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Image ID 282596
Book from GBP 78

Villa Jacaranda

Varkala, Southern Beaches, India
Book from GBP 78

A charming and peaceful four-room guesthouse in Varkala with pool, fragrant garden and veranda views of the Arabian Sea

A charming and peaceful four-room guesthouse in Varkala with pool, fragrant garden and veranda views of the Arabian Sea

Varkala is a laid-back beach town on the Keralan coast, often compared to Goa thanks to its youthful, surfer lifestyle. It's been a favourite with backpackers for years and is becoming increasingly popular with general holiday-makers, most of whom stay on the colourful but busy North Cliff. Villa Jacaranda provides a friendly and comfortable alternative on the South Cliff, a tranquil area just five minutes’ walk from the dramatic Papanasham beach.

Fronted by two jacaranda trees and deep pink bougainvillea, the guesthouse is set on the bend of a quiet road, with views of the distant sea from its veranda. The four homely rooms are simply furnished and decorated in soft pastel colours. All have pretty, blue-railed verandas for reading and dining and there’s a large rooftop terrace with many a potted plant for the exclusive use of room 4, together with a lush garden with a small saltwater pool for everyone to enjoy. Owner-manager Ajay, who used to live in England, is a delight. He's a keen gardener and cook and is always around to look after you, though not in an obtrusive way. You can relax on one of two nearby beaches, visit local temples, go cliff-top shopping, join a yoga class, take surf lessons, have an Ayurvedic massage or chill out on the nearby Kerala backwaters.

A little extra

for i-escape guests

  • a free mundu (Keralan sarong) for each person, and a lesson in how to tie it the Keralan way!

Highs

  • Excellent location on South Cliff, a 5-minute walk to the beach but quieter and more mellow than the more developed North Cliff
  • The verandas and rooftop terrace provide pretty little outdoor spaces to eat, drink, read and watch the sun set into the just-glimpsed Arabian sea – ideal for escaping for a little while
  • The small garden with saltwater pool and lily pond is full of fragrant flowers, dappled light, butterflies and birds
  • Soulful singing from the nearby temple provides a lovely twice-daily soundtrack
  • The welcoming owner Ajay and his staff are always on hand to recommend the best local eateries and things to see and do

Lows

  • Varkala's very strong currents can make swimming at Papanasham beach dangerous, so pay close attention to the lifeguards and warning flags
  • There are no phones for room service, or any common sitting or dining areas – this is somewhere you come for privacy, seclusion and relaxation
  • Over 8s only

Best time to go

Villa Jacaranda is open all year round. September to February is peak season in this part of India and temperatures rarely exceed 26C - 28C, while March to May is much hotter. The monsoon season from June to mid-September is a romantic time to visit as everything is particularly lush and there are far fewer people about, but most days will bring heavy downpours.

Our top tips

There's an excellent Ayurvedic Centre (massages, treatments, yoga) next door, pop in for a rejuvenation massage or a blissful shirodhara treatment (warm-oil dripped on the forehead) – guests of the guesthouse get discounted rates.

Great for...

Beach
Cheap & Chic
Foodie
Romantic
  • Boutique Guesthouse
  • 4 rooms
  • Breakfast (+ other meals on request)
  • Over 8s only
  • Open all year
  • Outdoor Pool
  • Spa Treatments
  • Walk to beach
  • Pet Friendly
  • Disabled Access
  • Car not necessary
  • Parking
  • Restaurants Nearby
  • WiFi
  • Air Conditioning
  • Guest Lounge
  • Terrace
  • Garden
  • Gym
  • Bicycles Available
More Features
Room:

Rooms

The four double rooms all have terracotta-tiled floors, lots of space and an unfussy design. Furniture is a mixture of local pieces and items which reflect the owner’s travels (Tuscan armoires, Byzantine-style chandeliers, Thai Buddha statues, French turn-of-the-century sconces, Burmese lacquer-ware trays and Vietnamese planters). Small alcoves, low tables from Syria and brass urli bowls with floating flowers add a touch of the Middle East, and garlands of jasmine blossoms are arranged on lotus leaves to perfume your evenings.

The white tiled bathrooms are spotless, with murals of plum and purple-coloured circles adding a bold design touch. Bath and beach towels are provided and woven cloths from Bangalore add splashes of hot colour.

Each room has the use of a veranda with views of the sea or garden (note that the veranda for room 3 is shared not private). Room 4 has large glass French doors onto its veranda, which merges with the rooftop terrace to create a wonderful private retreat.

Mosquito nets are available on request and mosquito plugs are provided, though sea breezes tend to keep insects at bay except between 6 and 6.30pm. There's also a resident cocker puppy and a couple of ducks that add a fun, homely touch.

Features include:

  • Air conditioning
  • Fan
  • Safe box
  • WiFi
Read More

Eating

Breakfast is served on your veranda between 8am and 10am and consists of simple, tasty vegetarian fare – homemade bread, toast and jam, porridge with nuts, fruit and honey, milkshakes and fruit salad. There are also eggs cooked however you like them, including Indian-style bhurji (with fresh onion, tomatoes, green chilli and coriander), and masala omelettes. The china is elegantly white, the coffee is delicious, and the tables are brightened with pink linen place mats and vases of flowers.

Light refreshments and free filtered water are available on request, and dinner can be arranged with prior notice (no alcohol is served as the house doesn’t have a licence, but you can keep your own alcohol in the in-room fridges). Ajay is an excellent cook and has developed an eclectic menu of tasty Anglo-Indian dishes, mainly vegetarian, which are dependent on what is seasonally available. We had his beetroot, cashew nut and lime salad, sambar dal with rice, green bean thoran, Thai egg fried rice and paratha. All delicious.

If you want to eat out there are many local restaurants to choose from, most perched in a line along the lively North cliff and serving all manner of international cuisine, with hauls of catch-of-the-day fish laid out for your selection. We loved Chimney Restaurant in Varkala town itself for its buzzy atmosphere and great fresh fish and tandoori chicken.

Features include:

  • Breakfast
  • Dinner by arrangement
  • Lunch by arrangement
  • Restaurants nearby
  • Vegetarian options
Read More
Eating:
Activity:

Activities

  • Wander over to Varkala’s cliff-cradled Papanasham beach (a 5-minute walk) and explore the huge 12th Century Janardhanaswamy Temple – an important Hindu pilgrimage site
  • Rise with the dawn to watch local fishermen bring in their boats and listen to their songs
  • Walk for 15 minutes (or take a short tuk-tuk ride) to Varkala's colourful and lively North Cliff to browse clothes stalls, eat at one of the many sea-facing restaurants, take a yoga class, or even go paragliding
  • Book a trip to the Anjengo Fishing Village and Fort, or a punting boat trip to the privately owned Golden Island with its lone Shiva Temple and plethora of bird and plant life
  • Watch a procession taking place during one of the many local temple festivals; colourful Kilithattumukku Bhagavathy Temple is a 10-minute walk away
  • Hire a motorbike or scooter and go exploring
  • There is an excellent surfing school nearby
  • Meander along the Kerala backwaters from Kollam (an hour away by train or taxi)
  • Take a longer day or overnight trip to see Neyyar Dam, Sivananda Ashram, the tea gardens at Ponmudi and Padmanabha Palace (the only wooden palace in India)

Activities on site or nearby include:

  • Ayurvedic treatments
  • Birdwatching
  • Boat trips
  • Historical sites
  • Plantlife / flora
  • Private guided tours
  • Shopping / markets
  • Surfing
  • Traditional cultures
  • Well being
  • Yoga
Read More

Kids

Villa Jacaranda does not accept guests under the age of 8, as there is no play area and the pond is unfenced.

Best for:

Teens (over 12)

Family friendly accommodation:

All rooms can take a single extra bed, families of four would need to book two rooms.

Extra Beds Available

For more family-friendly places, see our

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Kid Friendly:

Location

Villa Jacaranda is an hour’s drive from Trivandrum in Kerala in southern India.

By Air
Trivandrum Thiruvananthapuram International (50km away) is the closest airport, though Cochin International is only 185km away.

From the Airport
Villa Jacaranda offers a transfer service (enquire when booking).

By Train
The train from Cochin takes 3 to 4 hours to Varkala Station, from where you can pick up a taxi to Villa Jacaranda (a 10-minute journey). Varkala also has rail links to Madras (Chennai), Bangalore, New Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Rajkot and Mangalore.

Getting Around
North Cliff and the beach are within walking distance and tuk-tuks and taxis are readily available.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.

Airports:

  • Tivandrum Thiruvananthapuram International 55.0 km TRV
  • Cochin International 185.0 km COK

Other:

  • Beach 0.5 km
  • Shops 0.3 km
  • Restaurant 0.5 km
Read More

Our guests' ratings...

Based on 20 independent reviews from i-escape guests

10/10
Room
10/10
Food
10/10
Service
10/10
Value
10/10
Overall

An excellent place to stay for several days or longer. If the opportunity arises we will definitely come back.
10/10, , March 2025

Villa Jacaranda is a lovely house set a short walk away from Varkala beach. It has four rooms for guests, each with a balcony/terrace. The rooms are very tastefully decorated, and very comfortable. There is a small pool and the villa is fringed by greenery. The place is run by Ajay; he and his manager Sunny, and all their staff are ever so kind and helpful. I also enjoyed the friendly menagerie of a dog, a cat and a duck. Breakfast is part of the deal but they will cook you dinner as well if you wish (a sumptuous Indian vegetarian meal - I would highly recommend it). Every meal is very attentively prepared and served. The chopped fruit in my breakfast bowl was a thing of beauty! Ajay and his staff will advise you on things to do in Varkala, where to eat, and what to visit. We had a very enjoyable week. We loved walking along Varkala beach, knee deep in the surf. The local temple (Janardhana Swamy temple) is worth a visit. The shops and restaurants on North Cliff are also worth a wander (we ate at Abba). The Ayurvedic spa next door do great massages at discounted rates. A visit to Munroe Island (which involves a boat trip through backwaters) is worth the one hour car journey to and fro. The loveliest aspect of our stay at Villa Jacaranda was the number of birds all around - kingfishers, koels, kites, hoopoes, weaver birds, sunbirds...! There was also Ajay's collection of Tintin comics that I enjoyed re-reading! We loved our stay here and hope to be back.
10/10, , March 2025

A beautifully appointed and creative stay. The breakfast was incredible and service from Ajay and his team so attentive, friendly and warm. We loved our stay and would recommend it to anyone visiting Varkala - a highlight of our trip!
10/10, , February 2025

Villa Jacaranda is perfection! The house is decorated in an understated and very stylish way. My room was exquisite with a large bathroom and very comfortable bed. I loved that breakfast and dinner, both delicious, if you wish to dine there, are served on your private veranda whilst you view the pretty luscious garden and salt water swimming pool. The pretty sandy beach is a 5 min walk away. The service is very attentive but also discreet. I was travelling alone and I felt like I was staying at a friend’s house. There really were no criticisms. I’m heading back in November!
10/10, , February 2025

We arrived exhausted after travelling and left feeling totally restored. Ajay is a wonderful gracious host and his place is gorgeous. We enjoyed breakfast on our terrace overlooking the sea and watching exotic birds. Dinner was exceptional, beautifully flavoured and probably the best food we had in India! We swam every day from the beach, steps down by the villa, we visited the spa in the same road - very good and did yoga on a rooftop across the road. We will definitely be returning to this special place, we loved everything and all the staff were amazing.
10/10, , January 2025

This is a truly magical place. Set in the quieter South Cliff area of Varkala, the villa is beautifully decorated, a tranquil retreat and right by the beach and some wonderful food. Owner Ajay and his staff go out their way to look after each of the guests. It truly felt like a home away from home. This is the kind of place where you feel you have stumbled across a wonderful secret hideaway that provides comfort, care, style and magic. Thank you so much. We are already planning our next trip back.
10/10, , January 2025
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