Tourism is a popular activity in Kerala and that could push lodging prices up. While planning a trip to Kerala we would always be concerned about the available accommodation options and the costs involved.

We were recently in Kochi, Kerala to attend the Kerala Travel Mart 2022. We got an opportunity to travel around the state and realized how wrong were we. There is a wide variety of affordable accommodation options in Kerala. It caters to all kinds of budgetary as well as comfortable requirements of a tourist. We in fact stayed at a host of places that were very different from each other.

Starting from the luxury resorts in Kerala to home stays in Kerala to hostels in Kochi as well as a houseboat in the backwaters, we were blown away with so much that we covered in a period of 10 days or so.

If you also have any preconceived notions about Kerala, here is a list of all the places that we experienced during our stay. We are sure you will also find your most suitable sweet spot when you are travelling through Kerala.

Hostels in Fort Kochi Area

Staying at hostels is a budget-friendly way to travel. In fact, targeting the energetic youth, most hostels are now activity centres as well. We had never stayed in a hostel before and wanted to experience how it would be.  Hence, we found Zostel, a hostel in the Fort Kochi area.

Fort Kochi is like an art neighbourhood. It has a lot of tourist attractions and consequently a host of staying options. Zostel has shared rooms with bunk beds as well as double-bed private rooms. In addition to the stay, they also have a functional kitchen where you could make your tea, and coffee, whip up breakfast or even cook a meal. The manager Naijeen was a very enthusiastic soul and he also organised beach walks and other activities for guests.

 

We were there for just one night and yet we could see the whole attraction of staying in a hostel. Not only was it budget-friendly, but one got to interact closely with fellow travellers. Like-minded people then could also form groups and create a common itinerary. The hostel was definitely a very social environment and would work well with people who like mingling.

Also read: The Perfect Guide For 2 Days In Kochi

Special mention to their potent AC and high-speed Wifi. This was even better than many of the star-rated hotels we have stayed in.

Price per night – Rs 300 – 500 per person

Backwater Resorts in Kerala

Kumarakom is famous for its backwaters in Kerala. Our home here was the Lakesong Resort just beside Vembanad, the largest backwater lake in Kerala. The resort had an outdoor swimming pool, restaurant and comfortable air-conditioned rooms. The cottages were built in traditional Kerala architecture style and were surrounded by greenery. The facade of red laterite stone was the first of a kind in Kumarakom.

What we loved the best about Lakesong Resort was that the backwaters flowed inside the resort all the way to the reception area. Guests could canoe in this backwater channel as well. This little backwater stream was the star attraction at this resort.

Price per night – Rs 3500 – 4000 per person

Houseboats in Alleppey

Our Kerala trip would be incomplete if we were not in a Kettuvalam or the houseboat.  It was a functional setup with a couple of bedrooms – attached baths and a parlour. Complete with modern facilities, this was way more comfortable than what we had imagined. The gentle sway of the water and the beautiful view of the Alleppey villages on the banks made the experience ethereal. The cherry on the icing was that we passed by a huge paddling of wild ducks. Not only did it make a beautiful picture, but we were also told that sighting such a large group of ducks is rare. Thank you Spice Routes, the houseboat chain,  for the lovely experience.

Minimum price per night – Rs 5000

Plantation Resorts – Thekkady

One of the most comfortable stays we had during our trip was at Carmelia Haven Resort at Vandanmedu, a half-hour drive from Thekkady along the Thekkady-Munnar road. There were single and multistorey villas here. Our room was spacious and had solid wood traditional furniture. There was a private open-air shower along with the bathroom. The meals were at the rustic dining hall and we loved the desserts.

Given the sprawling property, the walk back to our cabins after dinner was like trekking in the wilderness. They had a tree house and a spice garden that we took a round in the morning.  Cardamom is one of the most priced crops in Kerala and we saw it at ground level literally at Carmelia’s cardamom farm. The most popular fruit in Kerala is bananas and Bedabrata went bananas or into a semi-primate mode in the plantations.

Carmelia had organised a Bharatnatyam and Mohiniattayam performance for us in the evening.

Price per night – Rs 7000 – 8000

Hotels in Munnar

We were tired after a long drive when we reached Munnar. All we wanted to do was stretch our legs. When we reached Silvertips Hotel in Munnar, we were energized seeing that it is a movie theme hotel. While the reception was done up in Mughal-e-Azam style, every room was decorated with posters and photographs from some acclaimed Bollywood or Hollywood film.

Our room was based on the Hindi classic Guide and carried posters of Dev Anand and Wahida Rahman. The room and the attached washroom were spacious and comfortable.  The staff was nice and friendly.

The best part, of course, had to be the balcony. When we checked the view here, we were greeted with a very wide range of the Nilgiri mountains. It was raining when we were in Munnar and that added to the visual experience. Silvertips is located in a market area and is easily accessible. The restaurant menu is a mix of north and south Indian dishes along with some Chinese and continental. Whatever we ordered was pretty decent.

Price per night – Rs 4000 – 5000

Star-rated hotels in Kochi

We spent our last two days in Kerala at The Holiday Inn Hotel Kochi. We stayed at The Holiday Inn Express in Hyderabad a few years back and had a great time. This star-rated property had no surprises. It was slightly away from the city centre, in a more commercial area. However, the rooms were clean and of decent size. The gym had basic equipment and the swimming pool on one of the higher floors had a great view of the city. The dining room staff was most friendly and we loved the breakfast buffet that was included in the charges. If you don’t like surprises, this is definitely your spot.

Price per night –  Rs 5000 – 6000

Homestays in Fort Kochi

Homestays are very popular in Kerala and in fact, the department of tourism is very high on promoting these accommodations. The Fort Kochi area has a host of accommodation options starting from fancy villas to hotels to hostels and homestays. We wind up our Kerala trip with a full night at Casa Feliz homestay in the Fort Kochi area. It was a simple villa where few rooms on the top floor had been opened up for guests. The rooms had double beds and an attached washroom. The room had running hot water and very important air conditioning which is so needed in the humid weather of Kochi. The Wi-Fi was robust. But what we would remember about this part of the stay is the warm hospitality by Johnson and his family. In fact, when we were leaving all of the family members came out and see us off. What a befitting end to a gorgeous trip we thought.

Price per night –  Rs 800 – 1200

While writing this post, we also revisited our Kerala trip. If you look at the gamut of places where we stayed, it was between a whopping range of Rs 800 to Rs 7000 per night! Kerala is the proverbial melting pot of experiences and we are so glad we could enjoy it so much. Visit Kerala and find your bliss through God’s Own Country.