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Located near the town of Neeleshwar in northern Kerala, Neeleshwar Hermitage is a peaceful retreat, set in nearly 12 acres of naturally landscaped grounds. This eco-friendly resort was built by local craftsmen and opened in autumn 2008. It’s situated on a quiet beach, and there is a lovely, large pool.

There are just 18 rooms, all of which are beautifully finished in a traditional style, with contemporary touches. There are three room types: garden view cottages, sea view cottages and one sea view cottage with private plunge pool. With polished, teak floors and many handmade furnishings, the spacious rooms have a feeling of elegance. Bathrooms have rain showers rather than baths, and these are open to the skies, while the rest is under cover. Cuisine is a choice of local and international dishes, and predominantly vegetarian (no red meat is served), though a variety of seafood is also available.

The philosophy at the Hermitage has been to intrinsically be a part of the local community, and part of the local and wider environment. To remain sustainable, 95% of their staff are local people. They buy fish and vegetables from nearby local markets to the extent that even flowers used for various decorations are either from their gardens or from the local market. To keep the beach free of litter they have volunteered to offer two staff members to the local tourist authority that look after the beach. Nowadays everyone is belatedly becoming aware of the curse of plastic litter, but twelve years ago, they took the bold decision to go 100% no-plastic.

Should you tire of relaxing, you may like to have a spa treatment or explore the local area. Long-stay spa packages, yoga and Ayurvedic courses are also available. Please ask your specialist for details if you’re interested.

OUR RATING: First Class