May 30, 2012 03:33 PM
5305 Views
The Poovar island resort is about 30 kilometers from the city centre. You will be picked up from the boat jetty once you let the resort know your time of arrival. If you arrive after sunset, the experience can be bad. The boat jetty does not have a light over the sign post and the steep incline from the(main) road into the boat jetty premises is not at all lit and the path is full of potholes that needs skillful negotiating when you drive down. From the boat jetty, it takes about 15 minutes to the resort by boat and the ride through the backwaters is a wonderful experience.
The check in experience was smooth(I had done the bookings through Club Mahindra, being a member). We were shown our room( a land cottage) which was close to the Ayurvedic Center - the better rooms are near the reception. Booking early can get one of the floating cottages.
The spread is pretty good in the restaurant. The service is quite a let down. And when the occupancy is high, the staff seem clueless about handling customer requests. The dishes available at the live counters are not adequately highlighted. When one pays a high amount for food, it is natural to expect a level of service and the restaurant service is a let down.
The ayurvedic treatment is good. Again, more interaction there would help customers choose the right treatment. Prior to the session, I was not asked any specific questions to check my needs. And the bill was presented to me prior to the commencement of the session. At the end of the session, usually, a warm health drink is provided. In this resort, I experienced no such niceties.
As far as sightseeing goes, you are better off hiring a taxi from the boat jetty(where you are picked up). The taxi drivers are knowledgeable about the attractions and charge a fixed fee for the city tour and for a trip to Kanyakumari. Please remember that all local attractions under the purview of the government are closed on Mondays in Trivandrum, so plan accordingly.
For the children, the zoo is recommended. The layout is pretty good and one can see around without too much exertion. There are a couple of museums as well within the same perimeter. The museum housing the paintings of Ravi Verma is pretty good. The kids will enjoy the science museum. And the palace museum adjacent to Padmanabhaswamy temple is very good - there is a guided tour you can get once you buy the museum tickets.
If planned carefully, you can visit all the Trivandrum attractions in a day if you leave after breakfast from the resort. And visit the Kovalam beach in the evening and get back to the resort.
A day trip to Kanyakumari would be in order, visiting the Suchindram temple and the Padmanabhapuram palace, culminating with a visit to the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, the beach and the temple on the shores.
The boat rides from the resort to the boat jetty is free. Also these boats drop you off on the beaches right outside the resort(This was never told to us during our stay). The Activity Center was closed for renovation. The swimming pool is open between 8 am and 7 pm. You can organize the return trip to the railway station/airport at the same taxi stand right at the boathouse.
In summary, you can enjoy the stay and the food, the ambience and the sightseeing. Do not have any high expectation of service at the resort. The staff need some serious training.
