Founded in 1982 by a professor at the Indian Institute of Technology, Niraamaya Retreats Surya Samudra in Kovalam is a restored ancestral home to a cliff-top coconut grove above the Arabian Sea. The first octagonal cottage remains as one of the top accommodations. The owners brought in more traditional cottages and transformed the hillside into a celebration of ancient Keralite architecture. By 1995, the government classified it as a Heritage Hotel, and in 1996, it was named the best Heritage Hotel in India’s southern region.
The Four-posted beds are draped with billowy mosquito net, dark wood furniture and ceilings gleam with years of polishing, and silk cushions are plopped on the sofas. The hotel is now part of the Niraamaya Retreats portfolio of wellness and Ayurveda hotels around India, including five in Kerala.
The resort has exclusive locations such as coconut groves and coffee plantations. Additionally, they have signature experiences such as sunset cruises, and fisherman’s beach, along with yoga and meditation classes every day.
The Kovalam Hotel is the only one in the group to be invited to Relais & Châteaux. The property manager attributes to its clifftop location and traditional architecture. The coconuts starting with the one that greets arriving guests as a welcome drink could not be any fresher. The fish served is from the nearby beach town is straight out of the sea.
The main restaurant, Café Samsara, is blissfully open-air, overlooking the Indian Ocean. The menu is long and ambitious, taking in Kerala, pan-Indian and Western fare. As always, it’s best to go local. The traditional Kerala lunch includes South Indian thali with special rice mounted on a banana leaf, with various curries, dals, riatas, pickles, and chutneys. It is delicious, healthy, and balanced from an Ayurvedic standpoint.
It is an approach to Ayurveda, the ancient Indian medical system that complements yoga. Although the program can be rigorous, with Ayurvedic doctors on staff, hot boxes for steam baths, and copper pots for shirodhara (dripping warm oil on guests’ foreheads), it can also be a light introduction to the practice that’s heavy on pleasure. The spa is Green Leaf certified for those who are seeking a real deal.
Niraamaya in Kovalam is the real deal for South Asian relaxation. Days follow a languorous rhythm. Palm trees sway; secluded beaches beckon. Staff can take visitors outside for a backwater cruise through the mangrove forest of the Poovar estuary, to a golden sand beach. Visitors can set up a picnic and pop open the sparkling wine.
The hotel has a swimming pool with a perfect oceanic backdrop, secluded sitting areas, and a cliff-top bar for sundowners of Indian beer and wine. There are winding pathways and gently sloping lawns.
