Taj Wayanad Resort & Spa, Kerala

The resort is relaxing and has great views, though there isn’t much to do nearby. If you’re happy to spend your time at the property, it’s a great place. We stayed two nights for Valentine's day in room no 104, a water-facing cottage. The room was very clean and luxurious, as you’d expect from a Taj property. Its balcony overlooked the dam water despite being at a corner, though a room a little farther away might have had a better view. We spent quite a while on the joggers trail, which runs beside the water and offers great views even with the fencing. The infinity pool overlooks the water, but it was very cold even at 1pm. Heated water would have made it more comfortable. The activity area has pool, foosball, carrom, ludo, table tennis, and air hockey, and the fitness center is top notch with modern equipment. We had breakfast, hi tea, and dinner on both days. Breakfast and dinner were buffets included in our package, with good food and plenty of variety. As at any Taj property, they go the extra mile to keep you happy. One day hi tea included a traditional dance, and the other day singers. We drove our EV, and the charger location was the one thing I didn’t like. It’s outside the checkgate, in an unlit spot with no internet signal. I had to walk to the valet to start it through the App. Staff there didn’t know much about the charger, and it failed to connect the first time. Still, I did manage to fully charge the vehicle.

We loved the beautiful location, relaxing atmosphere, and luxurious looking buildings, which were well looked after. The high tea, art tour, candle lighting ceremony, pool, gym, cricket area, and tasty food with lots of options were all highlights. But for what we paid, the service and facilities brought down the experience, especially because several problems happened together. When we arrived around 2:30PM, someone’s half-eaten cake was left beside our door and wasn’t cleared until evening. Before the trip we received lots of emails advertising extras like upgrades and a cooking course. I asked by email about a vegetarian cooking course and was told the chef would respond, but never heard back. I followed up by email a few days later and got the same answer. I asked again at check-in whether it could be vegetarian, was told again they’d ask the chef, and in the end we got no response and didn’t do the course. At checkout, we were told 10% would be deducted from our food bill through our Taj membership, but I checked later and didn’t see the discount. We only had half a roll of toilet paper, with no replacement when it ran out. When breakfast opened at the promised 7:30AM, some food wasn’t ready yet, including dosa. The EV charger is also in an inconvenient place.

The kids had a wonderful time, especially getting to join in with pizza making. Master Chef-Mr.Raj took great care of everything and paid attention to all the little details. He also made the effort to get the children involved, and we’re very grateful to him. The whole team treated us like family. Everyone was humble, respectful, warm, and ready to help with a smile. They even prepared food to suit the kids’ personal choices. We had a truly comfortable and memorable stay, and will surely visit again.

Chef Raj and restaurant manager Mr Sreejith made us feel welcome and took care of our needs throughout our four nights at Taj Wayanad. The servers were warm and polite too. The hotel restaurant had an impressive variety of cuisines, and the food was always tasty and cooked just right. I especially loved the calamari with curry leaves, and had to order it twice. The property is well maintained, and the pool has a beautiful view over the dam. The rooms are a decent size and spotless, thanks to Aswanth and the housekeeping team. The staff are what make this place special. I’d love to return.