Cranganor History Café & Riverside Château — Hotel in Kerala

February 2022 (not a typo): This is a review of our stay really from February 2022.

While searching for beachfront properties in Kochi, this property showed up, although this is a river (Periyar) front property.

My conversation was entirely on whatsapp with Mr. Justin who takes care of the property and also handles reservations & other queries.

First thing, he is a minimalist when it comes to interactions. He is not super friendly, but he does what is expected of him, without a smile. Is that a problem ? Not sure when everything else is okie.

I had some specific requirements as it was a special day for my wife and I wanted to make it memorable, I wanted to have colored LED lights on the trees, color changing halogen lights amongst other things. After a few back & forth this was agreed upon and Justin informed me they could arrange a technician who I could pay directly who would cater to my needs provided I'd supply the lights and accessories. This was done perfectly to my liking.

We checked in by noon as our room was ready, I opted for the room on the ground floor with a tub, the tub is more of a gimmick because filling it up is not really practical with the available geyser. But the tub still is a nice touch and looks good. The room is decent, very neat & clean, amply furnished, olden era style oxide flooring which gives a good touch.

There's a balcony in the room that allows us to venture into the well maintained back garden that offers good views of the water and also has a swing, a few hammocks at the edge of the property.

Breakfast is included in the room rate which was about INR 7,500/- and I understand it has crossed 10k/night now. I'm not sure the room/property/services offered are worth that price tag.

Lunch/dinner is made to order, and I must confess, we had absolutely yummy dinner comprising of ghee rice, paratas, chicken fry and mutton curry. Everything was very nicely done. And for breakfast we had the best ever egg roast with noolappam (string hoppers), something so simple and common, but the egg roast was really special.

For a relaxed night or 2 at max, this place is definitely worth checking out, you wouldn't be disappointed. But there is nothing much to do here, and during the day time it could get abysmally hot.

And yes you can catch the...

Good for the Soul

Arriving at the Craganor History Cafe & Riverside Chateau was like walking into a life-sized landscape painting. Located on the banks of the Periyar River, Nature’s handiwork is unmatchable and unmissable around the Chateau. Postcard sunsets. Serene waters. A sleepy town on the other side of the shore. Fishermen calmly going about their jobs on their canoes. All of the above provide the perfect background score as you day dream or meditate!

My recent trip to this beautiful riverside property with one of closest friends and sister, was what we needed in 2020. You can be rest assured that all the safety protocols are being followed to ensure the safety of not only the guests but also the staff. We stayed in the Red and Green Room with the royal four-poster bed and an open air bathroom (which, I must add was the one from my dreams)!!! Stunning vintage wooden pieces of furniture are a stand out across the property. You can tell that layout and design of the whole Chateau has been planned and executed with care and a lot of love. I was fortunate to meet the the very warm and welcoming owners, Rasmi and Vineeth and their two kids and their feisty golden retriever at the time of the our visit. The food was local cuisine at its best; the fresh-off-the-nets seafood was absolutely delectable. There are enough attractions around to plan day trips, but ours was a Staycation. We went Kayaking, played some carroms and shopped at the in-house store Seamstress, which sells handwoven and sustainable clothes. Our two nights and three days here, were spent laughing till our stomachs hurt and chatting away into the night until our eyes refused to stay open.... I’m definitely going...

So glad that we took a last minute decision to stay here after our flight got rescheduled. This place is absolutely serene and has a charm that I haven't experienced in the other properties.

The riverfront boutique property exudes tranquility and peace. Views of the Periyar river are beautiful and soothing to the soul. I loved waking up in our mustard and teal room to amazing scenery from our balcony and witnessing the lovely sunsets from the river bank. The architecture of the main building which is influenced by Dutch and local design is pleasing to the eyes. Best part of property was the pool, exquisite to say the least. Even the massages (try Abhyagam or foot massage) at their spa were so relaxing.

I tried the local food items (river prawns in Kerala curry with Kerala rice and Beef Varathu Arachu curry with the best appams I have had) and they were simply delicious, loved it and the quantity was very generous. Breakfast is complementary and pretty good too. Everything here is cooked fresh which is evident in its taste. They also cooked meals for our infant which was a big plus point.

Lastly but not the least, the staff..they are so cordial and will go out of their way to make your stay comfortable. Special thanks to Justin for helping us out with all our requests and Amal who was so hospitable. Do ask them about the various day trips they can plan for you, like trip to Kochi, Cherai beach, boat trip etc.

Would love to come back here and if you are looking for a truely peaceful break, with no agenda but to relax then you should definitely give...