Description
” ‘Stay on the Lake’ ” ‘Backwater life in a Kettuvallam.’
We took these old boats, called Kettuvalloms, and went to work on them as would a craftsman. With some imaginative tweaks to these vessels, we converted them into stately floating homes to cruise the placid waters of the vast and captivating Vembanad lake. Made from natural materials, these spice boats are powered with solar energy and vegetable oils to reduce their impact upon the lake. The crew of these boats are simple fisherfolk, men who know these waters from their early years. However, they do more than just pilot these behemoths, alternating between navigating the waterways, preparing meals for the guests onboard and generally keeping things ‘shipshape’. Their smiling faces speak of a culture that is famed for its accommodating and amiable ways. This is indeed spontaneous hospitality, or what we term ‘hospitality from the heart’, a common CGH Earth feature.
Hotel Facilities & Services
- Ranked No.2 in the ‘Best City Hotels in Asia’ survey by the Travel + Leisure USA Magazine
- All day dinning restaurant
- Indian specialty and multi-cuisine restaurants
- Temperature controlled swimming pool
- Couple spa suites
- 20 minutes drive from International airport
- Rooms for specially abled guests
- 24 Hours room service
- Yoga & Meditation
- Spa offering traditional Ayurvedic therapies
Know More About The Leela Palace Hotel New Delhi :
Our houseboats, adapted from the old Kettuvallams, are floating hotels designed to take care of your every need. An experience that is both indulgent and memorable.
Our bedroom cabins, in particular, are comfortable spaces to relax or rest deeply. They provide both privacy and protection from insects and the elements while keeping you intimately connected to nature around. Your sleep will be gilded with the rhythmic cries of cicadas on the shore and the gentle lapping of water against the sides of your floating bedroom as it weighs anchor at night at the lake’s centre, awaiting dawn.
Single And Twin Cabins
Our bedroom cabins, in particular, are comfortable spaces to relax or rest deeply. They provide both privacy and protection from insects and the elements while keeping you intimately connected to nature around. Your sleep will be gilded with the rhythmic cries of cicadas on the shore and the gentle lapping of water against the sides of your floating bedroom as it weighs anchor at night at the lake’s centre, awaiting dawn.
The menu on our cruise boats is sparse but distinctive. Your meals are prepared by the boatmen in local manner. This means food with lots of fresh flavours and a minimum of frills, cooked with tangy spices and plenty of coconut. Needless to say, fish is the mainstay of this menu. Sometimes caught fresh from the lake, it is marinated in red chilies, ginger and lime, before being grilled. Accompaniments can include lentils and gourd cooked with fresh pepper and mustard seeds, served with greens handpicked from the little markets that dot the canals on the cruise and steaming bowls of rice.
Food on the Boat
Sometimes caught fresh from the lake, it is marinated in red chilies, ginger and lime, before being grilled. Accompaniments can include lentils and gourd cooked with fresh pepper and mustard seeds, served with greens handpicked from the little markets that dot the canals on the cruise and steaming bowls of rice.
Special moments are best lived at this iconic modern Cruise ” Spice Coast” in India. Hotel has various options to make your special occasion , a memorable one.
Intimate canal cruises
The Vembanad lake (kayal) on which this cruise happens is at the heart of the famed backwaters of Kerala. It is home to nearly 2 million people who are closely dependent on the lake for their livelihoods. The vast lake branches off into numerous little canals that form a network of waterways connecting the interior regions with the rest of the lake and the mainland. The ubiquity of these canals have spawned a lifestyle that is unique to this region with its own distinct face and character. You will get rich glimpses of it as you cruise close to homesteads and activities that form the everyday buzz and pulse of the people who live upon the shores of these canals. Our tailored stops at certain points along the cruise will give you a unique chance to meet and mingle with these lake residents
Meet the people of the lake
The Vembanad is home to a great number of people who have congregated here over time and many generations, giving birth to a unique culture and set of traditions that is distinct to these parts. Many of these derive their sustenance from the lake through a variety of activities that include fishing, agriculture, boat building, coir rope production, handicrafts and tourism. The cruise will let you meet and interact closely with local people. You can see fishermen and shell harvesters at work, paddy being sowed or harvested and exchange words with native toddy tappers as they clamber up and down coconut trees as they have been doing for centuries. On a lucky day you could be invited to sample a few glasses of freshly tapped toddy – quite something to look forward to!
Enriching village visits
The villages upon the lake vary in their density and styles. But they are all united by one common element – charm! They are a reflection of the mores, occupations and social standing of various groups who have chosen to make their homes in and around this vast and wondrous lake. It can be a revealing experience to spend some time on your holiday exploring these villages and the ways of life they represent. You can choose to walk, cycle or cruise to any of these villages. We have a visit itinerary that is immersive and inspiring.
