Kovalam, Kerala Holidays, India

‘Heavenly’ is a word often used to describe the Surya Samudra, an ultra-chic boutique resort overlooking a pair of golden-sand coves to the south of Kovalam. You’re well away from the hurly burly here.Pounding surf and shimmering palm leaves are the only sounds you’re likely to hear ensconced in your Keralan-style cottage, with salty breezes billowing through open windows.

The resort holds 22 relocated nallukettu houses, each individually styled with a gorgeous blend of oiled wood, glowing Indian textiles and floaty curtains. Some look straight out to sea; others have their own private courtyards with banyans growing in them. You’ll spend ages showering in the open-to-sky pebble bathroom, and lazing in the east-meets-west clifftop spa, and octagonal pool overlooking the cove.

Our opinion

A quiet seafront hotel with ethic style rooms, south of Kovalam.