Niraamaya Retreats Surya Samudra
Cool Keralan cottages
Arabian Sea shores
On a cliff above the Arabian Sea, Niraamaya Retreats Surya Samudra hotel in Kerala is a palm-shaded tribute to Southern India. Rooms are set in historic cottages, each transplanted and immaculately restored to maximise privacy and panoramic sea views. The restaurants showcase the fresh flavors that made Kerala the hub of the spice trade, including seafood curries and grilled prawns. Even the award-winning spa is an experience in India’s culture, with exceptional Ayurvedic treatments to guarantee total serenity.
Facilities
Rooms
31, including two suites.
Checkout
Noon. Earliest check-in, 2pm.
More Details
Rates include full breakfast.
Also
To channel the architectural heritage of Kerala, the Niraamaya team moved historic, traditional local homes — called tharavads — from throughout the region to the property, restoring them and transplanting them throughout the palm-dotted hillside.
Fitness Center
Free Internet Access
Laundry
On-Site Restaurant
Room Service
Spa
At the Hotel
Beach, yoga, free WiFi throughout. In rooms: flatscreen TV and DVD player, minibar, tea/coffee facilities, Forest Essentials bath products.
Our Favourite Rooms
Take in the sea views from the veranda of a Heritage Premium rooms, which have tubs in the outdoor gardens. Each is a tharavad, a meticulously restored traditional Keralan home.
Poolside
Cleverly cut into the cliff, the sun-warmed jade infinity pool overlooks the Arabian sea with prime sunset views.
Spa
Sprawled over eight treatment rooms and 626sq m, the exceptional spa utilises Ayurvedic, Thai, Chinese and European treatments to offer the most soothing escape. Treatments include massages, facials, guided meditations, wraps, hydro-baths, couples’ treatments and massages. Warm ginger and chilled spice teas are on offer, as well as healing green tea.
Packing Tips
Save room for spices: as India’s southwest port region, Kerala was an important hub for the spice trade, and remains an excellent source of fragrant cooking supplies.
Also
Greet the day with yoga to the sound of crashing waves in the hotel’s serene cliffside pavilion.
Children
Welcome. The hotel can provide babysitting and kids’ menus, but the cliffs and tranquility are not especially ideal for little ones.
Gallery
Food & Drink
Top Table
At Essence, request a table on the patio overlooking the sea. At Café Samsara, the garden tables are most romantic.
Dress Code
Loose linens should keep you covered on breezy evenings.
Hotel Restaurant
Perched on the cliff, high above the sea with uninterrupted views, Essence serves south-east Asian cuisine, with a focus on Thai flavours. The chefs meet with fishermen and farmers daily to ensure the freshest seafood and local produce for dishes like jumbo prawns krapao and mahi mahi baked into banana leaves. For casual all-day dining, Café Samsara serves regional and international dishes, including Malabar fish curry and a coconut masala, all overlooking the pool, with prime sunset views.
Hotel Bar
The laid-back Madira serves drinks on a sandy terrace with sea views, for those who’d like their toes in the sand as they sip tropical drinks. There is a full selection of wines and beers, but the cocktails are excellent, including a Pineapple Basil Martini with ginger, and a mint-laced Coconut-tini with fresh coconut water. The food menu includes baked mussels, stir-fried beef with onions, tandoor-grilled chicken breasts and several prawn dishes, including skewers and beer-battered.
Last Orders
Café Samsara serves all day, from 7:30am until 10:30pm. Essence offers dinner from 7 to 10:30pm. Madira serves drinks from 11am until 11pm.
Room Service
A selection of classic local dishes, appetisers, sandwiches, salads and desserts is available any time of day. For those with specific cravings, the hotel can accommodate most any reasonable requests.
Planes
The nearest hub is Trivandrum International Airport, a 40-minute drive from the hotel. Flights from Europe and North America will necessitate a stop, likely through Delhi or Mumbai. Arrange transfers with the hotel or through Smith24.
Trains
Trivandrum Central Station, a 40-minute drive from the hotel, is the largest station in Kerala, and connects with all major Indian cities.
Automobiles
The hotel offers valet parking, and has a car park just outside the property, but driving in India can be chaotic and is not recommended for the unfamiliar.
Worth Getting Out of Bed For
Perched above the rolling waves of the Arabian Sea, tranquil Niraamaya can captivate guests for days on end. The hotel’s culinary programme is exceptional, and the hotel customises cooking classes to showcase dishes or ingredients to please each guest. For the real sea-to-table experience, accompany the chefs to the dock to select a fish to prepare for dinner. The team can then arrange candlelit dinner in the yoga pavilion overlooking the sea or on a secluded strip of beach. The Niraamaya Spa alone is worth a journey, and books up well in advance. The menu of à la carte treatments has enough to please any spa enthusiast, but the ultra-devoted can join month-long retreats for maximal relaxation.
Niraamaya’s remote location is part of its appeal, but there are plenty of activities nearby for those eager to explore the best of Kerala. The hotel can arrange for boat trips, including through the nearby mandrake groves. Kerala is home to exceptional art and architecture, including Padmanabhapuram Palace 16th-century wood palace that is the largest and best preserved example of wooden architecture in the country. The intricate and dazzling Shree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram (W Nada) is the wealthiest Hindu temple in the world, estimated to hold £17 billion in gems in its vaults. Near there, Napier Museum and Art Gallery (LMS Vellayambalam Road) holds its own amazing collection of treasures from the Maharajas.
Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt
This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .
