Samiira On Ashtamudi Lake

The heritage-style atmosphere is nice, and it’s close to Kollam city, but the place doesn’t have full resort facilities, luxury amenities, or hotel-style room service. There aren’t activities, either. After 6 PM it gets completely dark and feels lifeless. We stayed as a family and it didn’t meet our expectations. One night we were singing softly together in our room when Mr. Krishnan knocked and asked us to stop because guests upstairs had complained about the sound. It made us uncomfortable. This seems better for couples or solo travelers looking for a quiet lakeside break than for families who want activities, entertainment, or a lively atmosphere.

The location itself is beautiful, but a wedding shoot there was a disappointing experience because of an elderly security guard on duty. He was arrogant and disrespectful to the people accompanying the bride and groom for photos. He wouldn’t let even one or two essential support people stand near them, making it very hard to coordinate the shoot. Rules could have been enforced politely, but his manner felt hostile and unwelcoming. I hope management looks into it and trains staff to treat visitors, especially people there for special occasions, with more respect.

The lake is right next to this cozy, nice resort, and the staff were courteous and accommodating. It’s what I’d expect from a two-tier holiday city. I loved my stay.

The setting is very quiet by the lake, a nice place to clear your head and get away from the chaos. The hotel looks lovely, calm, and clean everywhere. Ayurveda consultations and treatments are available. I talked with the doctor about my swollen legs, and we agreed on a massage for circulation and relaxation. It was amazing, although I ended up with lots of bruises on my legs and arms. :))) The dinner was delicious, but ordering it has to be done in advance. I arrived at 3:30pm and was asked right away, before I’d even had a chance to go to my room and leave my bags. There was very little information before arrival or during the stay. I had to ask about basic things like breakfast times and location, and massages. My room was otherwise perfect, but the sound insulation was a big problem. I could hear almost everything from the noisy guests above me, including furniture moving in the evening and heavy stomping, even with the fan on and earplugs in. There were lots of mosquitoes despite my long dress and mosquito cream, and nothing like a stick, spray, or candle seemed to be provided. I struggled with them during dinner. No one told me breakfast was at 8:30am or explained that it was a buffet or where to find it. When I finally did, it wasn’t appealing, so I skipped it. There was curry, something in a pot I couldn’t open, toast, banana, and mixed fruit. No fresh fruit or eggs, and I couldn’t ask whether I could order eggs because nobody was around. Card payment is possible, but I found it unacceptable that they took my card and used it without showing me the amount on the display first. The place is very nice, but with all these small problems and the high nightly price, I wouldn’t come back.