Things to Do in Cardamom Hills

We wouldn't dream of coming to Kerala without spending a night here: About 90 minutes from Periyar's entrance, with stupendous views of the reserve's forested hills from its elevated position on an old spice plantation, this is as peaceful as it gets. Equally uplifting is the cuisine………

16 Top Spots for Food and Wine Lovers

Breakfast is served on a lovely terrace, and even if you're not a regular coffee drinker, the smell of fresh-brewed coffee -- organically grown right here -- can be intoxicating….. And the meals are unbelievably delicious, superb examples of refined Keralan cuisine, which some say is the best in south India: crispy-thin dosa pancakes, abundant seafood, the pervasive richness of coconut milk, and deeply spiced stews and curries. Seeing where the spices grow and then tasting them in your dinner is its own sort of farm-to-table experience, of the most exotic and luxurious variety. If you're intrigued by this extraordinary combination of flavors, you can arrange a cooking class with the chef, who will teach you how to re-create any dish on the menu. It's one way to take home a little piece of paradise.

Set on terraces carved into the precipitous Cardamom Hills

Set on terraces carved into the precipitous Cardamom Hills and reached by a private track, this nature resort is a haven of peace, where city souls and tourists come to rest their overheated brains and bodies. Now there are 9 cottages, dotted amid organic Robusta coffee plants and banana palms and connected by a network of stone pathways and steps. The round dining room is open to the elements, with a panorama across the valley; the wonderful swimming pool..... shares the same plunging views.

Breakfast at Paradisa Plantation Retreat is a royal affair

The perfect place for moments when you feel like getting away from it all - located in the middle of nowhere.... the place is surrounded by a mountainous landscape to die for. All cottages - authentic Keralan wood buildings - are strategically placed to offer a fabulous view and create an illusion of solitude.... Breakfast at Paradisa Plantation Retreat is a royal affair - the table is literally groaning with abundance of fruit - but dinner is an elaborate ritual...

Special Places to Stay

Cicadas and calling birds, peace and tranquility in the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary – and at this remote village guest house on the point of a tree-rich valley...

The Independent, February 2007

``Paradisa, in the Idukki district of Kerala, is a stylish retreat set on an organic plantation where guests can book in for Ayurvedic treatments and yoga classes as well as tour the coffee and spice crops.``

Tatler Travel Guide 2004-101 Best Hotels in the World

``Kerala has lifestyle karma. This is the India where the done-Rajasthan crowd wants to be, as do the yoga girlies and those seeking AAA: ayurveda, astrology and acupuncture. How cool is this: a divine retreat on organic coffee and spice plantation, lit by antique lanterns? Paradisa's cottages have been designed as traditional Keralan wooden houses, with swanky columns and a tree house constructed by local tribal people using age- old jungle techniques. For ayurveda freaks, the Sahyadri Ayurvedic Hospital is four miles away. Serious stuff. Swamy Jagadeeswaranada rocks up as a yoga master - just saying his name is a verbal asana. The swimming- pool is in the shape of a giant foot-print; you can also trek to a beautiful lake in the jungle, paraglide or visit the Periyar tiger reserve.``

British Airways' High Life 2004-52 Best Hideaways

``High in the hills south-east of Cochin lies this organic coffee and spice plantation dotted with wooden cottage suites in classic old Kerala style. Where the Maharajas of Travancore used to cool their addled brains, so latter-day lowlanders go to rejuvenate, practising yoga on an outdoor platform, breathing in the pure air and wraparound views.``