Hindustan Beach Retreat

Hindustan Beach Retreat is a four star hotel on Papanasam Beach in Varkala, Thiruvananthapuram district, with a guest score of 4 out of 5 from 1968 reviews. The beach below the cliff is a pilgrimage site as well as a swimming beach, and that is the one thing that decides whether the property is right for you.

The property and its facilities

Hindustan Beach Retreat is a four star hotel with a guest score of 4 out of 5 from 1968 reviews. The facilities are broad. For eating and drinking there is a restaurant and a bar, with room service if you prefer to eat in your room. For relaxation there is a hot tub, a sauna, a spa and massage, plus a garden, a library and a terrace. Practical services include a lift, laundry, luggage storage, a concierge, currency exchange, car hire, valet parking, 24 hour security and a shuttle service.

The mix suits guests who want options on site without leaving the property. The guest score suggests most people leave satisfied, and the facilities cover the basics a visitor to Varkala would expect from a four star hotel.

Where it sits

The hotel is on the coast, by the sea, at Papanasam Beach, Janardhanapuram, Varkala P O, in Thiruvananthapuram district, South Kerala. Varkala is a town in Thiruvananthapuram district, a tourism hub. It is 2.1 km from the centre of Varkala, about 25 minutes on foot. The destination is the town itself, a coast at 0 to 45 m. A red laterite cliff standing straight out of the Arabian Sea defines the place, with a temple town and a pilgrimage tank at the bottom of it.

Papanasam beach below the cliff is a pilgrimage site as well as a swimming beach, so dress accordingly. The cliff path is a walk with the sea two hundred metres below you the whole way. Trains from Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam stop in town, so no car is needed.

Who this suits

This hotel suits travellers who want a full spread of facilities on a pilgrimage and swimming beach in Varkala, and who are comfortable with the dress and behaviour that a pilgrimage site asks for. It does not suit anyone looking for a quiet, secular beach resort, because the beach below the cliff is shared with pilgrims and the tone is set accordingly.

Planning your stay

Come between November and March. That is the season for Varkala, when the weather is at its best for the cliff path and the beach. Cliff erosion work closes stretches of the path in the wet months, so if you plan to walk the full cliff path, avoid the monsoon. The hotel is 2.1 km from the centre of Varkala, about 25 minutes on foot, so you can reach the town without a car.

What the property lists

Where it is

About 2.1 km from the centre of varkala, roughly 26 minutes on foot at 4.8 km/h, in Thiruvananthapuram district. The listed address is Papanasam Beach Janardhanapuram Varkala P O Thiruv.

Questions people ask

Is Hindustan Beach Retreat on the beach?

Yes, the hotel is on the coast, by the sea, at Papanasam Beach in Varkala. The beach below the cliff serves both pilgrims and swimmers, so guests should expect a mixed use beach and dress accordingly.

What facilities does the hotel have?

Facilities include a restaurant, bar, hot tub, sauna, spa, massage, garden, library, terrace, lift, laundry, luggage storage, concierge, currency exchange, car hire, valet parking, 24 hour security, room service and a shuttle service. It is a four star property with a guest score of 4 out of 5 from 1968 reviews.

How far is the hotel from Varkala town centre?

The hotel is 2.1 km from the centre of Varkala, about 25 minutes on foot. Trains from Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam stop in town, so a car is not needed to reach the property.

When is the best time to stay?

November to March is the season. Cliff erosion work closes stretches of the path in the wet months, so plan walks on the cliff path outside the monsoon. The hotel itself operates year round, but the beach and path are at their best in the dry season.