Do ask for recommendations from the local cuisine and they go out of their way to prepare it even if it is not on the menu!!
The lighhouse beach is a 3 min walk and all the shacks are accessible. Frankly while the shacks had a great vibe we felt the food at Rockholm was way way better and chose to have most of our meals at the hotel after trying out a few places on our 1st day.
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Date of stay: February 2021
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Take the ocean view premium room for uninterrupted views
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 Shabin Kumar, General Manager at Rockholm
Responded 3 Mar 2021
Dear Guest, Thank you for staying at Rockholm at the Light House Beach and taking the time to share such a wonderful review on TripAdvisor. I am delighted to read that you enjoyed the different aspects of services at the resort and same exceeded your expectation. Your valued comments for our team are very encouraging and a great source of motivation for all of us to strive for creating exceptional experiences for our patrons. Personalized service combined with heartfelt hospitality makes a memorable stay and it’s a pleasure to know that you enjoyed our hospitality at Rockholm. Thank you for your kind comments on the front desk personnel, the restaurant team and the excellent food by our chefs. It will be my pleasure to share the same with our team. Service excellence with the urge to anticipate and exceed our guest needs is what we believe in. I am happy to know that you got to experience the best of our hospitality. I have shared your comments with Viji, the Front Office Executive and Ranjith, the Assistant Restaurant Manager and the entire team. They are indeed thrilled to learn that their efforts made your stay memorable. We would like to once again express our sincere gratitude for considering us for your stay in Kovalam and look forward to welcoming you back to the resort soon! Best regards, Shabin Kumar.
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This hotel is located on the rocks next to the beach and boasts of spectacular views! Every room literally sits atop the vast ocean. The balconies of the rooms offer scenes right out of paintings. You can feast your eyes with ocean views sitting on your bed while the waves create magical sounds.
The pool is clean and well maintained. The best part , you can enjoy looking at the roaring waves as you take a dip in the pool!
The rooms are clean and well appointed. The hotel has almost no use of plastics in the room. The toiletries are placed in beautiful little ceramic containers. Drinking water served in glass bottles. The hotel also has Ayurveda facilities on the premises. The staff goes out of your way to make your stay comfortable. Ms. Viji at the front desk ensured right from our checkin till the checkout all of our needs are taken care of. Mr.Sebin who manages the property, would check with us every now and then and ensure we were comfortable.
We being vegetarian and travelling with a Kid ,Mr. Sebin ensured the restaurant prepared dishes to our taste. Since we were hesitant not knowing what to expect from food , we were even provided complimentary dishes to ensure we enjoy our food. And yes the food was great and prepared to our taste and asks even though it was not on the menu.!! They even served us an early diner outside restaurant hours before our flight. The restaurant itself overlooks the sea providing one of the most stunning settings for having a lovely meal.
Overall , I cannot recommend this place enough and would be returning here on the first opportunity! These guys have set very high standards for other hotels to follow!
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Date of stay: April 2022
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:All the rooms offer great views and have something or the other to offer.
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 Nikhil Nair, Other at Rockholm
Responded 17 Apr 2022
Dear Mr. Jain, Thank you for posting such an endearing review on TripAdvisor and also for sharing some beautiful pictures of your moments at Rockholm. We are delighted to read that you had a wonderful experience and that you enjoyed the beautiful view from your room overlooking the ocean, the calm and serene ambiance, the aesthetic upkeep of the rooms and premises and most importantly the hospitality. We are glad that you were looked after well and all aspects of your stay were taken care of. People are the backbone of our hotel. With their genuine care and perceptiveness, they create delightful moments for our guests. We are truly fortunate to have such an amazing team. it will be my pleasure to share your compliments with the entire team and specially with Viji and our operational manager Sebin who orchestrated it so well for you. Thank you again for your kind comments. Your appreciation means the world to our people and will inspire and encourage them in their continuous pursuit of excellence and the reason for our guests to leave as ambassadors of the great “Rockholm experience” Best Regards, Nikhil Nair Front Office Manager
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I got to know of the property through travel portals. The location was superb, 2 mins walking from the lighthouse beach and the restaurants there The property is very beautiful with rooms of different sizes and views. We had opted for an ocean facing room and boy did it not disappoint. We were bang above the ocean with the sound of waves crashing making the experience even more awesome. The facility has lots of ayurvedic treatment packages (we couldnt avail due to our itinerary). The room was very clean and bathroom was also very neat and spacious. The staff was also helpful and helped in arranging for RTPCR at a local lab. The food was the only aspect where i feel they can improve. Being a vegetarian we had very limited options here for a-la carte as well in the breakfast buffet. I feel more choices should be added. The quality of food was really good with no excessive oil or fat Rockholm offers a very pleasant and luxurious stay option for anyone looking for an ocean side stay. Really happy overall with my stay
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Date of stay: December 2021
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Choose an ocean view suite on higher floor
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 Nikhil Nair, Other at Rockholm
Responded 1 Jan 2022
Dear Sahil, Thank you for choosing to stay at the Rockholm Kovalam and for posting such an endearing review on TripAdvisor.. It feels great to hear that you loved everything about our resort and especially its breath-taking ocean view, the décor and ambience, and the hospitality, everything was at par with your expectations. The view from The Rockholm is indeed amongst the best. And the location is our USP too as we are located close to various heritage sites, restaurants and places of interest. Our guests have always been so happy with the expansive beautiful views of the ocean and Kovalam skyline. One thing which you felt was a bit compromising was the limited food options for vegetarians . We shall definitely be reviewing it internally and do the necessary improvements as we believe in providing a very diversified menu option equally appealing to both vegetarians and nonvegetarians. Your generous feedback is very encouraging and motivating and will inspire us to do even better. We look forward to welcoming you back to the resort soon! Best Regards, Nikhil Nair Front Office Manager
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I stayed at Rockholm hotel for the Christmas holidays with my family and I couldn’t have been happier with this choice. The hotel has just recently re-opened and it is beautiful. It is strategically located in Kovalam near the Lighthouse, it is near a beautiful secluded beach next to it and it is only a few walking minutes away from the center of Kovalam. The hotel is beautiful with all rooms facing the ocean. I stayed in different rooms throughout my stay as I decided to stay a bit longer in Kovalam and the staff at the hotel kindly welcomed me back. All the rooms I stayed in were spacious, modern, well equipped with all the right amenities and clean. My family and I spent Christmas at this beautiful hotel were the staff organized a fantastic evening with great food. My review would not be complete if I didn’t mention the staff of the hotel and the great food. The whole staff, from reception to room service and restaurant is great, extremely professional and efficient and very kind. The food was fantastic, we had the chance to eat at different restaurants in Kovalam during our stay but our dinners at Rockholm were the best. The typical Indian food is freshly cooked, in line with Ayurveda principles, light and tasty. To top it off the restaurant is located right in front of the ocean! I am extremely happy with my stay at Rockholm and I cannot wait to be back! Francesca & family
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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.
Response from NikhilNair_Nattika, Front Office Manager at Rockholm
Responded 3 Mar 2020
Dear Guest, Thank you for taking the time to review us on Trip Advisor and for sharing your 'Rockholm experience'. Right from its unparalleled sea view to the well appointed accommodations and the traditional Indian cuisine in line with the Ayurveda principles , each and every aspect of your stay contributed to your delightful experience. Further you enjoyed our well orchestrated Christmas evening with your family savoring to our culinary delights We pride ourselves in creating unforgettable experience for our guests by providing personalized service, anticipating and fulfilling guest needs in an elegant yet formal manner.I am glad we were able to live up to our promise of service excellence and make your stay memorable with warm genuine care and smiles. Your words of appreciation have also been communicated to the entire team at the hotel. I am sure it would go a long way in helping them to strive for higher levels of service excellence. Thank you for recognizing their efforts. We are extremely delighted to have you as an “ambassador” for Rockholm We all look forward to your next visit and hope to see you very soon. Warm regards, Nikhil Nair Front Office Manager
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Cleanliness, location, amazing views, comfy spacious rooms; Amazing service by front desk staff at the reception. Shoutout to Soumya and Santosh who were so very helpful during our stay there and to Viji the manager. They are able to assist with anything if you reach out to them. Even arranged for in-house RT-PCR testing for travel purposes so that we did not have to leave the property.
Pool was crystal clear. Beach was pristine and private. Restaurant has amazing views. Buffet breakfast had combination of continental and local dishes. Masala dosas/paper dosas are served on request for breakfast. Tried the fish biryani and fish and chips for dinner. Both were flavorful. For photography enthusiasts, this place is a dream. Going down into the beach there are some rocky areas that makes for an interesting photo op/rock scramble. The lighthouse is a 3 min walking distance away.
Can't recommend this place enough. Definitely would stay here again if I come back, to try the spa and yoga sessions.
Definitely need google maps to navigate to this location. Even local drivers/autos are not familiar with the location. There is parking space at the back that not many are aware of. You can catch an auto or arrange for taxi if you go up thw street. Cost is rs 900 for one way ride to the airport at 12:30 am. Cheaper if ride is earlier during the day. Taxis are arranged by the auto rickshaw drivers at the top and will require some bargaining. Would be nice if this was an uber friendly location. Hopefully that will happen some day soon.
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Date of stay: May 2022Trip 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 Siddharth Santosh Assistant Front Office Manager, Guest Services / Front Office at Rockholm
Responded 4 Jun 2022
Dear Guest, Thank you for taking your time to share your feedback on your recent visit to Rockholm, Kovalam. We are delighted to read from your review that you had enjoyed your stay with us and we also appreciate you pointing out the excellent service you received from our associates. It is always a pleasure to have you as our guest, We look forward to welcoming you back. Best Regards, Siddharth Santosh Asst Front Office Manager
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A very Niche Property at the bank of the Arabian Sea, very courteous ,smiling, cooperating staff rooms are very well designed and maintained. The kitchen staff are very polite and take the extra step to ensure the food is asper the tastes desired. The spa is a treat to have excellent treatment. The Pvt beach and pool too is very clean and maintained.
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Date of stay: May 2022
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Sea Facing Rooms
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 Siddharth Santosh Assistant Front Office Manager, Guest Services / Front Office at Rockholm
Responded 4 Jun 2022
Dear Guest, We are delighted to learn that you had a great time with us and were impressed with our property, service areas as well as the overall ambiance of the hotel. Our associates are our biggest assets and we are glad that they could meet your desired expectations by way of their warm service and hospitality. We have also circulated comments to all associates and congratulated the team for the excellent service provided to you. All of us at the Rockholm at the Light House Beach now look forward to welcoming you back to our resort on your next visit to Kovalam. Best regards, Siddharth Santosh Asst Front Office Manager
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We loved our stay at Rockholm..it was a professionally managed property and the service was wonderful..the staff were friendly. Rooms were spacious,hygenic and comfortable.The best part was the breathtaking beach view from the room.Food was deliciously prepared by the chef.
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Date of stay: January 2022Trip 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.
Response from Nikhil Nair, Other at Rockholm
Responded 20 Jan 2022
Dear Krishnapriya, Thank you for staying at The Rockholm ,and we appreciate your valuable time to post feedback of your experience on TripAdvisor. We are delighted to read that you had a wonderful experience and that you enjoyed the location and specially the breathtaking view of the beach , the well-appointed & hygienic rooms, food and above all, the hospitality of our staff. Your generous praise is very rewarding and will inspire us to create memories and happiness for our guests. The team and I hope that you have many more opportunities to visit us again very soon. Best Regards, Nikhil Nair Front Office Manager
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There are more places to choose from in the Kovalam area.
PRICE RANGE
₹30,143 - ₹33,501 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Hotel Rockholm
LOCATION
IndiaKeralaThiruvananthapuram DistrictKovalam
NUMBER OF ROOMS
24
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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