Hindustan Beach Retreat

We were a family of 6 traveling all over India all with unique desires and tastes. We just came up from Kanya Kumari and were headed to the backwaters. This was a perfect break in our adventure of temples and spiritual journeys. We were RIGHT on the beach (which is unique, because all of the other hotels are actually up on a cliff). We could swim in the pool or the ocean, enjoy beautiful views, and have good Indian food. THis also happens to be the very spot where a special puja (devotional ceremony) is performed to honor and... more

We stayed at the Hindustan for the last three nights of our beach holiday in Kerala so we could be right on the ocean. Seeing this is an oceanside beach resort which cost us UD$500 for three nights we thought it would be a fully equipped, professionally run resort but this was not the case. We'd just come from the Deshadan in Varkala where we'd spent a week which for 1/2 the price offered a sparklingly clean and inviting pool with enough sunbeds for all the guests. The pool at the Hindustan on the other hand had a brownish green tint... more

Our room was clean, very large (although we never used the adjacent sitting room), and we had a great view of the ocean. However, the Hindustan felt a little sterile (lacking that Indian charm) and it was not in a great location (way at one end of the beach and not up on the cliffs). If we had to do it again we would have stayed in a hotel up on the cliffs that was more centrally located. When we were checking out we were informed that we owed a substantial amount more money even though we had paid in full months before. We had the... more

This was the first hotel of our first holiday to India and was a great place to start. Great position at the south, lower end of Varkala and overlooking the fascinating religious activity on the beach. Very welcoming, attentive staff with relaxing & comfortable room with huge picture windows. We had dreamed of a simple Christmas dinner of Keralan veg curry by the pool and it was delicious. Would love to return.

This hotel at the local beach in Varkala - Papanasam Beach is one of the best experiences in all Kerala. Staff is extremely friendly and helpful, rooms are spacious and very stylish (try to get a room with balcony, if you can afford them). And the local life down at the beach, just under your window, is so interesting! with people starting to come around 03 at night (totally silent), consulting the sadhus at the beach, and throwing their flowers and their fire in the ocean. I don't understand why people gather on top of the cliff, -... more

We booked the superior room with the veranda and all the trimmings for a mere price per night (compared to uk). Everything from the view to the room to the food to the pool was wonderful and it was a fantastic way to end our tour of India. ( I must add that all the other accommodation was not as luxurious). This was the final leg of our independant tour. I would totally reccommend a swimming pool in Jan. Varkala itself has not much to offer except for a string of restaurants along the cliff edge.

Hotel is beautiful and the view from our room and from the balcony at breakfast was exceptional. Bed was very comfortable and facilities all new, clean and modern. The staff were very friendly and helpful, but be careful about their advice. We missed an important train as the times they quoted were wrong. And, I asked them to recommend a quality place for an Ayurvedic massage and the place they sent me to was filthy, dark and full of mosquitoes - not at all to the standards of a four star hotel. Also, the pool is lovely, but... more