Kaiya House

Debra made my trip to Varkala extremely special! Her personalised welcome and attention to detail was incredible. It truly felt like a home away from home - very clean, safe and the staff were super friendly. Debra went out of her way with her hospitality, taking me on walks enriched with chats of fun facts about Kerala as well as pointing me in the right direction for food and activities in the town. I was particularly inspired by Debra’s care for the environment and joined her on a litter picking adventure on the beach! Staying at Kaiya House was definitely a blessing, Thank you Debra and the team.

We really enjoyed staying at Debra’s guesthouse. It’s comfortable, spotlessly clean and Debra and her staff go out of their way to help you in any way they can. The house is on a road about a 15 minute walk from the lovely beach. We had an air conditioned room which was welcome as it was 32 degrees during the day. The bed was comfortable. The roof terrace was a nice place to have breakfast and meet other guests. Debra organised a couple of excursions for us using tuk tuk drivers which were excellent. She clearly loves looking after her guests. Thank you Debra !

Places like Kaiya House are why we like homestays rather than hotels. Our host, Debra, has a huge heart and she and her team really made us feel welcome. She knows her festivals and the hidden places to visit around Varkala. Her home is full of wonderful artefacts collected over many years. We had a lovely time meeting fellow travellers on her amazing rooftop space. Four poster bed was firm, cold shower only (welcomed), air con in our room. Excellent breakfasts too!

There comes a time, especially when traveling through India, that you just feel the need for a "time out," to have a bit of comfort, communication, and caring. After a month traveling through India, I found that place at Kaiya House. From the moment I was greeted with a cold face towel, I started to unwind from being road-weary. ||||Debra is the consummate host, paying the utmost attention to every detail. Her staff is attentive yet not intrusive. And she has fantastic recommendations for tours, massages, restaurants, and even a network of rickshaw drivers who will show up to collect you at the end of a long hike. ||||The "made to order" breakfasts were some of the best I've had in India. And sitting on the breezy rooftop is a great place to begin or end the day. Just lovely all the way around!

Stayed here for a few nights in the middle of our trip to India. Having travelled from the Himalayas to Varkala we were a bit frazzled and so appreciated Debra's welcome - as soon as we were picked up at the airport she called to check in with us. The house is amazing and Debra is such a warm, interesting and laid back host. Our most memorable experiences in Varkala were curated by her - the boat to a temple, visit to the fish markets and most amazing dinner cooked by one of Debra's friends in the village (the best food we had in India without a doubt). All such authentic experiences. I am only sorry that it's taken me three years (!!) to get on here and write a review. Our time at Kaiya house was so memorable we talk about it often, and dream of coming back one day! Thanks a million Debra!

We had a fabulous time in Varkala staying here with Debra and her team. The rooms are attractively decorated in various themes. They are clean and sealed against mosquitos! There is also a roof area to relax in. Debra is very keen you should see the best of Varkala, so a guided tour of Varkala beach is included. She also organises trips to local festivals, a tour of local sights and meals with a local lady who is an excellent cook. Debra is very caring.

We stayed for two nights at the end of our Indian holiday, which turned into three nights as our final hotel cancelled our booking following coronavirus outbreak. Debra was very happy to help us out during our moment of crisis and let us stay another night. Kaiya house is a lovely relaxing place with a gorgeous roof terrace which is great for sitting in if the sun is too hot for venturing out in. It is clean and the breakfast (we chose the western option with muesli, fruit and yogurt) was exactly what we were craving after 2.5 weeks of curry. Debra is a unique and very attentive host who paid great attention to making sure her guests were happy and safe. Our only issue would be the barking dogs which woke us and we found the bed a little uncomfortable. Would definitely return.

Kaiya is a really easy place to stay. Deb and everyone working there are very happy to help in any way they can. The whole place is clean, virtually bug free and everything works. It’s a flat 10 minute stroll to lovely Varkala Beach and there are shops and juice options on the way. Mercifully, it’s also largely unaffected by the incessant sounding of horns by motorists as they approach intersections and corners. ||Debra is happy to help with tuk tuks and transfers and, to my relief, the people she uses are not crazy drivers. She also told us off a few of the many festivals nearby which were unexpected and good fun.