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Pakistan Karakoram Highway Expedition
Pakistan
Serenity is a small boutique villa surrounded by a rubber plantation on a hilltop Kanam Estate, near Kottayam in Kerala. Built in the 1920s, this delightful plantation bungalow is situated in a little visited region that is an ideal stopover on the long journey between Cochin and Thekkady. Now beautifully renovated, this former planter's house provides the ultimate ‘Serenity’ in a secluded location and yet is perfectly placed to explore the town of Cochin and the rich ecosystem of Periyar National Park.
Surrounded by 25 acres of coffee, fruit and spice plantations, Serenity offers just five spacious rooms. All Serenity’s rooms are individually decorated in soft rosy tones and all boast spacious double-doored verandahs looking out of the plantation surroundings. If you book the whole house, an additional twin room becomes available, taking the total sleeping number up to 12. There is a trained house chef, who prepares delicious meals, in consultation with the guests.
For relaxation, Serenity has a beautiful swimming pool surrounded by a tropical forest and a spa offering Ayurvedic massages. Guests can take an escorted plantation tour on the resident elephant, which is fascinating or a bike ride through neighbouring villages. One day, take a day tour to Kottayam, known for its charming backwaters and visit Lake Vembanad and the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, a birdwatcher’s paradise. Also, visit the rich ecosystem of Periyar National Park.
Amenities
Bar/PubCoffee ShopConciergeCribs/Infant Beds AvailableGardenLibraryMultilingual StaffOutdoor PoolRestaurantSafety Deposit BoxesSpa/SaunaStay Serenity has just 5 rooms; three with double beds and two with twin beds. All are individually decorated in traditional style and studded with antique furniture and artefacts. The two rooms on the ground floor have polished stone floors while upstairs rooms are carpeted in coarse coir fibre. Some rooms have four poster beds, but all rooms feature air-conditioning, ceiling fans, en-suite bathrooms with modern facilities and a private veranda overlooking the plantation.
ChildCare Families with children are welcome to stay at Serenity but there are no specific facilities available for children. Children under 5 years stay free. Older kids may be accommodated in their parent’s bedroom at an extra charge. Only one additional child per room is permitted. Babysitting can be arranged on request.
Dine Dining at the Serenity resort is a fusion of Keralan and Mediterranean cuisine. The restaurant has a flexible, seasonal menu depending on the fresh vegetables grown on site and daily catch available. There is a trained chef who will tailor the menu to each guest and will offer both Continental and southern Indian options. There’s no bar as such, but Serenity’s staff will manage to fix you a drink when and where you like.
Relax Facilities at the Serenity resort include a beautiful swimming pool with sun loungers and surrounded by cocoa trees. For ultimate relaxation, there is a spa with one large treatment room offering a range of Ayurveda treatments and rejuvenation massages. Stretch your muscles at the yoga stage, the badminton court or borrow hotel’s bicycles to explore the surrounds. Within the hotel is a sitting room with a TV and DVD player with a collection of recent films and a record player.
Experience Guests at the Serenity are well placed to take escorted walks through the surrounding plantations and tropical gardens. The area also includes cocoa, pepper, coffee, cardamom, pineapple, tapioca, papaya and banana plantations. Further afield, in Kottayam is St Mary’s Orthodox Church built in the Portuguese style of architecture and Juma Masjid, a 1,000-year-old mosque. There is also Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, a nature lover’s heaven and bird lover’s paradise.
Location Serenity is set on Kanam Estate close to Kottayam, on a plantation in between Cochin, the backwaters and Thekkady, in Kerala, southern India.
Getting there Fly into Cochin International Airport via Mumbai. Cochin is the nearest airport to Serenity, the drive from the airport takes around 1-hour 30-minutes.
When to go Isolated from much of India by the Western Ghats, the climate of Kerala & Karnataka is tropical. The best time to visit is from January through to April. Summer is hot and humid; the monsoon season arrives in early June and lasts till August. While September can be dry and humid. There can be a little rain in October and November, cooling off around December and lasting until February.
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May 04 - 19, May 19, 2025
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