GK's Riverview Homestay

Welcome to GK's Riverview Homestay

GK's Riverview Homestay is your home away from home: the perfect place for a pleasant and peaceful stay if you are visiting Kottayam/Kumarakom or Alappuzha (Alleppey). The homestay concept is offered at a very attractive rate to domestic and international tourists of all ages, in a clean, eco friendly and tranquil environment. We offer mosquito free rooms and traditional Kerala food prepared with farm fresh vegetables and fruits.

We, George and Dai, have been hosting guests at GK's Riverview Homestay since 1996. The homestay was the first in Kumarakom, and is situated on the bank of river Meenachil in Aymanam (the birth place of Arundhati Roy, the author of God of Small Things). We are located just 3 kilometres from the huge Vembanad lake and bird sanctuary, 10 kilometres from Kottayam Railway Station and 100 kilometres from Kochi. The village is an unbelievably beautiful paradise of mangrove forests, emerald green paddy (rice) fields and coconut groves interspersed with enchanting waterways and canals adorned with spices and medicinal plants. It is an ideal place to explore Kerala's traditions, real village life, and to stay for a period in a calm and quiet pollution free zone. The village is decorated with ancient Christian churches, Hindu temples, and country and snake boats. These snake boats can carry more than 100 rowers at a time. A boat journey through the back waters will be an unforgettable event.

Our hospitality begins right from when the guest arrives in Kerala. Be it by bus, train or plane, we personally meet our guests and escort them to our hideaway retreat. Once here at our homestay, we ensure the new found friends feel right at home.

Rooms

We offer two types of guest accommodation. First, there are two rooms in the main house, which is shown above. As you can see from the photo below, it is modern, with A/C and access to all amenities. Main hosue room

Our second type of guest accommodation is in a separate cottage of 4 basic, mosquito free air conditioned rooms 30 metres from the main house. The location is private with no visible or audible neighbouring houses, but with the scenic view of the paddy fields that are seen in the photo at the top. In short, our guests can enjoy their privacy and freedom in the guest cottage. All rooms have attached bathrooms with western toilets and a shower with hot and cold water. Each room has its own entrance with veranda equipped with deckchairs, teapoy and table fans. There is also an electric kettle, tea bags, coffee powder, a mini refrigerator and a hair-drier in all rooms. In front of the rooms, there is a natural garden with hammocks and swings. And we have 24 hours uninterrupted wifi all over the property.

Homemade vegetarian, vegan and non-vegetarian food, as per your requirements, is served in the main hall of our house. All the food is freshly made using organic and local produce whenever possible. You may even join us in the kitchen to take part in the preparation of your meals.

GK's Riverview Homestay is an ideal location for relaxation, but our home is conveniently located for backwater cruises in and around Kumarakom and Alappuzha (Alleppey) by house boat, country boat, motor boat or even by very cheap Government ferry. You also have the opportunity to see snake boats (racing boats) and ancient churches and temples. Activities such as canoeing, fishing, bird watching, village tour, farm visits, riding, sight seeing and houseboat stays can easily be arranged. Our location is ideal for bird watching as it is surrounded by the backwaters and natural forest.

We offer ayurvedic treatment, body massages and can arrange yoga classes, dental care and various treatments for a third of the western rate. We can also help you buy spectacles, clothes etc. at a very cheap rate. Bicycles are available for rent.

Reviews

GK's Riverview Homestay is approved under the Government of Kerala homestay scheme. The classification is Gold. We have previously won the State Tourism Award for the best homestay facility in Kerala.

GK's Riverview Homestay gets a particular recommendation in Rough Guide to Kerala and Rough Guide to South India where it is described as a homestay buried deep in the watery wilds between Kottayam and Kumarakom. The accommodation comprises four comfortable guest rooms in a separate block behind a family home, overlooking paddy fields. There's a garden and hammocks to lounge in, and host George Kutty takes visitors out in a canoe to look at the local snake boat and other sights. Delicious home-cooked food is also available. Phone ahead from Kottayam to be picked up.

You can read reviews and see photos of GK's Riverview Homestay on Tripadvisor and Google.

GK's Riverview Homestay also featured in the UK newspaper The Guardian in 2009 (see a scan of the article).

Contact

We offer single, double and triple rooms with and without air conditioning. Our tariff for a double room for 2 people in the main house is INR 6900 per night. The tariff for a double room for 2 people in the basic building is INR 2950. The tariff for an extra adult is INR 900. One child under the age of 10 stays free of charge. All rooms have A/C, and the tariff includes complimentary breakfast. For longer stays, and in low season we will, sometimes, be able to offer various discounts. We accept payment by credit card and cash in any currency. If you decide to stay for more nights, the tariff is reduced in the following way:

Please use one of the contact methods below for enquiries and bookings. We will reply as soon as possible, usually within 24 hours, to let you know about availability and to answer any enquiries.

We can be contacted by post at George Kutty, Thekkekaryil, Pulikkuttissery, 686015 Kottayam, Kerala, India, via email on info@gkhomestay-kumarakom.com, georgekutty54@gmail.com and gkshomestay@yahoo.com, and on telephone at +91 94 47 19 75 27 (also WhatsApp) and +91 70 12 21 95 32.

Finally, before leaving for India, please remember to apply online for the minimum hassle Indian eVisa.