Why would a luxurious Resort & Spa name itself, Niraamaya?! The word means free from sickness or good health to all. I had this doubt initially, but when I look back after almost three weeks, I now know the reason. That even today, sitting thousands of kilometers away from Kovalam in entirely different terrain, I can't stop gushing over the beauty of this picturesque property and the vibe that place gave us. It is not exaggerating when I say we are still chiming with the aura of this place. We stayed there for a night, which means reaching there at noon and leaving after 12.00 pm the next day. That was enough! That was enough, to wear us off from our daily dilemma, mental stagnation, and for ultimate rejuvenation. It was so refreshing that I don't know if we get the same feeling again at any other place/resort. Niraamaya has upped the ante by redefining luxury. The stay was inclusive of all three meals. Lunch on the day of arrival, dinner, and the next day's breakfast.
We, two adults and two kids, went to celebrate the birthday of the man of the house. A solid reason to celebrate. Especially when the man is back after a year to his homeland for a month's leave. We had been planning on different places in Kerala including the main hotspots like Kumarakom, Thekkady, etc. Call it the call of the ocean for the husband boy who loves the ocean, we landed up at Niraamaaya at Kovalam with not much of proper pre-planning or prep.
What attracted us the most :-
Tucked away amid lush vegetation and coconut grooves, this oceanfront place is alluring in every way. The property has 33acres with 33 independent cottages, almost all of them overlooking the vast and shallow turquoise, Arabian Sea. Imagine waking up to the soothing sound of waves. After getting the formalities done at the reception we were directed to our cottage, Pandanus, a beautiful dwelling with antique wooden doors, windows, and roofs showcasing the typical ancestral houses in Kerala (which are a rare sight these days.) The state -of - the art Niraamaya cottages stole our hearts. We spent some time enjoying all that detailing of the cottage we stayed in, which reminds us so much of the tharavadu houses of our families.
We were welcomed with tender coconut water. There are no surprises there, you get it everywhere in Kerala. But, imagine getting it right from the coconut tree. Yes, you can see the man climbing up the coconut tree in a jiffy, coming down with your treat right in front of your cottage while you relax listening to the rhythmic waves of the sea. Is there any better way of having a refreshing organic drink?
You can take a walk around the property with your camera, or just sit and stare at the ocean in the armchair at your balcony, or take a nap on the hammock, or go to their restaurant for that sumptuous meal with the view or just talk to the friendly staff for inputs about the places around and the activities they provide or take a shower in the 'open to nature' bathroom (alfresco shower) of your cottage. Plenty of things to do, if you don't find yourself at the private beach chasing waves. We did it all. We photographed every moment because we needed to carry back all those beautiful memories. The stellar cottages are an attraction in itself.
You don't want to leave the room, but, if you don't leave, you will miss out on the beautiful things outside. That FOMO feeling, ever experienced?
Niraamaya is a blend of all.
You are so close to nature, but you are also enjoying the luxury of a good spa, fine dining, and one-of-a-kind ambiance. Greeting the day with Yoga in the morning, in the openness, facing the sea is what we were missing in life. After the stretching and bending, your body and mind are all ready to indulge in the exotic breakfast they offer. I am still drooling over the tender coconut ice cream( and everything else that was on the menu).
The sunset time spent at the private beach was the major highlight of our stay there. One of the best moments of our lives. Sunsets at any beach side are marvelous, but here we witnessed a prime one with all the privacy and calmness that we craved.
The infinity pool at this property attracted my boys the most. To develop an appetite they jumped. And, I developed my appetite trying to get them out of it.
The Starry Nights:
The stars were not in the sky, it was all on the sea. The fishing boats could be seen from our room, an unmatched sight of a night. The lit-up boats were out in the deep sea fishing, giving you an image of a sky full of stars in a row. Did we even look at the sky that day, I don't remember.
Reaching there.
By rail: Kovalam is connected to the Trivandrum central station, from where it will take around 40 minutes to reach the resort.
By air: The nearest international airport is in Trivandrum. It takes around 40 minutes to reach the resort from the airport.
How we reached : We drove from our home town Alleppey to Kovalam, a beautiful drive of 3 hours. Enroute we crossed Jatayu Earth Center ,another wonderful tourist attraction.
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