Taj Bekal Resort & Spa, Kerala

There is a certain simplistic feel to the place, where you will find yourself reminded of a time when life was slower, closer to nature and brings a distinct old world charm to our usually busy lives. Beach, Backwaters, Beautiful surroundings come together to create a sense of serenity, uniquely leveraging the culture, cuisine, craft and care that Kerala offers. Taj has been always a preferred choice for me for a hotel, given my childhood at Jamshedpur and when we were looking for a year-end break at a beach, Kerala was our first choice this year (as we were at Goa last year). Taj Bekal ticked all boxes for us- easily accessible beach, all range of cuisine that could ensure our kids don’t have a challenge, natural surroundings and the coming home feeling that we get with the Taj. Gently swaying palms, lazy flowing river, variety of birds chirping in the background, a peaking beach inviting you to watch a serene sun setting in the clear skies- and you can be transported to a time where you may forget what day it is. I absolutely liked the idea of a high-tea that the hotel has- brings together all guests to a beautiful evening where they serve tasty local snacks and energise you with tender coconut water or tea/ coffee/ hot chocolate It is a quint-essential Kerala experience- coconut trees in abundance, beautiful backwaters, beckoning beaches and I would not want to miss mentioning the delectable treats that the restaurants offered. The staff is very knowledgeable, well trained, courteous and have the unique touch of the Taj ! Spread over a large area one can just walk around soaking in the surroundings, or use the buggy service the hotel offers to ensure guests do not have a challenge moving around. Children have plenty to enjoy - either in the indoor activity room, or a nice swimming pool overlooking the river I really appreciate the fact that Taj Bekal is using Kettuvallam technique for the building which on one side give a distinctive look to the resort and at the same time keeps the tradition alive and supports the Kettuvallam builders- as the natural materials require regular maintenance. Specific thanks to Yashoda, Shibani and Ankita at the restaurant for taking great care of us at ‘Backwater Cafe’ An issue- which I have not considered for lowering the rating- but would like to point out- the internal telephone in our room went out one of the evenings. I used my mobile to call the front desk and informed them- but no one turned up for at least half an hour. Called the front desk again- as we were not able to place room service order for dinner- the front desk connected to the room service but no one answered. It was getting delayed and hence had to walk up to the front desk to place the order. Now- here is what ideally should have been done: 1) If a guest has raised a complaint the attending staff should ensure it is followed up and closed 2) Take a feedback if there is anything that they can help with immediately

What’s most striking about the Taj Bekal for me was its direct access to a strip of serene backwaters. The lawns and the outdoors are lush and well maintained The service is warm and friendly and the team at the Taj Bekal take great care in ensuring you are having a good time and are well taken care of at all times. The rooms do look a bit dated in my opinion and certain room areas and sections can do with a little more attention to detail & better upkeep. The food could be more refined by using fresh produce as much as possible. The juices and mocktails served used canned juices and I believe the milk and yogurt was all boxed too. We would also like to see the Taj do away with plastic water bottles completely especially at a setting like this. The restaurant by the poolside should’ve also been functional with the hotel fully booked for the Diwali break to provide a fuller experience to all its guests. However, all of this does not dampen your overall stay as experiencing the property itself is a delight and with activities such as kayaking, zip lining, birdwatching, a kids club and add to that a bed swing in the room to laze about in.. there was enough engagement for us and our 2 young kids for a short stay! A special note of thanks to Michael and Jason at the front desk, Chef Cobin & Chef Sahu, and the Team of Amitabh, Advesh and Amir at the Restaurant. We’ve returned with happy memories!

We celebrated our wedding anniversary at Taj Bekal and had a great time though the weather was horrible as it was pouring heavily .The manager and staff took the utmost care to see we and our 2 year old son has a great time.I dont think i want to write a review of 200 characters but tripadvisor is forcing me to do the same hence writing this sentence .