Stay 

Neeleshwar Hermitage features just 18 detached cottages. All the cottages are rustic in style, built from local laterite stone and topped with tile or thatch roofs and designed on traditional fisherman's huts. Inside, there are teak floors and intricately carved woodwork, with handmade furniture and contemporary works of art by local artists. The stylish en-suite bathrooms, each with a private garden courtyard, are a real highlight. There are two cottages with a private pool.

ChildCare 

Families with children are welcome to stay at Neeleshwar Hermitage. The garden view cottages are perfect for families or groups who want to stay together. Although this hotel is aimed more at adults, (well-behaved) kids are welcome and an extra bed is available per cottage. Older children will however enjoy the many cultural activities in the area including wildlife tours to see the Olive Ridley turtles and the abundant birdlife. There are no childminding services or other facilities for kids.

Dine 

There are two restaurants at the Neeleshwar Hermitage. Annapurna restaurant, built like a temple serves predominantly vegetarian menu subtlety influenced by Ayurvedic principles. Overlooking the beach is the charming fish restaurant, Meenakshi, which serves freshly-caught fish and other dishes. Breakfast is both Indian and Western style and can be ordered a la carte, lunches are light cold salads and soups while candle-lit dinners are a gourmet affair with a feast of seafood.

Relax 

Facilities at the hotel include Priya Ayurvedic Spa with 5 treatments rooms offering traditional massages, purification regimes, facial and beauty treatments, using natural, organically produced and sourced products. There is also a large swimming pool and sundeck, surrounded by coconut palms and facilities for meditation and yoga.

Experience 

Nileshwar in northern Kerala offers an interesting mix of beach, plantations and backwaters. In the north is a 300-year-old Bekal Fort with soaring observation towers, surrounded by a wonderful beach and stunning views of the Arabian Sea. Around the Neeleshwar Hermitage resort are villages, shrines and temples explored on foot or bike. Nature enthusiasts can visit the nearby wetlands to see a variety of resident birds or take the houseboat through its secluded backwaters.