Philipkutty's Farm

The farm is located on a small islands near Vembanad Lake, and dates back to the 1950s. The family who own the farm are prominent members of the local community who live at the farm full-time, and love sharing their home and their expert knowledge of the area to ensure you have as enriching and enjoyable a stay as possible.

The villas at Philipkutty’s Farm are uniquely designed – one by Swiss architect Karl Damscen and the others by Keralan Thomas Dominic – and feature antique furnishings and ornately carved wooden doors and windows. One of the villas is open plan, and the rest feature a separate living area, bedroom, and ‘sit-out’.

The villas were designed to reflect traditional Keralan architectural traditions – flooring takes the form of rustic terracotta clay tiles, and the ceilings are panelled in dark wood – while exhibiting modern standards of comfort and luxury. Each of the villas stands alone, separated by landscaped bushes and trees, and overlooks the backwaters.

Like everything else at Philipkutty’s Farm, dining has a homely, family atmosphere, with delicious Keralan food cooked up by the owner’s mother-in-law. The cuisine reflects this region’s unique Syrian Christian influence, with dishes such as duck curry, Keralan fish curry, and fish fry making the most of locally sourced (and often home-grown) ingredients.

Breakfast combines Western and Indian dishes, with a range of farm-grown produce such as yoghurts, jams, honey and eggs served alongside Indian classics like dhosas with chutney. Meals are served either indoors in the family dining room, or outdoors beneath the thatched pavilion.

Opposite the farm is an Ayurveda centre, where you can have a personal consultation and enjoy massages and other Ayurvedic treatments. An experienced yoga master is available to lead sessions at the hotel, by arrangement when you arrive, for people of all experience levels and none.

If you’re looking to immerse yourself in the local culture, then lessons can be arranged to teach you how to wear a traditional sari (for women) or dhoti (for men).

An unmissable activity during your time in Kerala is a trip on the backwaters, and at Phlilipkutty’s you’re surrounded by them, so hop on a traditional vallam country boat for a serene sunset cruise. Birdwatchers will get the chance to spot kingfishers, woodpeckers, egrets, cormorants, and herons among many others around the farm, and there’s also a bird sanctuary at nearby Kumarakom.

The farm has its own Chinese fishing nets, an icon of Cochin and the surrounding coastline, and you can watch and join in with the evening haul or borrow rods if you fancy trying your luck at fishing yourself.

The nearby village of Vechoor is home to a 500-year-old Syrian Catholic church, and there are numerous temples in the surrounding area too. Cookery classes are on offer in the kitchen if you’d like to get to know how to cook authentic Keralan dishes.