More about The Leela Kempinski Kovalam Beach
The best resort in Kovalam
by Justin_goa about The Leela Kovalam
15 kms from Trivandrum (Thiruvanathapuram) Airport, Kerala's largest resort with 194 guest rooms and suites is spread over 44 acres. The Leela Kovalam Beach, Kerala built on a rock-face, is cradled between two wide sweeping beaches and has a panoramic view of the famous Kovalam coastline. This 5 star deluxe resort, with an array of superlative restaurants and lounges, also specializes in traditional Ayurveda treatment. All Beach-View guestrooms have private sundecks. Two stunning infinity pools overlook the Arabian Sea. The Sea-View Wing houses The Club at The Leela and is perched on a cliff overlooking the sea.
Stay in this hotel will be a great experience..... Awards this hotel group earned;
World travel Award - 2000,2001 & 2002 The Leela, Goa voted as the very best Resort in Asia Pacific.
Winner of National and Regional Tourism Awards From 1994 to 2000 for 6 consecutive years - The Leela Kempinski Mumbai
Global 500 Laureate - 1999 By United Nations Environment Programme
Corporate Environmental Achievement Award 1998 6th World Wilderness Congress
BCCI (Bombay Chambers Civic and industry Award) Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry for improving environment and civic conditions of Bombay
Green Hotelier Award - 1996 International Hotel and Restaurant Association, Paris
Kovalam beach hotel
by MaheshSamtani about THE LEELA KEMPINSKI
The Leela Kempinski was our choice to spend part of the holidays in Gods own country Kerala, in Kovalam. The nearest airport is that of Trivandrum (Thivananthapuram) which is situated just 13 kilometers from this property. We were picked up by a vehicle of this hotel and after a warm welcome, once in the vehicle we were given a music menu, which was the first time that it happened to me. We selected Indian instrumental music (click here to listen -http://www.theleela.com/) which was a good choice to enjoy the magnificent views of the coast combined with the lush greenery of the countryside till our hotel.
The hotel itself is situated inside a huge campus filled with fantastic gardens and nice balconies with breathtaking views to the Arabian Sea and the famous Kovalam coastline and beaches. This 5 star resort is a holidaymaker’s haven designed to the finest international standards. It houses elegant indoor and open air terrace dining with an array of superlative restaurants and lounge. The hotel offers ayurveda massages which are typical and a speciality of Kerala.
The rooms are huge and very comfortable offering the best amenities one could expect. The buffets for all the meals were excellent with a very big variety of local and international cuisine. Service by the staff is second to none and in general a great experience. the location of the hotel. The service by its staff, the food they offer etc.,etc.,
A Stunning Resort
by TripAdvisor Member explorer2007
Having just returned from a 2–week-holiday to the Leela Kovalam we can confirm that this is a truly stunning resort.
The hotel is built on a hillside next to the sea and the view is magnificent.
We stayed in a standard room in the sea view wing and all rooms were nicely made out with Indian décor. It may have been on the small side, but the rooms were cleaned daily and there was no shortage of beautiful cotton towels and complimentary soaps. All rooms have sea view and the balconies are nice and big.
The entrance area is absolutely magnificent with lots of floating flower and candle arrangements.
We loved the indefinite pool area and found it looked much better than the one in the Club Section of the hotel. There was no shortage of sun beds or towels when we were there.
Other people have complained about the slow service in the restaurant. Instead we would like to praise the staff, who were all so polite and helpful. We travel a lot and I have never experienced a quicker or more efficient check in that at the Leela Kovalam.
With regards to the food we ate in the restaurant a couple of nights, which was fine and the prices were reasonable. Most of the time we had dinner at the Light House Beach. Café de la Mer is to be recommended for its excellent Nan Bread. As others have already pointed out the Lobster Pot restaurant next to the Leela Hotel is a beautiful venue, where you can dine under the stars next to the sea. As a guideline restaurants are very cheap in Kovalam.
We would also like to recommend the Divya Ayurveda Centre at the Leela Hotel. People have complained about the expensive prices and we are sure you can find a cheaper treatment in one of the local shops. This is however a stunning Ayurveda Centre with massage and yoga facilities. I did the 90-minutes de-stress/detox treatment with two dedicated girls. This cost me around £30, which I find a very reasonable price at a hotel of this standard. The girls did offer to scrub my back, when I showered after the treatment and I later realised why. The herb/clay used for the treatment turns you completely red and it is very difficult to wash out of your hair and skin.
Finally we would like to point out that the hotel beach is lovely and clean. For convenience you are transported up and down the hill to the hotel in a golf buggy. It is wonderful to see how the beach is an integrated part of life in Kovalam.
For comparison we had a look at the Taj Green Cove, which is beautiful too, but we definitely prefer the Leela as it is much closer to the sea. We will go back for sure.
Lovely Hotel
by TripAdvisor Member JohnandTricia
We had a week at the Leela in January, after a weeks touring. It was by far the best of the hotels we stayed at. The building is very attractive and the service and facilities excellent.
We had seen some mixed reviews previously but frankly could find little to fault it.
We had a large room with large terrace in the main building and it was furnished and equipped to a high standard. Room service was excellent - room checked and tidied twice a day and towels/robes changed at least twice a day - large wetroom shower with constant hot water was a godsend after other hotels.
Choice of infinity pool or private beach. Telephone orders to room service for a bucket of ice was delivered exactly 90secs after the call.
Prices in the hotel are higher than average locally but you have to expect that for the facilities you are getting and still not high by UK standards. In any case, Kovalam is only a 2 min rickshaw ride away and has lots of restauraunts/shops which serve good food, cooked to order, for pennies.
No sign of any building work mentioned in previous reviews.
Restaurant operated both menu and buffet style and the buffet choice/freshness/quality was also well above anything else encountered.
Best hotel in Kovalam
by TripAdvisor Member silverswimmer
Spent 5 nights here as an extension to an excellent Cox & Kings "Spice Lands of Kerela" tour and we were pleased we chose a sea view pavilion room which was 50m from the Tides and the beach. Room was well furnished, with a great tub bath with tempest shower.Good room service and turn down but check for mossies when you return to the room (boys leave the door open when doing turn down). Tides is great for beach lunch and fresh fish dining in the evening and all of the main hotel is very smart and shows the recent investment. Beach loungers/covers are showing wear (and they ran out of towels by 10.30am on 2 days) but management assured us that the beach area is next for investment. Had early check out (5.15am ) for Gulf flight and very impressed that 3 security staff turned up when we walked out of our bungalow - very reassuring. Best hotel at Kovalam - hope to return soon.
Absolutely Perfect
by TripAdvisor Member Lucii
We stayed at this hotel from 14-29 December and we loved every minute. Our beach view deluxe room was a delight with a wonderful terrace and open-air bathroom. I tried hard to find something that was not five star about this place and failed. More wardrobe space would have been a bonus but it was not a real problem. It was so good I tried to book for another two weeks in March but could not get the flights we wanted.
Nice Location
by TripAdvisor Member SharonMansfield
We stayed here for 2 weeks at the end of January. It is a wonderful hotel in a wonderful position. The hotel lobby is large and airy the reception staff are pleasant but a litle slow.
We booked a superior deluxe room, It was huge with a large terrace overlooking the beach. The bed was large and comfortable. The bathroom had a sunken small type of bath with a monsoon shower overhead, it is partially open air.
The restaurants serve very good food but a little pricey, you can eat out cheaply on Lighthouse beach but the food is not as good as the hotel, I guess you get what you pay for. Drinks in the hotel are UK prices over £10 for 2 Mojitos! We had in room dining twice and the food and service was excellent.
Breakfast has a large selection of food buffet style you can have pancakes, waffles omlettes etc cooked fresh and delivered to your table. Some days the service was great other days not so great. They seem to go to peices when busy, its not that they don't have enough staff its just that they all rush around not really achieving much. Everyone without exception was warm and friendly. You can walk to Lighthouse beach or get a Tuk Tuk, the drivers will come back for you at a time specified by you. They again are lovely people and lit costs less than a £1 return to the hotel. The hill from the beach is a killer so we felt well worth it I justified my laziness by stating I was keeping someone in a job!!!!
Lighthouse beach is quite nice, lots of shops and restaurants. Most people ate out and I don't know of anyone getting ill, all food seems to be cooked fresh. The service outside the hotel is again a bit hit and miss, somedays its excellent other days you can wait over 20 minutes just to get your bill at the end of your meal.
We were lucky enough to go to an Elephant festival this was amazing and well recommended. We also got a taxi into Trivandrum its only 30 minutes away don't miss the horse palace and temple well worth a visit.
The hotel is perched on a cliff top with wonderful views, palm trees as far as the eye can see. The beach is nice and clean but we liked to lie by the pool. The pool is beautiful but there is the usual problem of their not being enough sunbeds. I used to go and lie by the pool early before 8ish to get a bed whilst my husband was in the gym then go for breakfast. If you go for breakfast first you won't get a bed, its a shame really but by no means unique to this hotel.
We had a wonderful 2 weeks here and we would return.
I
Loved the Leela
by TripAdvisor Member suzywuzyweasel
Lovely hotel with breathtaking views. Rooms were very spacious and extremely comfortable, well equipped and we lacked for nothing.
Great breakfast selection, and reasonably priced buffet in the evening with superb food.
We had private dining on our balcony for our anniversary and the staff could not have done more to please us - terrific menu, superb service and at a price we could afford.
Haridas the fitness instructor had us doing yoga on the terrace at 7.30 every morning - a first for us but great fun - np gain without pain.
Negatives were - not enough sunbeds at the pool or beach although plenty of beach outside the hotel area. Wine ridiculously priced at £25 a bottle - the most we paid outside was £15 !
Restaurants in the area well worth a visit were - The Lobster Pot, Molly's and our favourite - Fusion.
Lighthouse beach great fun for people watching, shopping and fantastic views from the lighthouse itself.
We would have no hesitation in going back.
Photos
Leela Kempinski Kovalam sea face
Kovalam Beach
Kovalam Beach
Kovalam Beach
Forum Posts
Travel time from Kovalam Bch hotel to TRV airport
by Wheel_Spanner
What is the latest time I can leave the hotel in Kovalam beach area, to catch a domestic flight leaving Trivandrum airport at 12.15 p.m.?
Leaving 10.45 by taxi be ok?
Re: Travel time from Kovalam Bch hotel to TRV airport
by Nahas_s
The drive time will be half an hour. It's better to leave by 10:15. Sometimes traffic may block you somewhere on the way.
nahas
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