Travancore Heritage Reviews

we went to Kerala to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary, and found a little piece of paradise in the Travancore Heritage. all the staff at the resort were absolutely fantastic, from room maids to restaurant staff. the beach was beautiful, most days we were the only tourists on the beach due to the heat(it was pre-monsoon). it was definitely a chill-out holiday destination, not much to do outside the resort, although we did go on a couple of trips, especially an overnight stay on a rice boat up in Allpey, not to be missed. we booked with Mercury Direct and their representatives there, Jayasree, couldn't be faulted. also flew with Emirates for the first time, WOW. we've been to Goa previously, and found that Kerala was a different side to India, not as commercial or touristy.

I cannot think of a better introduction to India than the complementary experience we had by staying at this resort. The staff were as welcoming as the resort itself, and treated everyone with the utmost courtesy and thoughtfulness for the duration of our stay.

The resort itself is laid out as a mixture of Cottages and Apartments, within a hillside garden paradise of palm's and exotic flowers, throughout which the giant butterfly's and inquisitive sparrows flit carefree.. encapsulating the whole ambiance of the place. Serene luxury, pampered opulence and a tranquil energy flowing throughout the Ayurvedic Centre - offering the most relaxing and rejuvenating treatments - perfectly compliments the wholesome, fresh and exquisite meals served in the main restaurant. The linen in the rooms is changed daily, the floor swept diligently, and fridge re-stocked at any time. Room Service is open 24hrs, whether you just fancy a bowl of fries and a cold beer at 2am, or have a full evening meal after a lazy day on the veranda too exhausted to walk to the main restaurant.

The location of the resort is perfectly secluded from that of adjacent complex's, the advantage being not overlooked or local traffic passing the vicinity. Access to the beach is via a Private lift, which also deposits you at another [smaller] restaurant associated with the complex. Should you arise early, or perhaps sit on the veranda of your cottage which overlooks the sea, you'll witness the local fishing fleet casting their huge nets and hauling them in by hand - fascinating.

There are several ways to get about locally should you decide to explore the area - which is a must, the colour, smells and sounds that assault the senses cannot be passed up. Tourist Taxi's can be summoned through the Hotel Reception, and will transport you in Air Conditioned luxury to your destination, or for the day-hire, for what constitutes an average weekly wage among the locals. Should you wish to experience the real India however, then walk the short distance up to the main road junction, and find a Auto-Rickshaw [3 wheeled tuk-tuk] who'll charge you about a third of the price of the tourist taxi's for the same distances. Be aware however, that the real India also means experiencing Indian driving which, is not for those of a nervous disposition.. you'll know what I mean when you go.

The nearest main town is known as Trivandrum [the Indian name has about 13 more characters] which will satisfy even the most ardent bargain hunter, and there are serious bargains to be had in the Markets; but also is alive with modern and ancient culture. A 20min tuktuk ride [approx 200Rp] to the main Temple will stat your experience admirably. Kovalam Beach, [10min away] used to be a Hippy Haven in the 1960's; but, like so many places in the world has embraced the lure of capitalism to the cry of ";Sunglasseees.. Reading Glasseees"; and ";Sarongs, many colours, any colour you like.."; etc..

Before we went, grand plans were laid and schemes schemed regarding travelling to the far flung reaches of the state and beyond - including the regular Resort Rep's [First Choice] sales pitch on either a 4-day elephant excursion, or a 3-day break to the Maldives ";seeing as you're in the area";. However, you may find yourself slipping into the by then familiar routine of self-imposed relaxation at the resort all too easily.. so be under no illusion that you can quite happily have two weeks doing as little as possible - especially if you follow the Ayurvedic Treatment Plan [additional cost] - or grabbing the Sacred Cow [gently] by the horns and hiring your own driver each day for a very reasonable price and see the state [organised rep tours times the cost by 3].

The resort experience exceeded our expectations of a stress free holiday, and turned it into one of the best two weeks in as near to paradise as I think I can describe.

Only one minor negative - First Choice themselves.. Extra cost [£5 each] for the in-flight entertainment, and due to 'unusually strong headwinds"; on the return journey, the delights of Budapest Airport whilst dressed in attire suitable for warmer climes flattens the spirit somewhat. Perhaps FC should replace the flight crew on each leg rather than use the same outward and immediate return staff, thus avoiding maximum hours caused by inclement weather on such a long flight.

DandR

Having realised that the flight was with Monarch my initial reaction was oh no!! The Flight is broken into two segments - a 6 hours stint to Bahrain with approximately 45 minute refuelling stop and then a 4.5 hour flight on to Kerala. Monarch issue you with a immigration card to fill in on board but on arrival it turns out the card has been superseeded by a new version and everyone frantically starts filling in another one - Nice one Monarch!!!

The transfer from the airport is quick and the driving style of the locals is rather interesting.

The Travancore Heritage is a nice small resort and all the bungalows are tastefully done. Meals are very nice - lots of curry with varying degrees of spicyness. While we were there the restaurant was a bit understaffed but not a problem.

There are approximately 194 steps down to the beach - not the 145 as stated in the brochure, but if you hate stairs there is always a rickshaw to take you from the beach back up the hill to the main hotel entrance for 100 rupees. A lift is also in the process of being built at the back of the beach - we understand it should be ready by the end of the year(ish)

The beach is clean and very wide - it is best to swim in the sea in the morning as by the afternoon it gets a lot rougher. Sunbeds, umbrellas and towels are all put out by the hotel life guards.

All in all a fantastic holiday and would consider going back

We flew with First Choice which was excellent. We upgraded to premium star class which cost £129 each return, and I can`t recomend it enough for long haul travel. It makes so much difference to your holiday when the journey is not the living hell that is cattle class.

Remember the heat and humidity at the other end of your journey , don`t think of the cold here when you dress for your journey. The queues at trivandam passport control can be awful, and some of the ladies on our flight had dressed in long-sleeved T-shirts , jeans and boots. They looked about ready to faint after the first half hour.

We booked with Hayes and Jarvis which was really lucky, as our mini-bus to the hotel only had six people in it and was air-conditioned. This wasn`t the case with all the other buses.

Travancore Lodge is an absolute delight if your looking for peace and relaxation. In fact, you`ll be so relaxed you`ll find it very hard to stir yourself at all. There`s a fantastic place where you can get massage, reflexology, yoga etc. which adds to the calm atmosphere. However, there`s plenty to do and see very close by and you can see the real India without traveling for miles. You can pick-up a tuk tuk just outside the hotel, or an air-conditioned taxi, just ask the hotel staff what a fair price would be for your journey before you go, and then agree that with the driver.

You can simply go for a walk, once you`ve run the gauntlet of the drivers who gather around the gates of the hotel, no-one bothers you. At no time did we feel uneasy or worried in Kerala. While people want you to buy their wares, they seem to lack the aggression of others we have met on our travels. There are great places to eat just a tuk tuk ride away, very fresh seafood, great beaches. Go to the Lighthouse Beach at night. Fab food and you can sit there for hours watching the crowds strolling by.

The beach at the Travancore is reached by lift, although you can walk down the steps. The beach is lovley to look at and stoll along, you`ll see lots of locals doing the same. My husband used to help the fisherman haul in their nets in the morning, great experience.

We stayed in one of the traditional wooden bungalows situated on the hillside. They have an outside bathroom ( completely private though ) huge beds and a lovley porch. You can have a room at the bottom of the hillside nearer the beach, but they are more modern and lack the atmosphere of the colonial style bungelows. There are hammocks situated at handy points throughout the hillside in case you cannot do the journey from poolside to your room all in one go.

The food is great , the staff will do anything to make you comfortable and come round every night to restock your fridge with water and beer. Also, a chap comes round every night with sandlewood burning in a log and wafts it around your porch. I don`t know if it works, but it smells lovley.

If your the kind of person who enjoys games around the pool and a livley atmosphere then you won`t enjoy the Travancore Heritage, this is a bit more sophisticated than that. You can find peace here and there`s plenty of life nearby. Kerala is lush, in every sense of the word. Be open-minded and enjoy. Most of all, don`t be a big girl and use taxis. Tuk tuks are the only way to travel !