Spice Village is located in the Periyar wilderness, high in the western ghats of Kerala. For centuries, the area attracted voyagers and adventurers, mercenaries and empire builders, kings and merchant princes. Men and women drawn not only by the lure of spices, but by the romance and wild beauty of the land.
Basic Information
| Country | India |
| State | Kerala |
| District | Thekkady |
| City | Periyar |
| Location | 180 km from Cochin Airport;100 km from Kottayam Railway Station;1 km from Kumily Bus Stand |
| Rooms | 52 Rooms |
| Group | Casino Group of Hotels |
Accommodation
The resort itself consists of 52 cottages, set in eight acres of respectfully tamed forest. The jungle dwellings of the area inspire the architecture, and we've taken care to use the same materials in construction.
Dining
Mealtimes at Spice Village are an unhurried affair. In fact, we urge you to dawdle. Eat too quickly, and you miss the subtle nuances that spices take on when they're absolutely fresh. Rush through your meal and you give yourself no chance to enjoy the amiable atmosphere that's common to all our dining areas.
There are three of these. Choose from the rustic wooden tables in the dining hall proper, or take a heaped plate out to the long verandah and enjoy your meal al fresco, watching the kingfishers flit around the swimming pool.
Besides these literally is the historic Tiffin Room, where light snacks are served all day. The rosewood chairs and tables here are restored antiques, from a 100-year old restaurant in the next valley that sadly closed its doors in 1995. Spice Village's popular cookery classes for guests are also conducted here, most evenings, and you can pick up some tips while chef Velayuthan unveils a few (but only a few) of his secrets.
Recreation and Health Facilities
Below you, the pool is a rippling blue patch, set in a scene abuzz with life. A kingfisher dives low out of a clear blue sky, hunting vainly for its fish lunch. Bees hum around Colombian coffee bushes. Guinea fowls and ducks chatter about (amazingly tame, because they're used to guests.) Bamboo bursts in tilting spires. Cascades of cinnamon, pepper and honeysuckle wash down the hillside. And everywhere, the structures of Spice Village peep out of the woods, as if growing naturally from the surroundings.
