Spice Village Thekkady - a CGH Earth Experience

This entire stay was magical!!! We stayed here one night but our overall experience has been so beautiful it's difficult to express in words. From the moment we were welcomed to the briefing on property and our stay.. the rooms were out of the world. Every corner of this property was so beautiful. There were indoor games too and Francis one of the staff member there played with us. His effervescent smile and charm simply won our hearts. Each staff was smiling and so helpful. Food was a bit expensive and menu limited for lunch and dinner. But that did not bother us a bit. Breakfast was simply amazing! Every so healthy and all organic! We would surely visit again! This is close to both Elephant junction and Periyar reserve which is barely a walking distance. Therefore great for sightseeing as well.

One of my favourite hotels in India. This place was beautiful and calming. Felt earthy. No TV in the room. Everything is aimed as sustainable. Food was really good. There was a pool, but we didn’t use it, Staff were friendly. Would have liked to stay longer here.

Pros: * the bar is very smart. * comfortable rooms. * well positioned to visit the likes of the Mullaperiyar Reservoir and Kalaripayattu show. * it’s well worth taking a stroll down the nearby high street. * the restaurants are reasonable though we have had better food and service elsewhere on our tour round Kerala. Cons: * no air conditioning. You can live with the fan in the room but only just. * we asked reception to arrange a trip to be close to local elephants. Despite being reminded twice, they didn’t book us any transport and we were told to buy our own tickets when we got there. Downright disgraces: * we have been on several ethical nature/animal tours over the years, including in Kerala and expected similar given the reputation that CGH Earth are trying to cultivate. However, this hotel directing us to Kalpavanam Elephant Park to witness how the animals are treated there is about as close to the opposite of responsible travel experiences that you can have. I’ve knocked one star off this review based solely on their association with this park.

Thekkady, is a lush plantation town and is the perfect getaway if you are looking for dense evergreen forest & grasslands, and *CGH Spice Village* fits right in. The property garners appreciation for its immaculate landscaping and beautifully curated rooms, set amidst nature. It boasts home to a large variety of trees, herbs, spices and fresh organic garden. And for all the bird watchers/ bird lovers, it ll be a treat to our eyes and ears to wake upto the birds chirping. A walk around the property calms your whole system. Added on, they have an amazing pool, recreation room, adventure club to keep us completely engaged during our stay. Spice Village also has 2 restaurants that offer Excellent food and a great ambiance with live music and traditional dance performance. The food is a broad curated spread, much to anyone’s liking! The staff were extremely friendly and attended to all our needs. We would like to express our gratitude to *Ms. Devika (Regional head) & Mr. Dinesh (sales head)* for making our stay a truly memorable one & to have suggested us this spectacular property. Also, Special mention abt *Mr. Deepu Sasi, GM*,who made us feel ourselves in his naturalist journey & loving hospitality by his team and *Ms. Alka*, who inspired not just our children but the whole bunch of kids staying at that time.. She kindled a sense of interest towards the insects, birds, animals and our Mother Nature.