Punnamada Resort

Location

The food needs to be improved. Breakfast menu never changes

Absolutely beautiful location and super friendly smiling staff. The pool was almost always quiet with just a few families with kids at the weekend. Restaurant food was delicious and the buffet breakfast was superb. We loved the sunset boat with snacks organised by Hotel, and one evening we also arranged for a sunset boat from town to drop us off at the property. The garden view room very spacious, although it was a shame our room didn’t have a fridge.

Access to the resort was down a very bumpy tiny road, but of course this did make it more secluded and quiet.

The property itself is undeniably beautiful and serene, with well-maintained grounds that create a peaceful atmosphere. Our room was spacious, clean, and truly impressive, adding a lot of comfort to our stay. The staff was helpful and responsive. When we faced WiFi issues, they immediately arranged a personal WiFi device for us, which was a thoughtful touch. Overall, the resort gives a premium first impression, and we noticed that many locals were genuinely impressed when we mentioned we were staying at Punnamada.

Despite the hype around the resort, the overall experience didn’t fully match our expectations. Almost all activities inside and around the property shut down by 5–6 pm, which left the evenings feeling quite limited. Several activities mentioned, such as cycling and canoeing, were also not available during our stay. The food was good, and although the description of the resort mentions that Choola Restaurant serves local specialities and a good selection of international wines, there was no liquor available at the resort at all, which felt quite misleading. We were especially hoping for more authentic Kerala seafood instead of a menu that tries to cover too many global cuisines. Additionally, even though the resort seemed largely empty, we were allocated a room at the far end of the property, and the pathway lights in that section were often left switched off, making it inconvenient to return to the room after dark.

The staff were amazing. So friendly and welcoming. The backwater tour as part of the stay was great. The gardens and pool were kept well. Food was good.

I wouldn't consider this accommodation as a resort. No alcohol at the resort even though it was advertised on the website. So forget cocktails by the pool or a glass of wine with your meal. Everything was tired and worn. The resort needs a refresh with paint and to replace all the old broken things. The pool chairs were split, the tennis court nets - destroyed. The towels were old. The bathrobes were brown with stains and had obviously shrunk in the wash and unwearable. Bedsheets were yellow/brown. The room was not serviced. You were not provided with bottled water, you had to trust the water in the container was filtered, that can be scary in India.