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Riverside Retreat
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1 - 6 of 39 reviews
Reviewed 3 March 2017 via mobile
A wonderful oasis

Jiji and Jishi offered us a lovely welcome to this home stay south of Allapuzha (Alleppey). This was the highlight of our India visit, a quiet and relaxing oasis alongside a wide waterway. You can sit out and watch India passing by, people fishing with sticks and line, and houseboats chugging by in numbers. Next to the home stay is a dry dock for houseboats where people are repairing boats.

The local town in Ambalapuzha is a small place with a railway station and a few restaurants and a place called Coral where you can drink or buy beer, a rare bonus in Kerala.

We went for short local walks along the waterways and Jiji organised us a great 3 hour boat trip in a motorised canoe. We enjoyed the rest of our time sitting out watching the world go by.

The room was clean and the food, prepared by Jishi and Benny, was excellent, probably the best we had. Breakfasts were good and other meals were charged for at 250/350 rupees lunch/dinner. Lunches were generally veggie.

We had 3 nights here, not really long enough. We will be back!

Date of stay: February 2017
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Reviewed 3 March 2017 via mobile
Peaceful and Relaxation

This is the place for those who are looking for peace, nature and delicious food. The setting is stunning! The family were charming and helpful and provided us with anything we needed. Endless opportunities for watching birds and life along the river. You can take short walks to neighbouring villages and meet the friendly local people. Highly recommended!

Date of stay: February 2017
Trip type: Travelled with family
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Reviewed 15 March 2016
What a hidden, beautiful gem!

This was probably my partner and myself's highlight of our 6 week trip in India! This was our first stay here - but we felt so welcome. Jiji and his wife greeted us as though we were old friends, and made it their priority to ensure we were enjoying our stay. The location is tranquil and peaceful, offering a beautiful view of the backwaters whilst not being noisy. The nice thing about this part of the backwaters is that it is still mostly untouched by western society - with locals still living quite traditionally. The food was hands down AMAZING - some of the best local cuisine I tasted in India. So thank you to Jiji, his wife (the best cook ever) and beautiful daughter anna for making us feel so at home. We will never forget you :)

Date of stay: January 2016
Trip type: Travelled with friends
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Reviewed 11 March 2016
A wonderfully relaxing place in the Backwaters

This is the second time I have stayed here, the first being 8 years ago. The pleasing thing is that it hasn't changed in the interim and the welcome from Jiji and his wife is still very warm. Jiji's wife made some wonderful local food and was very happy for some of us to join her in the kitchen for an ad-hoc cookery lesson. The room are simple, but comfortable and the wonderful garden and relaxing riverside views make this a wonderful place to stay.

Room tip: Ask for one of the cabins. Also, ensure you have Jiji's mobile number so the taxi driver can get instructions!
Date of stay: February 2016
  • Trip type: Travelled with friends
    • Sleep Quality
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
Ask J G about Riverside Retreat
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Reviewed 16 February 2016
Warmest family welcome and perfectly tranquil retreat

What a magical place to enjoy the Kerala Backwaters from the balcony outside your room? Clean, simple yet very comfortable room and really good home cooking. In particular the coconut pancakes for breakfast were delicious!
The host family are both genteel and engaging striking a perfect balance of hospitality and your own space. A beautiful, colourful garden offering plenty of areas for shade from the baking sun and a wonderful hammock next to the river must be enjoyed.

Date of stay: January 2016
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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