Windermere River House

Resort hotel · Idukki

Windermere River House

Resort hotel · Idukki

Inchathotty Neriamangalam Road, Inchathotty, Neriamangalam, Kerala 686681, India

Highlights

Luxury homestay with river views, attentive staff, fine dining

Inchathotty Neriamangalam Road, Inchathotty, Neriamangalam, Kerala 686681, India Get directions

windermerethattekad.com

@windermereretreats

@iescape

Windermere River House, River Periyar, Kerala, India - Explore & Book

"In 1989, Kerala gained the nickname 'God’s Own Country', and it is places like Windermere River House and its surrounds that make it incredibly clear why. Located just over an hour from Kochi airport, you take long, winding roads through towering forests which eventually lead to what feels like a secret hideout. This hideout is the second outpost from the family behind famed Windermere Estate in Munnar, but no less special. What's perhaps most striking though is not the grand house and its five, spacious rooms, but the tropical forests, jungle, and flora in which its situated; verdant greens of every shade, in every direction. Days here are peaceful, with meals taken in the riverside restaurant offering tasty, homely and unfussy food, punctuated with either a nature walk nearby, a visit to a bird sanctuary just a little further away, or a short wander from your room via a majestic walkway of shading banana leaves to the pool and back. It’s wilderness and nature in comfy surrounds. This is an essential stop for anyone looking for a serene break on the long road to Munnar, or in search of somewhere different for a few days languishing beside a beautiful pool. Highs The scenery is stunning; with just the river in front of you and sweeping hills in the distance behind, ensconced in jungle and forests. There's little like it in the area The pool is divine; you can easily (and we did) spend hours there The staff are wonderful; attentive to every need with only five rooms to cater to, and very flexible depending on your interests The food was delicious: unfussy and full of flavour Lows There’s no bar on site, but you’re more than welcome to bring your own alcohol There are a tricky set of steps and a long, uneven pathway between the buildings and pool; challenging for those with mobility issues Although comfortable, the property isn’t lavish; we found luxury in the surroundings and serenity, rather than in its fixtures and fittings You’re well and truly in nature, so expect bugs and insects" - Donal Anand Shaw

https://www.i-escape.com/windermere-river-house

View Postcard for Windermere River House

WBird66

Google

We were the only guests for the 2 days we stayed during March so we had excellent personalized service. The grounds are stunning and the room was very pretty and comfortable with a nice veranda for sitting outside. A highlight was the incredibly charming staff naturalist, Jyothis. Her knowledge of birds and other creatures was outstanding. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay.

patrickm123

Google

This is a very pleasant stopover between the coast and, say, Munnar and is probably the best base from which to visit the Thattekad Bird Sanctuary. It is also a very nice place to unwind for a day or two. The rooms are spacious and airy feeling, quite plain in their décor but very well air-conditioned with good beds. There are only four of them, all with good views of the well kept gardens. The pool is a good size and, with a maximum of 8 guests, not oversubscribed. The food (all meals included in the rates) is a no choice multi-dish menu at lunch and dinner, with authentically local “home style” dishes. Service is willing but not always polished. We plan to return.||We left the booking of a guide for the sanctuary (through the hotel) rather late and consequently ended up with one who was thoroughly unsatisfactory, so best to plan well ahead!

Namita Thomas

Google

No words to share the amazing experience we had at this place. It's simplicity at it's finest. No fancy frills, but commercialism is not the aim of this property. Hospitality that leaves you feeling like royalty. The staff love their work and this is reflected in their everyday tasks. The owners are very friendly and make it a point to spend time with you, to get to know you better, so that they can provide you with the best service possible. After a conversation about coffee, they even changed the way they made our coffee to suit it more to our taste. The property has 5 rooms and service is tailored to each of the residents. Meal times were all suited to our convenience and we had the best possible home cooked food. Thank you very much for a very memorable stay.

iant462

Google

We stayed two nights in one of the very large rooms looking over the gardens down to the river. Very comfortable. Separate TV room available but not used as the peace and tranquility of the place shouldn't be spoilt. The temporary manager was very helpful and informative making sure we had everything we needed and trying to ensure we could enjoy all the food they had to offer while keeping the spice to a level we could thoroughly enjoy. The regional food was great but if you just wanted a sandwich or an omelette it was no bother. Try the Drumstick soup. Amazing.|We spent some special time on a walk, early evening and later talking to Jyothis, the naturalist. A very lovely bright young lady . Very knowledgable and talented. In her spare time she paints and even plays a Ukulele. She made the stay memorable and special.|Excellent pool by the river with loads of birds and flowers to watch out for. Make sure you go on the guided walk down to the suspension bridge. Thank you everyone at The Windermere River House, Neriamangalam.

Excursion09581891423

Google

We had 3 nights in this beautiful place in total peace, swimming in the pool, eating delicious food and relaxing. The highlight was walking with Jyothis, the naturalist, who works at the hotel, and her incredible knowledge of birds, insects, frogs, plants and her passion for nature. We were lucky to see a wild elephant one morning drinking at a local pool. There are only 5 rooms at this hotel and a lovely library, so lots of space and it feels quite magical beside the river.

Karen Wee

Google

A gem of a property, tucked away amongst lush greenery by the banks of the Periyar River tributary. My stay at the Windemere River House was a balm for the soul battered by urban living! And the soul was also fed very well by the caring staff who ensured my comfort and enjoyment of the property. The dining terrace, where every meal was “omakase” and excellent to say the least, located by the river bank made heading for meals even more enjoyable with the walk traversing the gorgeous tiered garden. For a novice birder, it was an absolute treat to see the multitude and variety of birdlife in the garden right from the veranda of my room. While there, I had the honour and pleasure to meet Dr Simon, the founder of Windemere properties, and several members of his family. The lively conversations with them on subjects varied capped a truly remarkable stay at Windemere River House.

Eridere

Google

This is a very nice 1/2 board inn about an hour from Kochi.||The property setting is beautiful and sits on a river. The rooms are large and clean with good bathroom and shower.|| The dining area is separated from the inn by a wonderful walkway through a garden. The food is well prepared and uses local ingredients for preparation. Some are grown on site. We enjoyed both of our meals. Juices are made fresh. ||Pool area is very nice and comes with full bathrooms and changing areas. There are loungers around the pool trees for shade if needed.||Service was excellent.||Mr. Simon (owner) and Mr. Bino take good care of their guests and interact with guests very favorably.|Windermere knew we had a 5:30am departure and delivered breakfast to our room at 5:00am. ||Birdwatching was excellent with the in-house guide Jo. Please be sure to ask her for a list of the birds you see on the 1.25 hour walk near the inn. The list and the penmanship by Jo is worth framing.||I would not hesitate to stay here or their sister facility in Munnar again.||Mr. Simon and Mr. Bino are very particular and it shows at Windermere. Don’t miss the opportunity!!||I

mazrainbow

Google

After the hustle bustle of Kochi the river house was the perfect antidote. Set in beautiful gardens on a peaceful riverside setting. We were serenaded by melodious bird song from dawn to dusk.|Our downstairs room was spacious and clean with the most comfortable huge bed suiting my partners mobility needs well. Our only reservation was the distance from our room to the pool and dining room due to my partners disability. However, staff went over and above to deliver delicious meals to our room - special thanks to Simon, Bino and naturalist Joytis for making our stay so memorable.