Niraamaya Retreats Backwaters & Beyond

India , Kumarakom
Kottayam, Pallichira, Vayitharamattom
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47 reviews shown

6/10

Pleasant

16 Feb 2026

Manu

Food, cleanliness, electricity reliability.

Leisure Partner

2/10

Poor

15 Feb 2026

Laura

When we arrived at 2pm check in we were told the room wasn’t ready and directed to take lunch. This was expensive and slow (we checked in at 4.30pm in the end!).
Apparently there was a mix up with the booking (we booked through hotels.com) and they said we would have to move rooms mid way through the stay to a downgraded room which we weren’t happy to do. They offered us dining packages to apologise but we still said we weren’t happy even with a 2 night upgrade and 1 night downgrade offer, and after the lunch experience we knew we wouldn’t eat onsite going forward. We just wanted the room we booked and paid for, and they tried to make us feel bad!

Positives:
Lovely scenery /views / things look good on the surface
Nice activities including hi tea in the afternoon

Negatives outweigh this however:
This is definitely not a 5* hotel
Room full of damp and shoddy workmanship to cover the cracks / visible patchy walls.
Electric power cuts constantly meaning no water pressure and unable to charge devices / air con making noises etc!
Air conditioning unit leaked causing a slip hazard during the night when getting to the bathroom.
Bed bugs found which has caused us bites / itchiness - yuck!
Holes in duvet topper and pillowcases
Shower leaked water so all over bathroom floor and wasn’t consistently hot
Kettle leaked
No hairdryer in room (had to phone to ask, took 45 mins by which point hair almost dry!!)
Communal pool dirty water / unclean.
Private pool in room full of leaves

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

07 Feb 2026

Richard

Staff were very friendly and accommodating. Nice location overlooking lake. Daily tea in gardens with activities enjoyable. Nearby tours of backwaters was great. Good spa on site too. Great views from room to lake. However villa room was dated and needs some refurbishing, cleaning and decorating. Villa Pool also needed cleaning and maintenance. The restaurant staff were great and friendly, food was ok - though a bit limited selection in breakfast buffet of fruits and pastries, and for evening meals there was a long wait. Overall - nice location but overpriced for the quality of hotel.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

31 Jan 2026

Natalie

The room we had and the location are incredible.

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

27 Jan 2026

Myia

The staff was friendly but there was no manager on site when we had an issue. The wifi was not very strong and the amenities were lack luster. The website is not an accurate representation of what’s offered. Definitely not a 5 star place.

2/10

Poor

27 Jan 2026

Ashni

This is not a 5 star hotel. The room was full of smoke from the street. We had several bugs in our room. The water did not stay hot more than a couple minutes. There was only one restaurant and it was buffet only. When we tried to order à la carte they would be out of almost everything. There was no manager on the property when we filed complaints. Very disappointing

4/10

Poor

27 Jan 2026

Nitya

Overall poor experience for the price we paid. It is overrated. The food at the restaurant was terrible. I specifically requested for them to make it less oily several times, but the food they sent was extremely oily. I showed them pics of how oily it was - pls see attached pics, yet they did not offer to give any discount. The room was not cleaned in spite of us putting the sign outside, we were out from 7am to 2pm but when we returned the room was still not cleaned. The spa is atrociously expensive even by 5 star standards. No bathroom slippers in the room.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

15 Jan 2026

Prasuna

We enjoyed a relaxing week at Niraamaya...all the staff (too many to name) ...Prasuna, Atul and Dr Aishwarya, Smita, Blessin, from the names I remember, all went out of their way to assist us with our requests and always with a smile. I especially enjoyed the nasal massage to clear up the sinuses. Our grandson loved being in the pool and the whole family liked the high tea activities. The food was fresh and tasty. We even asked for recipes to try at home.

Leisure Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

24 Dec 2025

Marilyn

Really comfortable beds, spacious room. However the rest of the furniture was not very comfortable. There was a nice terrace overlooking the lake but no furniture.

Friends_and_family Family

4/10

Poor

03 Dec 2025

Ferrin

The resort, ambience and staff was amazing however there isn’t a lot to do. We ordered room service and not only was it really expensive but the food was very sub par. It took nearly 1 day for them to remove the remaining plates from that order. The restaurant also was underwhelming in terms of the food offered. We often ended up going outside the resort to a local shop to eat

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

20 Oct 2025

Ruby

Enjoyed the spa treatments. My husband felt it was the best he had. Overall an enjoyable stay

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

10 Jun 2025

Charlie

It was a great experience. A proper retreat and spa. I got a full body massage and so did 2 other members of my family. Will recommend to people for sure.

Business_and_leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

21 Mar 2025

Ashutosh

What a beautiful resort this was. We stayed there for our anniversary trip. The staff from welcome to dinning to housekeeping were are super warm and friendly. And, they did an amazing job making us feel extra special - especially with all the decorations for our room and helping plan a beautiful candle light dinner. The view from our villa was gorgeous. The only icky thing was that since pool area is also surrounded with tropical plants, there were some bugs from the plants n all that would be floating in the pool.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

19 Feb 2025

Tomy

Performance by various artists during evenings

8/10

Excellent

19 Feb 2025

Tomy

Evening performance by artists

10/10

Exceptional

25 Jan 2025

Dhiren

Ideal break for a couple or family of 4 or a small group of friends. Great food, great service, great rooms. It is a wellness centre, very peaceful, right on the backwaters of Kerala. Very good value for money. Can improve in choice of TV programmes as most are in local language.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

25 Jan 2025

Mukesh Kumar

Excellent stay. However, food prices are a bit high. Overall good experience

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

01 Dec 2024

Verified traveler

3 night stay

We enjoyed our stay although we had been concerned after reading a couple of recent poor reviews. We felt that these were unjustified. The property was remote and relaxing. Sometimes instructions needed to be repeated. Lunch and dinner were very nice although alcohol is not served. The rooms were very big and the staff were very polite. There are a selection of massages in the spa.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

11 Nov 2024

Sabu

The waterfront view was exceptional from the balcony. The staff were helpful and eager to please all round.
However, the room house keeping was less than optimal. On one day the room cleaning was missed entirely even when the “Please clean the room” sign was on display all day outside the room.
That said, we still plan to return to Niraamaya Resort Kumarakom in the future.

2/10

Poor

09 Nov 2024

Rahul

This was one of the worst resorts that I have every stayed at… People cant speak English in the resort… extremely bad management .. Very bad reception and welcome on the first day.. i left the resort in one day … i left the property in one day.. I expect a refund for the remaining 4 nights .. THIS IS NOT A 5 STAR PROPERTY.. please get your facts straight .. more than half the property was empty.. whats on their website is misleading.. I am extremely unhappy and disappointed with Expedia for having suggested this place as a 5 star property..

2/10

Poor

30 Oct 2024

Karishma

Extremely poorly managed hotel. Staff are the most unhelpful bunch (during my stay in Kerala, I stayed in 4 different locations and hotels and this was the only one I regret). There are flies everywhere of the backwaters but the hotel do not manage that well. Food option during breakfast were limited and of poor quality. This is more like a 3 star hotel

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

22 Sep 2024

paul

Beautiful relaxing hotel in back waters of Kerela. With great spa. Great staff too
And fantastic sunsets. Would recommend for relaxing time.

10/10

Exceptional

29 Mar 2024

ila

Views over the lake were terrific.

The views were great. The room was large, clean and cool. The staff were super helpful and happy to help. We loved the food in the restaurant . Would like to see a coffee machine in the restaurant. Would love to return.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

17 Mar 2024

Jamie

Lovely hotel and friendly staff.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

23 Jan 2024

MINESH

This resort is an excellent place. The staff is very nice and polite. I would recommend this place to all my friends

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

24 Dec 2023

Trinanjan

Excellent property and amenities. Ayurvedic massage is a must. Highly recommended

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

07 Dec 2023

christine

Idyllic setting nect to lake. Pesceful

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

05 Dec 2023

DANIEL

Relaxing gem!!!

The hotel was excellent. It is an extremely relaxing place where the staff are very attentive and can’t do enough for you.

The food is excellent and there is a variety to accommodate all tastes.

We stayed in Achenkovil and the room was clean, spacious, and had everything we needed.

I would highly recommend this hotel if you are in the area.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

30 Nov 2023

Munglarespery

Poor.

Good the spa was excellent.
Bit boring The high tea was very poor.One type of biscuit. That is not high tea.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

25 Nov 2023

Sankar

Service was excellent. Luxurious gardening and plants with swans. All the staff were very welcoming and courteous. Missed the early morning coffee service. Breakfast buffet was not bad.

Leisure

8/10

Excellent

31 Oct 2023

Gavin

The staff is incredible. Property is a bit dated. Dining option is only one but they are excellent Ala Cart. Buffet was lacking. Also Rude guests who I first hand witnessed dipping their hand into an open dishware that was set up for buffet. All and all, great property for any type of Ayurvedic massages. The spa area was excellent and staff was just pure bliss. Cannot say more nice things about the staff from the front desk, spa and groundskeepers. Beautiful views of the backwaters.

Business_and_leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

22 Oct 2023

Alan

This backwaters resort is distinct in its open ground to the lake and upstairs/downstairs bungalows great for 2 room groups
Value was definitely there
Could improve the food situation when the main restaurant snd bar reopens

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

01 Sep 2023

Ailam Venkateswaran

Nice location on the bank of Vembanad lake, good food, spacious rooms, spacious bathrooms, lots of places to walk around, spa, yoga, evening activities for kids, entertainment every evening ( bharatanatyam, kuchipidi etc). Helpful staff headed by mr.shibeesh. What more do you want ?

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

20 Jan 2023

Paresh

Good location and tranquil

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

15 Oct 2022

Naveen

Really enjoyed our time at Niramaya. Beautiful facility. The dinner was nice. The breakfast buffet was a decent spread. More importantly, each item was perfect, was presented well and tasted outstanding.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

29 Apr 2022

Thazhakzhyil

peacefulness; great view of the lake, nice cottages

Business_and_leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

11 Dec 2021

Verified traveler

New property and beautiful, very good staff but small and can do more

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

01 Oct 2021

Such a delightful property. The staff was outstanding, took care of our every need. Complimentary brownies for each of us on the day we left with bon voyage written on the plate, how thoughtful, thank you very much! Lovely spacious rooms, pools were excellent. Perfect peaceful break, note that there isn't much in the way of games or activities, this is a place for peace and tranquility, not for activities. Will certainly return.
Note: the superior villas are on the first floor, not ground floor as mentioned on Expedia.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

20 Apr 2021

Verified traveler

I can't even begin to describe how great my stay was in this hotel! I stayed here because I wanted to experience a relaxing stay and do the famous Ayurveda treatments (which are limited due to Covid). They did not disappoint! The spa had the Ayurveda treatments for a few days and they were beyond amazing and the facility was beautiful and extremely clean. I noticed a difference in my health, stress levels, and my skin was glowing. I highly recommend to take advantage of these services. The food was delicious and well prepared. The staff made sure to attend everyone of your needs and the chef came a few times to make sure everything was up to par. Everyone was beyond attentive, but I have to give a special thanks to Ashok. He made sure all my needs were met! He facilitated my Covid PCR for the airport, set up my car rides, made courtesy check one, spa set up, and much more. I was so grateful for his services during my stay. The resort was so beautiful and the rooms, but most importantly super hygienic and clean. When I left they gave me a special desert and plant a tree before check out. This definitely was the best part of of my Kerala trip! I can't wait to come back and bring my family with me next time. Simply the best.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

14 Mar 2021

Verified traveler

Perfect relaxing stay, private pool was lovely overlooking the lake, wonderful staff. Tastefully done rooms and hotel premises. Recommended!

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

12 Mar 2020

NaderAbouSeif

we really enjoyed every single minute of our stay

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

19 Oct 2019

Simone

Amazing experience- would definitely go back.

The resort was amazing from start to finish with excellent service across all areas from the concierge, restaurant to the spa experience. My husband and I were there for 5 nights and made the most of the daily evening yoga classes, ayurvedic massages, tea by the lake and beautiful sunsets. The restaurant menu was amazing and the food was so tasty- the head chef came out every day to chat with us and also arranged a cooking lesson for us. They arranged a temple tour for us (which was a highlight), shikhara boat ride along the back waters (got to see some birds as well). All in all- worth every penny.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

18 Oct 2019

Vikrant

Amazing experience and the staff gave the best service. They really care for you from their heart.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

10 Mar 2019

Verified traveler

Overall, great stay and amazing staff. The property is very peaceful and worth a visit.

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

20 Jan 2025

Verified traveler

We stayed at Niraamaya Retreats Backwaters & Beyond for 2 nights in a Superior Villa with a Lakeview. The location is beautiful, surrounded by nature, and the staff gave us a warm welcome. Our villa was spacious with a lovely view from the balcony, though it lacked balcony furniture to relax. While the property was clean, it felt a bit outdated and worn. When strolling through the property, we had to watch our step due to goose droppings.

The pool area was enjoyable due to the lack of other guests, but housekeeping was disappointing—old towels from the previous day were left until we requested them to be cleared. The restaurant offered good food but had limited vegetarian options and a less relaxed atmosphere.

Activities like boat tours seemed overpriced, so we opted for private bookings. Overall, a mixed experience with room for improvement in maintenance and service.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

11 Jan 2024

Dirk

Great stay and food in Kerala.

I`ve booked 2 extra nights, because I liked it so much. The Staff are Superfriendly and the view from my Hotel was just fantastic . When I arrived, I hade some Issue that I couldn't walk great. The Staff offered me a different rom where i didnt hade to walk steps and I got my own little pool. This was so great. Specaly on the morning when you can enjoy your breakfast from your own Terrace. I will defently comback next time.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

03 May 2019

Ahmed

Excellent

Awesome Resort..من افضل منتجعات كيرلا

Friends