Stayed with the family of Xavier , which has a very good homestay 1. Best home food 2. Very nice garden where we just spent day relaxing 3. Went out fishing in his garden pond. Most important Xavier and his family tries their best to help in whatever way they can. Thanks again.
The homestay is run by the lovely Xavier Joseph and his wife, a trustworthy, warm and kind couple. The food both veg and non-veg is very tasteful and healthy. I loved the dishes with all the different vegetables. The tropical green environment is beautiful, do go for a (gondola) boating or kayak trip. Perfect place to recharge and enjoy village life and nature.
If you are looking for a serene, calm and beautiful place to stay in/around Kottayam, this is it! Scenic, very well kept facility, homely food & service, good approachability from the town, all the amenities to make you comfortable, and above all, hosts Mrs & Mr Xavier's warm hospitality will make you wish to stay here for more. You really can't think of anything else you needed for a perfect vacation stay ☺️
My husband and I have travelled the world staying in every type of accommodation imaginable- and never have we experienced such warm, generous hospitality, such utterly beautiful food or such breathtakingly stunning surroundings! Mr and Mrs Xavier Joseph could not have made us more welcome into their beautiful home and their friendly, quiet village, helping us arrange trips and excursions, answering our many questions about local life and plying us with beautiful, authentic Keralan cuisine (as spicy as we wanted it!) day and night- as well as fresh water, tea and coffee and snacks. I actually cried when we had to leave this place! The surroundings are idyllic. During the course of our stay we took four very long walks all around the surrounding area (rice fields, canals and waterways, little streets and communities) and in that whole time did not see one single other tourist- we were absolutely able to experience 'real' rural Backwaters life and it was absolutely magical. If you want peace and quiet, beautiful scenery, the warmest of welcomes and the greatest food you will ever taste then this is the place for you! From the bottom of our hearts, heartfelt thanks to Mr and Mrs Xavier Joseph from my husband and I for giving us an experience we will NEVER, ever forget:) Carly and Simon Fee, United Kingdom…
I and my friends with family chose this place for our long waiting reunion after many years. Some of my friends were doubtful about how was the stay going to be. But all the doubt has gone away once we arrived there. The location is really beautiful with a river flowing next to the house and a spacious nice front yard. We got a warm welcome from owner Mr Joseph and he always came to enquire about if we all feel comfortable and any help we need. We really enjoyed the homely food his wife made for us. It was really delicious. We had really a great night and highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a place to host family or friends reunion.
The family property and hospitality calls for serenity and relaxation, of all 5 senses: observe the nature, listen to animals' various sounds, taste delicious homemade food (thanks again!!), smell the plants/flowers and afternoon tea, walk or cycle around... I very much enjoyed my time there, hope to have the chance to be back one day, and can only recommend it to anyone wishing to discover this beautiful region!
My only complaint is we only had 1 night at this beautiful retreat. It is located in a beautiful rural area. In fact the book "God of Small Things" was written about this area and the author is from there or lives there as well! I would suggest planning to just eat and relax at this retreat as the food is delicious! There are lots of places to relax (swing beds and tables and chairs under fans) and read a book or watch the backwaters go by. We were given tea and snacks in the afternoon and a delicious dinner which was reasonable priced (400 INR/person) and consisted of multiple dishes. I would go back to Kerala just to stay here again!
Number of nights: 1 Traveling as: Couple Location: The homestay is in Pulikuttissery, far from anything. You wont find any hotel/restaurant etc in walkable distance. It is far from any hustle-bustle , so very quiet and relaxing, along a canal. You will have to call for an auto (walk 15-20min) who will charge ~INR 400 to reach the bird sanctuary/boat jetty. Food: Food served was very homely and tasty at nominal price. Food will take some time, as you would expect at your home. You can ask for veg/non-veg variety. We loved the vegetable stew with appam in breakfast and chicken in coconut gravy. Hospitality: Mr Xavier Joseph was very hospitable and his wife was very sweet to ask her whatever we might need. Their help is a very old man who doesnt know Hindi or English. You might end up feeling sad for him. Cleanliness: The rooms and the property is kept clean. There is are mosquitoes, so do carry some odomos cream/spray. All out was available in the room. Other amenities: Their are not many amenities in the property. There are 2 swings, and seating area for chill and have meals. Rooms are basic and have ACs. Bottom line If you want to relax in a peaceful authentic homestay, far from city/touristy places, BHH is the place to go.…
I want to take this opportunity and thank Mr Joseph and every one of Backwater Heritage, Kumarakom.for making this experience as amazing. The food you arranged for us met and exceeded all our expectations. Our family had a GREAT and MEANINGFUL time at Backwater Heritage, Kumarakom. It was a very special and wonderful trip. We will recommend Mr Joseph for all my friends without hesitation. Thank you Mr Joseph so much for the great experience. regards Anil Mugadur.
We stayed for 4 nights beginning of November with a close friend. The location in this quiet village is very relaxing, directly at a river arm with a nice garden. The host Xavier with his wife and staff were making us feel very comfortable and provided excellent food and hospitality. Xavier came to inquire regularly what our plans are and assisted with tips and small excursions. We did some exploration of the vast river system and finished our stay with a one day houseboat trip. We can recommend this lovely Homestay to anyone seeking tranquillity and mixing with the locals. Thanks again to Xavier & family for making us feel so welcome. Dieter & Susie
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