Shoranur Hotels

The River Retreat: "Healthy Breaks for Your Body and Soul"

A former summer retreat of one or another of the Kochi maharajas. This resort is on the Bharathapuzha river, but the only access is a steep and mostly unused staircase leading to the water’s edge via mud and reeds. The river is to look at, and there are some lovely places to do that from the lawn, some of the better rooms, and from the pool and recreation area. (The river here is fast and dangerous, though up the street or across the bridge there’s access to a relatively calmer area.)

Onsite services include an Ayurvedic massage center (some co-workers who had a massage looked better for it), a gym, playgrounds for the kids, “cultural programs on request,” a restaurant and bar, and a swimming pool. From the brochure there appear to be some other services, but I can’t figure out what they mean.

Our group was 300 people and they didn’t have the space and were in other ways not prepared for so many, but they rose to the task with aplomb. Four of the five (mass) meals were good or very good. Staff was overwhelmed but went out of their way to accommodate requests, even though many among our numbers were not polite. The bar and gym had to be converted to sleeping spaces, and the guys took over the pool and recreation areas, so I didn’t get to try any of those facilities. They all looked nice through the doors/gates, though.

• Opinion of Price: more expensive than average
• Address: Palace Road, Cheruthuruthy, Thrissur District
• Phone: 91 4884 262244
• Website: http://www.riverretreat.in/
• Related to: Spa and Resort
• Written July 6, 2006

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