Maleyam Homestay — Hotel in Kerala

Our stay at Maleyam was nothing short of heavenly! Just so that I don't get carried away in superlatives, let me narrate our experience chronologically:

Unlike most homestays, we had absolutely no difficulty locating the place. Just look for Maleyam Homestay on Google maps and you will be able to navigate right up to the front yard of the house.

We were welcomed by the warmest hosts - Praveen uncle and Meera aunty - who ushered us in and gave us a brief of the places to visit and things to do in Kadalundi.

In the evening, we went to the Kadalundi Kadavu Bridge, which is only a brisk walk away (1.5 km) from the house, where we enjoyed a stunning sunset. For those who are not inclined to walk, the place is less than 5 minutes away by car.

Once we came back in the evening, we sat by the deck at Maleyam (one of the highlights of the place), which juts onto the Kadalundi river and gives you a panoramic view of the river, the railway bridge, and the surrounding greenery. There is also a hammock near the deck, where you can lie down and take in the gentle night breeze.

This was followed by a sumptuous meal, which was prepared with love, lots of flavours and the finest aromas by Meera aunty. Aunty was gracious enough to curate the menu to our needs and it had all the goodness of homemade food to go along with the finesse of the finest restaurants.

Thereafter, we retired to our room, which is spacious, clean and fitted with all necessary amenities.

In the morning, we woke up to the most amazing sunrise, which could be viewed in all its splendour from the river deck. We were also visited by two unlikely guests: a pair of otters!

Post the sunrise viewing, we went to the boat yard, which too is a stone throw away from the homestay. While the boating experience merits a separate review, it suffices to say that it was a surreal experience, where we could navigate the serene Kadalundi river in the company of numerous birds and lush mangroves. A special hat tip to Krishnettan, who was the most lovely and informed guide.

On return, we were treated to a delicious breakfast, courtesy again Praveen uncle and Meera aunty. The breakfast had a grand array of dishes and is certain to give you an authentic experience of Kerala cuisine.

To sum up, we cannot recommend Maleyam (and Kadalundi) enough. We hope that more and more people discover this hidden gem soon! And we hope to pay another visit in the...

When I booked my stay, I had expected to be in a wonderful place enveloped by beautiful surroundings but when I reached the place and started discovering it I was not just pleased but amazed, this place is so beautiful that pictures don't do justice to it.. pictures only capture the two dimensional beauty but can't capture the heart of the place.. this place is so vibrant with life that one feels like immersing oneself under the showers of the nature all around it.. the river, the waves of ocean going high and low, the lovely lineup of Kerala trademark coconut palm trees, sitting on the deck in the river you just can't shut your eyes when you see mile and miles of trees lined with flying creatures perched on the trees alongside the river. Sudden music of a train passing in the distance alerts you and when you look in the direction you notice blue and red coaches passing over the bridge in a rhythmic tone. Early mornings give you pleasure of watching egrets, cormorants and many other birds fishing together on the riverbed that gets filled up by over 4 feet by the mid morning. The sounds and visuals of kingfishers, Brahmini kites and many others transport you to a magical world.

Besides the stunning beauty and views around, I discovered the most hospitable family that was not expected to be connected over bed and breakfast bookings .. I found that we were united to a family that was lost in the time. There were lots of episode that just take the hospitality beyond words and you the manner in which you are treated with pleasantly shocking ways. Without talking of the food the vacation would be incomplete.. the lady of the house is wonderful with her magical hands in the kitchen.. everyday we were treated with different local delicacies that were finger licking good.

Now that I am back, I simply miss the place and family and looking forward to my...

We started from Karwar and were heading to Munnar and it was 7pm and we were driving since morning and wanted a place to spend a night. We also had our pet dog with us. So it was not easy to find a petfriendly stay on the way at the last moment. But we googled for nearby locations and came across this place. I called Mr Praveen and he agreed, with a condition that if we are ok to check in only after 10pm.We agreed. The google location is quite precise and guided us till the entry gate. The only issue was the rood to reach Maleyam is very narrow. Only one car can move along at a given time. The host was very welcoming. We reached around 10pm. Waited for 20min till the room was ready. The room was clean. It was a little congested for us 4 people and a dog. But since we had to just spend the night so was much a concern. The place is very well curated and maintained by the couple. The best part of the stay was the dock along the river and the beautiful...