Estuary Sarovar Portico, Poovar Island : A Luxury Beach Resort

South India is blessed with some of the finest luxury properties that are a blend of modern architecture and culture that reflect the heritage of the place that it is built in!

Enter Poovar Island, a quaint village is far away from Trivandrum’s bustling city life. The serene backwaters, quaint beaches, gleaming sun sets, local cuisine and breathtaking landscapes make it the best place to visit in Kerala. Tucked amidst coconut trees and water bodies is the breathtaking Estuary Sarovar Portico, Poovar Island.

The resort has an indulgent, sophisticated, luxurious setting that has managed to blend in with the outdoors so seamlessly. Opened few years back, the resort is located in the beautiful Poovar backwaters and an hour’s drive from Trivandrum.

After a flight of almost four hours, we get a sigh of relief to see the driver waiting for us at the airport. The drive to the resort is about an hour. As the cab reached the resort, the gate opened up to a luxurious paradise. The entire stretch of the road has palm and coconut trees on both sides. We arrived to what would be a magical stay for three days.

First Impressions

The reception was a grand welcome in the form of a garland made with sea shells, a chandan tikka that represents peace and a fresh welcome drink.

Our cart arrived minutes later to take us to the room. It was a good opportunity to explore the vast spaces that had well manicured gardens, three huge pools, play area that had a badminton court, volleyball and a cricket ground. The 20 acres land gives plenty of space to unwind and relax in. For more adventurous people like me, there are lot of activities to take part in which includes cycling, pottery classes and trekking. There is also a kitchen garden that is maintained by the gardeners and supervised by the executive chef.

The rooms are categorized into Garden view, Estuary view, Leisure villa, pool villa and deluxe pool villa. Most of them boast original architecture and impressive frescoes, and quite a few of them actually share an impressive view.

After exploring the gorgeous spaces, we reach our luxurious pool facing room. The best feature of our room was the magnificent view of coconut trees spread across. It was absolute bliss to soak in the scintillating view and absorb the serenity and peace that was rare in metropolitan cities. We loved the comfortable beds with soft linen and huge pillows – perfect recipe for a good night sleep.

The light was perfect coming in the room from outside and the desk on one side was perfectly apt to work on my laptop. Essentials like a huge cupboard with safe, a bath gown with slippers added comfort and ease. The bathroom with essentials from Biotique placed in the shower added to the luxe factor. Once we unpacked and settled in, we headed to the restaurant for a nice lunch.

Dining

I fell in love with the exquisite setting of the restaurant. Situated amidst the lake the restaurant offers magnificent views that add charm to the dining experience.

Wherever the eye lingers, it is met with intricate woodcarving, traditional fresco seating, luxurious tapestries, and a beautiful wall art. Copper utensils hung on the ceiling add to the vivacity and charm of the restaurant. Dining is bliss in this oasis of tranquility.

During the evening, the place looks more heavenly when it is all lit up.

Designed to give guests a memorable sea shore experience, the Restaurant is a gorgeously refined space. The cozy armchairs next to the lake make it a heavenly retreat. During the day you can enjoy a cup of tea here while gazing at the coconut trees and the reflection of the sun in the backwaters. The evenings can be enjoyed with cocktails that go well with the sound of water hitting the surface.

We also relished a sadya meal that has 23 different exotic dishes bursting with flavors and so aromatic that you would tend to fall in love with the food.

Sadya is usually offered to God during onam and is considered very auspicious. Served on a banana leaf, the dishes are devoured with rice and paranthas along with tangy pickles. After a hearty lunch of traditional delicacies, we move towards our room for a snooze.

The soft mattress and comfortable pillows eased our way to a gentle sleep. Two hours later, we woke up to the soothing sound of birds. We had taken an appointment at the spa and looked forward to the experience. The ayurveda spa is a few minutes away from the room but we enjoyed the walk towards it.

The Spa at Estuary Sarovar Portico

The spa at the hotel is one of its biggest attractions. The narrow path decorated with bushes and trees takes us to the Ayurveda Spa that is a combination of traditional and western therapies.

I found the place very traditional from the moment we entered. A big urn decorated with seasonal flowers catches the eye. The aroma in the room is scintillatating and tends to calm the nerves. They have two therapy rooms that are well equipped with steam and shower. The rooms are spacious and some part of it is uncovered, to welcome fresh air and sunlight along with the soothing sounds of birds.

We had a consultation with the doctor who advised us to opt for the therapies suitable for our body that would help in maintaining equilibrium. I was impressed by the knowledge the Ayurveda doctor had. She helped us in the best possible way to help us relax and rejuvenate.

My mother had opted for a shirodhara followed by potli massage while I was suggested the chakradhara followed by abhyangam massage.

The Therapy –

After greeting me, the masseuse, a local girl from Kerala requested me to life face down on the wooden bed. The room is tranquil and gives a calming sensation to the mind. The therapist, who has acquired training in therapeutic massages, was very well versed with pressure points. She began the therapy with a very gentle oil massage. The herbal oil is very helpful to re-texturize the skin, which is taken in generous amount and is gently applied on the body. Every muscle of the body is gently pressed while smothering the oil, removing tensed muscles. She then massaged my head gently while applying pressure points on the head and temple that helped me to relax further. This therapy was followed by chakradhara. I was transcended in a different world when the therapy began.

A concoction of cool buttermilk was poured on my temples. The medicinal herbs in the concoction helped me in drifting away to a peaceful slumber and relaxing peacefully. This experience was by far the best.

After the massage was over, I freshened up after a warm bath and came towards the reception where the doctor welcomed me. She was happy to see me smile and relaxed. I was further elated to know that she also does hypnosis and helps in PLT sessions.

The day ended on a beautiful note with a scrumptious dinner of traditional Kerala cuisine at the restaurant under the stars. The place looks absolutely stunning in the evening when it is all lit up.

Activities

Estuary Sarovar Portio has a wide variety of activities to keep one occupied. The next day began with a cycling session where I explored the entire resort. The morning view should not be missed. I spotted some rare species of birds chirping in all glory. Later, I moved towards the spa center for a yoga session.

Boat Ride on Backwaters –

There is a pottery workshop for people who are creative and love exploring their talent. The resort also arranges for a nice backwater ride in their boats. If you love adventure, then you must go for the ride. It is a delight to feel absorbed amidst the solitude that is spread so beautifully. Mangrove trees are spread evenly and caress the backwaters, while exotic birds like kingfisher enjoy their moment of freedom.

The boat ride concludes with a beautiful and clean beach called the Golden Sands. The highlight of this beach is its cleanliness. It is always a delight to watch the sun go down and immerse in the water.

There are other activities that the resort caters to. The team organized a fabulous sight-seeing experience in the city. We visited the Padmanabhswamy temple, Napier Museum and Chitra Art Galley. If you love handloom, a visit to the handloom store is a must. They have 100 % pure handloom sarees and suits. Besides that the famous Kerala spice shop is also recommended as they have original spices like turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom and much more.

My overall experience at the Estuary Sarovar Portico Poovar

I couldn’t name a single fault. From the moment I arrived until I departed, there was not a single flaw. Each staff member, the guest service executives, helpers, room service, restaurant servers are extremely skilled and warm. Their patience and perseverance is commendable as they adhere to the guests’ requests with so much ease.