The lullaby of the waves of the Arabian Sea lulled us to sleep at the Leela Kovalam, a beautiful Kovalam hotel that nestles on a clifftop with panoramic views of the blue waters of the sea. The Leela Kovalam Raviz Hotel is touted as the only clifftop beach resort in India. It is a great place to wake up in, as we found out during our sojourn in Kerala, when we spent a couple of days at the Leela Kovalam Beach Resort in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India.

It was not our first time in Kerala, we have travelled considerably in Kerala and spent many lovely moments in its romantic backwaters, its gorgeous beaches, waterfalls, and heritage cities and spiritual centres. However, it was our first experience of the Leela Kovalam, a hotel which was once the summer retreat of the royal family of the erstwhile Travancore kingdom.

The Leela Kovalam – 5 Star Beach Resort In Trivandrum

The Leela Kovalam curates a wonderful stay experience. It integrates luxury and modern convenience seamlessly and in harmony with the elements of nature. The rocks, the swaying palms, the blue sea and the sky seem to come together to weave a tantalizing web of magic during your stay at The Leela Raviz Kovalam.

The hotel is often referred to as Leela Palace Kovalam, and rightly so, after all, it has a royal pedigree and history. This enchanting Kovalam Beach Resort was once the royal palace of Kovalam. It was the getaway of the royal family of Travancore.

At the heart of The Leela Kovalam property is the Halcyon castle also referred to as the Kovalam Palace, which was built in 1932 by M.R.Ry Sri Rama Varma Valiya Koil Thampuran, the consort of Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi. The picturesque location made it an ideal retreat for the royal family of Travancore.

The Leela Kovalam – A Raviz Hotel | Where Luxury Meets Heritage

The Leela Kovalam is one of the top luxury hotels in Kovalam, Kerala. It occupies a massive 60 acres of land that is dotted with landscaped gardens and palms swaying in the breeze. It provides a ringside view of the Arabian Sea and at the same time gives a taste of the heritage of Kerala and the royal way of living. It is a place where luxury and heritage fuse together with delightful synergy.

Our Experience At Hotel Leela Kovalam – The Reception

Whenever you land in Kerala, you get a special feeling. A feeling of being close to God and why not? After all, you are in God’s own country! We savoured each moment as we drove from the Thiruvananthapuram Airport to the lush environs of the Leela Kovalam, some 16 kilometres away.

As our car entered the precincts of the Leela Kovalam Resort and made its way towards the entrance portico, we caught tantalizing glimpses of the aquamarine waters of the Arabian Sea down below, behind the hotel. We were received with warmth at the massive lobby of the Leela Kovalam hotel and offered refreshing tender coconuts, as we waited for our room to be allotted.

The reception area is large and tastefully decorated with heritage artefacts. A huge brass lamp, decorated with flowers stands at the centre of the lobby. Glass doors on the left lead to the infinity pool and the restaurant. We could not resist, heading out and clicking some pictures of the Arabian sea that stretched out to the horizon from beneath the cliff on which stood the Leela Palace Beach resort.

We were soon allotted our room and followed a smiling staff member to our room which was a Beach View Superior room. As we entered the room, we were bowled over by its spaciousness and vintage charm. But what really mesmerised us is what met our eyes as soon as we pushed aside the curtains and stepped into the balcony.

The sea breeze seemed to whisper words of welcome in our ears, coconut palms seemed to bow in welcome, and the sea stretched out languorously in front of us. It was the stuff that dreams are made of!

We looked forward to spending a few days of bliss in this wonderful place, a place that had once delighted the royal family of Travancore.

Watch Leela Kovalam Vlog here:

Accommodation Options At The Leela Kovalam

The Leela Kovalam has a range of luxury accommodation options. It has a total of 160 rooms which include Beach view rooms, Beach Villas, Palatial Suites, and exclusive suites. All the rooms have elegant interiors that are rooted in the heritage of Kerala and have an old-world charm that is blended with luxury.

The rooms in The Raviz Kovalam are in three clusters within the hotel campus that are spread over 60 acres. The main block consisting of the Beach View rooms, the Main Lobby, and the Palace suites is perched on the clifftop. Then there is The Club near to it which is a unique hotel within a hotel concept, and finally, there are the Beach villas which are right next to the beach.

Beach View Superior Room At The Leela Kovalam – A Raviz Hotel

The Beach View Superior Room was the category of the room that we spent a couple of days at the Leela Kovalam hotel in Thiruvananthapuram. The room was very spacious with an area of almost 500 square feet. It consisted of elegant and ornate furniture and furnishings. The heritage of Kerala shone through its design and decor. The bathroom, for example, had an ancient locking system in Kerala, known as Manichitrataal.

Where tradition and heritage endeared us, the contemporary luxuries delighted us. The room had comfortable beds, ambient lighting, air conditioning, a mini bar, LED Television, and WiFi, among other amenities.

The best part of the Sea view superior room was of course the balcony overlooking the sea. It was a place where one could spend hours, enjoying the spectacular views.

Beach Villas At Leela Kovalam Beach Resort

The Beach Villas are located right next to the beach. They provide easy access to a private beach and beautifully landscaped gardens. Each villa is flush with all modern amenities including Television, Telephone, Air-conditioning, and WiFi.

The Club At Hotel Leela Kovalam

The Club is an exclusive premium accommodation which is part of the Leela Kovalam. The Club is a Hotel within a Hotel concept. It has its own exclusive reception area, infinity swimming pool, cafe, library and exclusive luxury rooms and suites. The rooms and suites literally jut out into the sea and provide mesmerizing views of the sea. They are all equipped with all luxury amenities.

Kovalam Palace Suites – Leela Palace Kovalam

If you are looking for an uber-luxury and royal stay experience, the Kovalam Palace suites provide just that. These regal suites are designed to take you back in time to a grand and royal era. These suites bear names that are connected to the royal family of Travancore. The Suite Sri Lakshmi is dedicated to Lakshmi the Goddess of wealth as well as Maharani Sethu Lakhmi Bayi.

Suite Sri Parvathy is dedicated to Shiva’s consort Parvati. The Suite Sharada is connected with the wish of Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi to have a daughter named Sharada. Suite Sri Swathi is named after Sri Swati Thirunal Rama Varma.

Each of the palace suites is enveloped in an aura of exotic luxury that is subtle and in no way ostentatious. The interiors are done tastefully and every inch of space has been used thoughtfully. All the suites have dramatic views of the sea.

Private Beach At Leela Kovalam Beach Resort

If you are staying in the main block of the Leela Kovalam or at The Club, you are perched on a cliff and the beach lies at a lower level. You can take a complimentary electric buggy that takes you down a beautifully maintained road to the beach. The views on the way are dramatic.  There is a private stretch of beach with cabana and deck chairs where you can relax and watch the sunset.

You also have the option of walking over to the public beach. If you are an early riser, it would be a great experience to be at the beach in the morning. You will be able to watch the local fishermen at work, and even lend them a helping hand as they haul their catch in, to the accompaniment of local fishermen’s songs.

Dining Options At The Leela Kovalam Beach Resort

The Terrace is an all-day dining restaurant at the Leela Kovalam beach resort. The spacious restaurant is prettily located next to the infinity pool. So while you enjoy your meal you can choose to have views of the pool or the sea.

The restaurant serves a buffet breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They have a vast spread of dishes from across cuisines that include local Kerala cuisine, Indian cuisine, Pan Asian cuisine, and Continental cuisine.

The Cafe is an exclusive restaurant that caters to the guests staying at The Club. It is located right opposite The Club’s exclusive infinity pool and serves a wide range of dishes from local Kerala, India, European, and Asian cuisines.

The Tides is a fresh seafood restaurant that is located on the beach. As the name suggests, the restaurant serves fresh from the sea, seafood. It is a thatched open-air restaurant that serves local Kerala and Pan Asian cuisine.

For those who love to lift their spirits in the balmy environs of The Leela Kovalam, there is The Sky Bar and The Bar to relax in.

Other Amenities At The Leela Kovalam Beach Resort

You are spoiled for choice when it comes to amenities at the Leela Kovalam Hotel. You will find it hard to decide whether you want to frolic in the infinity pool as the sun sinks into the Arabian Sea, or head to the private beach for a mesmerizing sunset.

You need to choose how you would like to start your day, would you like to head to the gym or pamper yourself at the spa? Or would you like to start the day with a game of tennis or badminton? There is no dearth of choices for games and other activities at the Leela Kovalam Hotel. You name it, and they have it.

The Leela Kovalam also has a number of conference rooms and a Ballroom and makes for a great destination wedding location.

How To Get To Leela Kovalam – A Raviz Hotel

The Leela Kovalam is located at Kovalam in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala in India.

• Leela Kovalam is about 16 kilometres from the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport
• Thiruvananthapuram is located at a distance of about 200 kilometres from Kochi
• Kanya Kumari is about 101 kilometres from Thiruvananthapuram
• Rameshwaram is about 376 kilometres from Thiruvananthapuram
• Madurai is about 312 kilometres from Thiruvananthapuram
• Thiruvananthapuram to Bangalore distance is about 732 kilometres

If you planning to visit Kovalam or Thiruvananthapuram, you can book your flight tickets right here through Cleartrip or Makemytrip or CheapAir or Priceline   and fly to Thiruvananthapuram.

Booking Your Stay At The Leela Kovalam Beach Resort | Kovalam Hotels

Are you planning a trip to Kovalam? Would you like to experience the regal luxury of The Leela Kovalam-A Raviz Hotel? You can book your room at The Leela Kovalam – A Raviz Hotel or suite right here. You can also book any other hotel or resort in Kovalam or anywhere else right here.

You can book Hotels in Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), Hotels in Kovalam, Hotels in Kerala or any destination right here through any of the options here –  TripAdvisor or Cleartrip or  makemytrip or  goibibo or  Booking.com or  HotelsCombined or  Agoda   and save a lot by getting the best deals on booking your stay.

Click to book your stay at the Raviz Kovalam or Somatheeram Ayurveda Resort.

The Leela Kovalam curated for us a great experience on the edge of the Arabian sea. It was an experience of pampered luxury garnished generously with smiles. The hotel treats you like royalty and ensures that you do not leave empty-handed, but take with you a treasure chest of memories to cherish for a lifetime.

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Sandy & Vyjay

Sandy & Vyjay are a husband and wife duo who are travel content creators. They are co-founders of this travel website and are one of the leading travel content creators in India.

Sandy & Vyjay quit their successful corporate careers to pursue their passion for travel and writing full-time. Their dedication has earned them the “Best Travel Writer” award and numerous accolades on both national and international stages. Focusing on India’s destinations, heritage, and culture, they are passionate advocates for nature and the environment. Through their content, they promote ecotourism and sustainable travel, inspiring others to explore and preserve the beauty of India.