Spice Village Resort is a recreation of tribal village in Thekkady, Kerala. Set on a misty ridge above in Periyar, in fine mountain climate, this village is surrounded by a collection of exotic plants and spices. Thekkady region a few hours inland from the Keralan coast with vast plantations of teak, cardamom, tea, rubber and coffee. Its Periyar forest is well known for its wildlife, such as elephants, Sambar deer, gaurs and tigers.
Within this exotic Spice Village are 52 cottages, all made out of brick and log, roof thatched with the same elephant grass used in tribal huts and woven in the same traditional techniques. The individual cottages with verandah, have modern plumbing with solar-powered hot water. It includes a living room, a bedroom with understated contemporary furnishings and a private garden, complete with your own park bench. The Deluxe villas have cosy huts tucked away between fruit trees, herb beds and 50-year-old timbers.
Facilities in the Spice Village, Thekkady include a large garden of spices, used by the chef for his daily meals. Evening cookery classes will teach you the tricks needed to recreate these flavours at home. There is a swimming pool and a host of indoor games such as badminton, table tennis and billiards. In the surrounds is the famous Periyar Tiger Reserve, home to tigers and a significant elephant population, as well as rare lion-tailed macaques, sambar deer, leopards and Indian bison.
Amenities
24hr Room ServiceBar/PubBusiness CentreChildcare ServicesCoffee ShopConciergeFitness CentreGardenLibraryMultilingual StaffOutdoor PoolRestaurantSafety Deposit BoxesSpa/SaunaWi-Fi AvailableYoga Classes/Instruction On SiteStay Spice Village offers 52 tribal-styled thatch-roof cottages. These are dotted around the dense plantations of forest trees and spices. All cottages are of different sizes but they are spacious and comfortable. The bathrooms and interiors are modern with spartan elegance based on simple, natural materials and local woodcraft. Do not expect fancy carpets, just coir mats on bare stone floors and thatched roof made of elephant grass. The larger villas come with cozy personal spaces, with a park bench and swings hung from fruit trees.
ChildCare Children are welcome to stay at the Spice Village, Thekkady. Although there are no specific facilities available for children, the hotel is child friendly. Restaurant is flexible with timing and menu and the trained staff will help with their demands. Babysitting can be arranged upon request.
Dine Dining options at the Spice Village are never far away. Feel like a quick bite? Then Tiffin Room is just the place for you. The rosewood chairs and tables here were restored from a 100-year-old restaurant. The Woodhouse Bar; formerly the home of the forest ranger, Mr. Woods now has a billiards table, a library and the main bar. The “50-Mile Diet” sources all the ingredients in the food from within a 50-mile radius. And, of course, they also have their own organic farm, but the real magic in Spice Village cuisine comes from fresh spices.
Relax Guests can experience a combination of massage and yoga with healing and rejuvenation therapies. The qualified ayurvedic doctors guide through a regimen of massages and herbal baths guaranteed to give new verve and vigour. Spice Village also has a resident botanist who offers talks on the surrounding environment and wildlife. The resident chef conducts evening cookery classes to show how you can use the spices to flavour your dishes.
One More Thing At Spice Village, it’s easy to think that you're in the middle of wild nature. This nature was in fact born out of one man's passion; Mr A. W. Woods, an amateur botanist who worked for the British Raj in the 1930s. It was his home and around his place he cultivated a plethora of beautiful fruit trees, rare herbs, and profusion of flowering plants. And here, CGH hotels built a resort crafted in tribal-style with the utmost of care taken for the surrounding natural landscape in reminiscence of his passion for nature.
Location Spice Village, located close to the Periyar National Park, is a perfect base from which to explore the wildlife sanctuary, as well as cultural exploration of South Indian villages. Set amidst vast plantations of cardamom, tea, and coffee, it is the essence of a mountain tribal village, re-imagined for the modern independent traveller.
Getting There The nearest airports are Madurai (145 km) or the Cochin International Airport (COK) (190 km). The drive to Spice Village from the Cochin airport takes around 4-hours.
When to go The best time to travel to Kerala is between November and March when temperatures are ideal for the beach and backwaters, while the hills offer a cooler alternative. Summer is hot and humid. June brings in the monsoon season that lasts up to mid-August but it's supposed to be the best time for ayurvedic treatments. During August and September, the temperatures are cooler and it is time for Onam festival. There can be a little rain in the night in October and November.
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