Top 10 vacation homes in South India

Not many Indians go for long and relaxing holidays the way Europeans and Americans do. The trend of going for holidays that last at least a month however is picking up in India too. This has spurred the need for vacation homes as other vacation destinations in India can get very expensive.

Vacation homes also let you enjoy home-style privacy and lifestyle while staying along in an exotic location in an idyllic home. It is best suited for families with children and those who like to unwind in another city.  

If you are looking to get a taste of vacationing in South India, here are some homes away from home.

Riveredge Villa in Cochin

What can be a better way to experience Kerala than staying closer to the backwaters? The villa which is around four kilometers from the Cochin shipyard, offers a neat little home old-style brown brick layer and tiled roof. Do not let this exterior mistake you. It has modern interiors, furnishings and each villa comes with two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Free wifi and a TV with a cable connection too are available. Making it a complete home, the place also offers a private parking as the area offers car and bike hiring. The garden also has place for dining and even a barbecue. The river edge is also perfect those who like to go fishing.

The property will cost Rs 42,000 for seven nights.  

Dewalokam at Cochin

The vacation home stay combines village life with a working farm. It includes all the principles of an organic and green life with solar power water heated, vegetables grown with home-made compost, chickens and goats fed on vegetable waste. They use cow manure for their cooking.

The guests can get a taste of a complete country life with activities like milking a cow, watching honey extraction, rubber processing, and learn organic farming. There is nothing formal about the stay here as guests are welcome to walk in to learn cooking from the professional chefs. It also has a Kerala Ayurvedic Yoga and treatment center attached to it.

They provide air conditioned rooms in the guest house which has the view of beautiful Nilgiri mountains. They also have an option of living in a traditional house with an inner courtyard and open air shower set. All amidst the sounds of a forest.

The place will cost you Rs 8,000 per night without taxes for a standard double room, including the meals.

The Villa Romatica in Cochin

Also located in Nedumbassery near Cochin is The Villa Romantica which offers condominium style homes setting the mood as the name suggests. It boasts of an outdoor pool for water lovers, a gym, a game room and a restaurant.

Staying here will cost you around Rs 25,000 for seven nights.

Gowri Nivas in Coorg

In the midst of the Coffee source of the country in Coorg, Karnataka; are cottages by Gowri Nivas. It is forty kilometers away from Madikeri and is at the foothills of Tadiyendamol, the highest peak in Coorg. The family owned estate houses less  than 30-35 people at once as peace-seeking tourists prefer to stay away from the crowd. There are house and room rental options available. It is also strategically located close to main picnic spots like Abbey Falls, Mandalpatti  for sky spotters, Elephant camp, Omkareshwara Temple and Talakaveri, the birth place of river Cauvery. What's more Raja Seat on the top of the hills is a five minute walk away from Gowri Nivas. The estate has all the modern facilities like televisions sets with complete hotel-like service. It also arranges for adventure sports like river rafting, still water kayaking, rock climbing, rapelling and micro flights.

It costs a little over Rs 4,000 per night.

Waterfront Villa at Alleppey

If it was your dream to live in a houseboat like home, then Waterfront Villa at Alleppey will fulfill it. A charming villa that can accommodate as many as nine people is situated right on the edge of the river. If you want to fish and still be at a shouting distance from the home, this is the right place to be.

It is also situated in the beautiful backwaters of Alapuzha in Kerala which will let you do bird spotting and much more, if not just sit around and enjoy the sound of the water and the surroundings. The waters are also perfect for a swim as it is devoid of any dangerous animals.

The house also comes with a functional kitchen and if you are having too much fun to cook, there are also catering services that will deliver food right at your doorstep.

It will cost you around Rs 20,000 for seven nights.

Tirupati Home Stay

Idea for those who plan weddings and other events at the holy place of Tirupati in Seemandhra, Tirupati Home Stay offers it with many services. The cottage style home comes with a garden swing, lawns and benches allowing you to enjoy a luxurious home life. Luxurious furniture, a large dining hall to accommodate a big family offers resort-like feel within the home stay. It is located close to all the spiritual and historic centers like Tiruchanoor Ammavari Temple, Tirumala, Kanipakkam, Srikalahasti, Chandragiri Fort  and SrihariKota.

It costs around Rs 4,000 per night for four guests.

Hillview Guest House, Hyderabad

The place is best suited for business travelers but is also a well suited for leisured stays in the city. The properties from this company are spread across the city, and offer a villa option with a five rooms with a staircase and a balconies. It also has a much more economical condominium option. All of them have amenities like high speed wifi connectivity, lounge areas, a gym, snooker table and table tennis table. It boasts of a lounge areas in the hall with relaxing sofas and also offer a cab service right at the doorstep. Fully air conditioned, the properties also have a minibar apart from housekeeping and room service for food.

It costs around Rs 2,000 per night.

Carmel Home Stay, Bangalore

Specialized intimate touch is the USP of this home stay in Bangalore as the guests will dine with the hosts at their dining table. Guests are treated like an extended family at this country-style homestay which is owned by Joseph and Maria. Clean and neatly decorated rooms will bring in nuances of an authentic Indian home stay letting the guests experience the warmth. They also serve authentic Kerala cuisine along with other continental fare with special chicken and pork dishes. Around the house are antiques collected by the family like a 17th Century portable fireplace and a Tanjore veena amongst others. There are a lot of recreation facilities like snooker and chess and also a spa with Ayurvedic treatments.

The place will cost you Rs 12,000 to Rs 20,000 for seven nights.

Blue Lagoon Beach resort, Pondicherry

Located five minute walk away from the Aurobindo ashram, Blue Lagoon which offers a mix of old world home stay with modern facilities that urban families are used to. It offers the choicest of food, fun and recreation. It has natural waterfalls on one side for bathing and a pond and a children's pool at another. It's USP however is the extensive play areas for children with three cricket grounds, volleyball courts, shuttle courts and football ground. There is an option of choosing beach-facing cottages for those who want to sit on the porch and relax all day.  There are cabanas for small events. Liquor however is strictly prohibited within the campus.

It costs around Rs 4,500 for a week's stay for a single guest.

Pattinathar sweet homes, Chennai

Pattinathar sweet homes serviced apartments are one of the first in the city to offer holiday home stays. It offers condominium style and has very modern and luxurious interiors for its guests. Some of the services offered are pools, gym, private car parking and a wifi hotspot. It has an intricately designed children's play area for their recreation which matches that of a public garden. There is also a facility to provide food for those who prefer not to cook.  

A three bedroom apartment will cost Rs 42,000 for seven nights.

(Katya Naidu has been working as a business journalist for the last nine years, and has covered beats across banking, pharma, healthcare, telecom, technology, power, infrastructure, shipping and commodities)