Conde Nast Traveller:
‘This near perfect haven of peace and pampering.... ‘

Harper's Bazaar
'Neeleshwar represents, really, the perfect distillation of what so many Westerners, from E.M.Forster and Allen Ginsberg to the Beatles, have come to India in an attempt to find: an escape from the pressures and frenzied pace of our lives. The transition from stressed-out to blissed-out, however, is surprisingly swift...in just a few days, I am barefoot, loose-limbed and clear-headed, with a sensation of wellbeing that, I later discover, I carry with me long afterwards'

London Evening Standard
Neeleshwar combines the divine holy trinity of a beautiful empty beach, an excellent Keralan chef and a team of staff who radiate good grace.

National Geographic Go Green:
‘Situated on India's south-western tip, Kerala is home to many working models of responsible tourism. A star example is the newly opened Neeleshwar Hermitage...’

The Sunday Times Travel:
'Neeleshwar, a small coastal village in Northern Kerala, has many gods - Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, Christian take your pick - and more than a hint of the divine. .... A journey along the Malabar Coast, as the area is romantically known, is an Indian myth made real...This place - with its red earth as if imported from Mars - feels other; this isn't the India where you queue for a stature or jostle for a seat; northern Kerala gets hardly any tourists and lacks the tick-box sights you find elsewhere. This is its magic; strange things happen here, tales of the unexpected.'

Vogue (India)
Neeleshwar Hermitage hotel in Kerala is an oasis of eco-friendly activity: local techniques and materials were used in its constructions, rain water is conserved and harvested, solar energy is used wherever possible, natural waste is recycled and all water is purified on site. 12 Cottages sit in a palm grove along an unspoiled beach; the Priya Spa offers Ayurvedic treatments

Food & Travel
Hotel of the Month:
Neeleshwar Hermitage is the first luxury resort to open in the unspoiled and relatively unexplored coast of northern Kerala. Unlike southern Kerala there are no hotels here, no beach bars and definitely no crowds. Its location, on an empty sweep of soft while sand, flanked by a freshwater lagoon and surrounded by coconut and mango groves, is nature untamed. Eagles, kingfishers and herons glide above the 16 thatches cottages that house spacious, minimal bedrooms, built using sustainable wood. The Hermitage is eco-friendly; local toiletries help minimize the impact of the resort on the environment. Staff is friendly and warm, and the relaxed atmosphere is instantly calming. Food at Neeleshwar presents a tasty collusion of Indian, Middle-Eastern and European influences. The emphasis is on fresh ingredients cooked with an authentic flair and each morning fisherman haul in their catch of fish from the nearby waters. Learn how to cook like a local under the expert tuition of resort chefs at one of the cookery classes, or let some one else do the work and feast in the al-fresco fish restaurant or at the delicious Annapurna restaurant. The Ayurvedic Priya Spa offers a range of treatments, from the restful smruthi, where warm oil is dripped onto the forehead, to the jet-lag busting sajooya. Whilst Neeleshwar offers a busy range of activities and events - from astrology to bird-watching - guests are equally welcome to take it easy and lounge on the beach while soaking up the pristine paradise. The restorative Ayurvedic energy must be in the air, after our stay we floated out feeling blissfully relaxed. This is the beauty of northern Kerala, the pace is so laidback you can't help but give in and unwind. Get there now - before the masses arrive and it loses its lazy Bohemian charm.

High Life,
British Airways Magazine.
Perfect for a relaxed beach holiday. Neeleshwar Hermitage in Malabar is set in a palm grove directly on the shore. The retreat is made up of 16 thatched cottages and has a spa, Ayurvedic centre and infinity pool. The hotel aims to enhance wellbeing and offers ayurvedic treatments, yoga, meditation and organic treatments. The main restaurant has vegetarian food while the beachside eatery serves freshly caught seafood. The Hermitage is also eco-friendly and built according to Kerala Vastu, which says that a building should be in harmony with its surroundings.