Raheem Residency

Raheem Residency is the first Heritage Hotel (1868) at the undeveloped beach of Alleppey and just 10 minutes from where your houseboat docks. You'll have to look hard to find any other tourists in this area!

A colonial building of almost certain British origin, it was the documented family home of the Raheem family for 100 years until it was bought by a small Indo-Irish company in 2003 and lovingly refurbished in a rich, classical, Indian style. This is not the finished product of a big hotel chain. This is the end result of a labour of unstinting dedication to the heritage of Kerala by its Irish and Indian owner/managers.

Ten en-suite A/C bedrooms - all of them different - some with four-poster beds, (including Mr Raheem's father's wedding bed from the 1930's with carved love hearts), a large, airy Main Hall with the original vaulted ceiling, windows with coloured fan lights and carved shutters, antique furniture from Kerala's past including an ornate bookcase with a careful selection of books made by one of the writer-owners. There's also a two-roomed Family Suite with adjoining doors but independent bathrooms in a separate courtyard.

This little jewel has a feeing of timelessness. Raj for the 21st century! Add to that rich history a swimming pool imported from France, a rooftop restaurant looking out to the Arabian Sea, traditional Kerala food combined with contemporary light Continental lunches, Ayurveda & Yoga.

And the backdrop of the REAL India in Alleppey town. No aggressive hawkers here. Charming and quaint with criss-crossing canals built by the British bringing the backwaters into the heart of the town.

And by the way, Mr Raheem, who moved to Cochin, an hour's drive up the road, still comes to visit.