Hotel Crystals Cove is a four star hotel at Central Junction in Idukki district, South Kerala, 3 km from Thekkady and the Periyar reserve. The guest score on file is 4.8 out of 5 from 2483 reviews. That score, and a long list of facilities behind it, are what decide whether it suits you. It is not a small plantation bungalow, so if you want solitude and a private verandah, this is not it.
The hotel and its facilities
Hotel Crystals Cove holds a four star rating. The guest score on file is 4.8 out of 5 from 2483 reviews, which is high enough that the practical side of a stay is clearly working: a 24 hour front desk and 24 hour security, express check in, a concierge, luggage storage and a lift. Rooms are air conditioned and non smoking, with a minibar and refrigerator. Free WiFi runs through the property.
Beyond the room, the hotel lists a restaurant, a cafe, breakfast and room service, so meals can be taken on site. There is a spa, a garden and a terrace, and a banquet hall and business centre for functions or work. Family rooms are available, and the hotel is wheelchair accessible. Car hire, a shuttle service, free parking and valet parking cover transport, and laundry is listed.
Where it sits
The setting is outside Kattappana, in the wider Idukki district. Kattappana is a town in Idukki district, and the hotel is 17.9 km from the centre of Kattappana. This is South Kerala, inland and high, and the destination that draws people here is Thekkady, 3 km away. Thekkady is wildlife country, the town at the gate of Periyar, a reserve built around a lake made by a dam in 1895, where the drowned forest still stands in the water. Cardamom country begins at the edge of the plantation belt behind it.
The altitude of Thekkady runs from 900 to 1,200 m, which is why the air cools at night. The hotel is not in the middle of the reserve or of the town. It sits close enough that the reserve is the reason for the trip, and far enough that the nights are quiet.
Who it suits
This hotel suits travellers who want a full service base for Thekkady and Periyar, with a restaurant, a spa, a lift and parking on hand, and who value the consistency that a 4.8 out of 5 score from 2483 reviews suggests. It also suits families, who have family rooms and a garden, and anyone attending a function in the banquet hall. It does not suit those who want a tiny plantation stay with no other guests around, or a property inside the reserve itself.
When to come
October to March is the season for wildlife around the lake, when the reserve is at its best for sightings. The reserve stays open through the monsoon, so a visit in the wet months is possible, but the rain changes what you see and how much of the park is accessible. The altitude of the area, between 900 and 1,200 m, means evenings are cool in any season.
What the property lists
Where it is
About 17.9 km from the centre of kattappana, in Idukki district. That is a ride rather than a walk. The listed address is Central Junction.
Questions people ask
How far is Hotel Crystals Cove from Thekkady?
The hotel is 3 km from Thekkady, the town at the gate of Periyar reserve. That makes the reserve the main reason to stay here, and it keeps the property within reach of the lake and the wildlife without placing you inside the park itself.
What facilities are available at the hotel?
The hotel lists a restaurant, a cafe, breakfast and room service, plus a spa, a garden and a terrace. For work and events there is a business centre and a banquet hall, and transport is covered by car hire, a shuttle service, free parking and valet parking. Free WiFi and air conditioning are standard.
Is Hotel Crystals Cove suitable for families?
Yes. Family rooms are available, the hotel is wheelchair accessible and there is a lift, a garden and a terrace. The restaurant and cafe mean children can eat on site, and the 24 hour front desk and security are useful when travelling with a family.
When is the best time to visit Thekkady?
October to March is the season for wildlife around the lake. The reserve stays open through the monsoon, so visiting in the wet months is possible, but the rain affects what you see. The altitude of 900 to 1,200 m keeps the air cool in the evenings.
The name, category, guest score, review count, photographs and listed facilities come from the IMPT hotel inventory. Live rates, room types and cancellation terms are shown on IMPT for the dates chosen; this page quotes none of them.