India

Location: Kerala

Fragrant Nature Resort is ideally suited for those in search of good quality accommodation and friendly attentive service in a scenic backwater setting. This eco-friendly resort is a useful stopover on the way to the main Backwater route at Kollam. With stunning backwaters and beaches on the doorstep it also makes a relaxing destination in itself with good access to Trivandrum airport.

Accommodation

Fragrant Nature is a Responsible Tourism resort designed to focus attention on the natural beauty of its location, avoid damage to the environment and bring benefits to local communities.

The Resort site is on several levels including cliff top, terrace and waterside areas. The resort has five lakeside rooms and five villas built out from the terrace. All bedrooms have excellent views of the lake.

Eco Policies

Eco-Design - The Resort has been designed to blend well into the landscape and with energy-efficiency in mind. The accommodation is built using natural materials and traditional Keralean styling. Lakeside Rooms are constructed of local Laterite stone, while the Villas are of mud brick and mud plaster, with all roofs being made of thatch and wood to provide good insulation. The Villas are positioned above the lake where breezes give a natural cooling effect. Multiple doors, both lakeside and landside, permit cross-draughts for daytime cooling. The interiors of all accommodation are modern and comfortable with high quality fitments and furnishings.

Energy – Low-energy CFL lamps have been used widely throughout the resort to reduce energy consumption and hot water in the Villas and Restaurant is supplied from solar panels. Air-conditioning is available as an optional extra in the Lakeside Rooms and the Resort is offsetting the carbon emissions associated with this activity with Climate Care.

Conservation – The Resort features both cultivated and wild areas. The formal gardens are heavily planted with bamboo, palms and many species of botanical interest. The Resort waterside includes marshy land with several small ponds and a wooded area which attract a wide variety of birds and small animals. These areas are conserved as “wildlife garden” and are accessed by simple cut-grass walkways. Indigenous mangrove and margin plants have been encouraged to grow along the banks of the lake to reduce land erosion and provide a natural haven for fish.

Ecological sustainability - All water at the Resort comes from surface wells rather than bore wells to lessen the impact on the local community. Water consumption on the Resort is reduced by substituting Shower Rooms for Bath Rooms in the accommodation. The WCs are also dual-flush for water economy. Filtered and purified drinking water is readily available to guests to discourage the consumption of packaged drinking water.

The resort reduces waste production by regularly purchasing small quantities of fresh produce, avoiding pre-packaged items where possible and taking food orders in advance to prepare food only as required. The resort avoids the use of plastics where reasonably practicable and segregates waste for appropriate handling by different routes. Office waste paper is reused as scrap paper. Plastic bottles and containers are taken by staff as required for domestic re-use. Glass soft drinks bottles are returned for refilling while other glass bottles are sold for re-use where possible. Cardboard, newspapers and scrap metal are recycled. Raw vegetable waste and garden waste are composted. Coconut husks, shells and fronds are taken by staff as firewood for cooking at home.

Community - Wherever possible the staff are recruited from the villages and towns nearest the Resort and as far as possible, goods and services are purchased locally so that the local community benefits economically. Fresh produce and bulk provisions are purchased from the local area and Paravur, the nearest market town. The resort and its activities are run with respect for local culture and due regard to local custom and sensitivities. In line with this policy, the resort makes available a Travellers Code to its guests and organises trips into the community on a small scale using local guides.

Facilities

- Reception with guide books, information and travel desk
- Sattva Restaurant, serving Keralean vegetarian, fish and chicken dishes 7.00am – 10.30pm
- Room Service during restaurant opening hours
- Prana Ayurveda Centre offering a range of massage and health promoting treatments
- Swimming Pool 8.00am - 6.00pm
- Covered Performance Area for dance and cultural shows
- Airport pickup and car service available
- Car parking area
- Punt boat for trips from the jetty
- Bicycle hire
- Credit card payment facility
- Guest laundry service
- Doctor on call
- 24-hour security

Things To See And Do

Fragrant Nature is in a location of natural beauty and tranquillity – an ideal place to promote health and wellbeing. The Resort has a swimming pool, bicycles for hire and offers a range of Ayurveda massage treatments to enhance your relaxation, help you unwind and restore inner calm. The Resort has direct access to Mala Lake and the River Ithikkara for punt boating, fishing and bird watching.
The Resort also arranges local activities such as demonstrations of village cookery, visits to local small-scale industries, elephant riding, Kathakali and cultural shows. The nearest market town for local shopping is at Paravur (5km). The resort is within easy reach of the scenic coastline at Kappil (8km) and the golden sandy beaches of Varkala for bathing and eating out (16km). The resort is also well-placed as a base for trips further afield, being only 5km from the highway and 20km from Kollam boat jetty to join the main backwater route to Alleppey.

Room Description

The five Luxury Lakeside Rooms have a double or twin bedroom, sleeping a maximum of two people, in a lakeside accommodation block with tiled sit-out and shower room with WC and wash basin. The rooms also have cable TV, a fridge and tea and coffee making facilities. A ceiling fan is provided with optional Air-Conditioning available at an additional supplement which includes a payment to Climate Care for carbon offsetting this activity. Please note that bookings that include children are not accepted for the lakeside rooms owing to the close proximity to the lake and ponds.

The five Deluxe Lakeview Villas have a double or twin bedroom, balcony, shower room with WC and wash basin, living room with dining area and a private garden with pond. The rooms also have cable TV, a fridge and tea and coffee making facilities. Ceiling fans are provided – but please note that the Air-Conditioning option is not available in the Villas. Although designed for double occupancy a maximum of one extra adult or two children may be accommodated in the Villa, with extra beds provided in the living room (supplements apply).

Prices & Booking Policies

Currency: Indian Rupee (INR)
Prices and inclusions: Rates for a Luxury Lakeside Room for two range from INR 2,900-3,600 (approx £36-45) per night except over the Christmas and New Year period when rates increase to INR 4,900 (approx £61) per night. Rates for a Deluxe Lakeview Villa for two range from INR 3,800-4,800 (approx £48-60) per night, except over the Christmas and New Year period when rates increase to INR 6,500 (approx £81) per night. All rates quoted include breakfast and 15% luxury tax.
For single occupancy, rates are decreased by INR 500-800 per night in the Luxury Lakeside Rooms and INR 600-1,000 in the Deluxe Lakeview Villas.
Please note that Christmas Eve (24 Dec), Christmas Day (25 Dec) and New Year's Eve (31 Dec) are bookable on a Full-Board basis only and this meal plan is included in the Festivities Supplement of INR 1,000 (approx £12.50) per person per night which applies, covering special lunches, dinners and entertainment programme.
Child prices: Fragrant Nature Resort does not accept bookings that include children for the Lakeside Rooms owing to the close proximity to the lake and ponds. For children aged 0-5 years old sharing a Deluxe Lakeview Villa with an adult there is no additional charge. A child rate of 50% of the extra adult supplement rate applies for children aged 6-11.
Please note that Fragrant Nature is a lakeside resort with wildlife gardens, ponds and a swimming pool - for safety reasons children must be closely supervised by a responsible adult at all times while on the resort. This is a condition of acceptance of bookings that include children.
Extra adult prices: A third adult sharing a Deluxe Lakeview Villa pays an additional INR 750-950 (approx £9-12) per night, except over the Christmas and New Year period when the rate increases to INR 1,300 (approx £16) per night.
Special offers: Stay 7 nights or more and receive a 10% discount on your room bill, stay 14 nights or more and receive a 15% discount on your room bill. (Discounts apply to accommodation only and may not be combined with any other discounts or special offers. Air-Conditioning Supplements, Festivities Supplements, Meal Supplements and Special Packages are not subject to discount).
Check-in / Check-out times: Check-in is from 12.00pm and check-out time is up to 10.00am.
Opening dates: Fragrant Nature Resort is open all year round. Bookings are currently being taken until 30th September 2008.
Restrictions: During the Peak Season (21 December – 10 January) a minimum stay period of three consecutive nights applies and Fragrant Nature Resort reserves the right to decline bookings for periods of less than three nights. Please also note that Christmas Eve (24 Dec), Christmas Day (25 Dec) and New Year's Eve (31 Dec) are bookable on a Full-Board basis only and this meal plan is included in the Festivities Supplement of INR 1,000 (approx £12.50) per person per night which applies, covering special lunches, dinners and entertainment programme.
Deposit: A 50% deposit is required to secure your booking. This can be paid by Visa or MasterCard and will be taken from your credit card using the details you provide at time of booking. Your booking will not be fully confirmed until this payment has been received.
Cancellation policy: For cancellations made 30 days or more prior to arrival, a full refund will be given. For cancellations made 29 days – 8 days prior to arrival you will be charged for 25% of the total accommodation cancelled. Cancellations 7 days or less prior to arrival will be charged 50% of the total accommodation cancelled i.e. no refund of deposit will be given.
Payment methods: Payments at Fragrant Nature Resort should be made in cash with Indian Rupees (supported by a Foreign Exchange Encashment Certificate in the case of foreign guests) or via an accepted Credit Card – Visa or MasterCard.

Getting There And Around

Directions from Kovalam and Trivandrum:-
- Join the NH47 at Trivandrum and travel North via Attingal until you reach Chathannoor town (about 54km from Trivandrum).
- At the far end of Chathannoor town centre, at Thirumukka Junction, take the left fork turning onto the road towards Paravur (signposted for Aquaserene Resort).
- Continue on the road towards Paravur and after about 4km you will reach Nedungolam. The resort is about 1km from here.
- At Nedungolam Post Office Junction, signposted for Fragrant Nature, turn right taking the road down towards the River Ithikkara.
- At the first junction where there is a KSEB electricity transformer, also signposted for Fragrant Nature, turn left up the hill through the small village and keep going until you see a lake in the valley to the left.
- A little further on this road you will reach Fragrant Nature Resort entrance on the left.

Once you are at the resort, there are a number of options:-
- A limited number of bicycles are available for hire from the resort.
- The resort has a punt boat available for boat trips on the lake and river from its own jetty.
- The nearest local bus stand is about 1km away at Nedungolam Post Office Junction which may be reached by walking or auto-rickshaw. Bus services run directly to the market town of Paravur and then on to Kappil and Varkala or in the opposite direction to Chathannoor and Kollam City. Bus services to Trivandrum, Alappuzah and Ernakulam run from Chathannoor Town. The nearest train station is 5km away at Paravur where services connect to Trivandrum, Kollam, Alappuzah and Ernakulam.
- For short journeys there are several local auto-rickshaw drivers who may be called from Reception. For more distant journeys, private hire car drivers may be booked from Reception.