The Malabar Beach Resort

Sunil was helpful from the pre-booking through checkout, and the staff were understanding and great to deal with. My family enjoyed our stay at The Malabar Beach Resort, and it felt family friendly. I saw foreign tourists, families, and couples there. The beach is right outside, and the small, cozy resort has a well-kept public area, good-tasting food, pet-friendly rooms, easy check-in and checkout, and plenty of parking. They have a limited number of villas. A swimming pool is being built for those who'd rather swim in a pool than the sea. We booked one of the two rooms set aside for guests with pets, but it smelled strongly of dog urine. The room could have been cleaned better. We reported it and asked for room freshener, but that didn't help much. Since we needed to stay the night before travelling the next day, we had to make do. The A/C also struggled to cool, and the smell made it harder to sleep. It may have needed servicing. The rooms and bathrooms could use better maintenance. The approach road is extremely narrow for about 1 km. In an SUV, I could barely get through, and when a car or bike came the other way, we got stuck. We had told the team the day before that we needed hot water for an early bath, and they said it would be available. When we left at 6 am, there was none, so we had to take a cold shower with no other solution. Breakfast starts around 8-8:30 am, too late for us to eat before leaving early. Starting at least at 7 would help people who want breakfast earlier. Dinner is served around 8-8:30 pm, which means a wait if you eat early. There are some things to improve, but we still enjoyed our stay.

The clean, quiet beach is easy to reach, and the property's location is its main advantage. Rooms are small but decent. For around ₹32,000 for two rooms, though, the experience was disappointing and felt overpriced and poorly managed. Service was very poor. We had to ask for everything, then wait a long time, and there was no phone in the room, so each request meant walking to reception. Reception and dining share a space that was often unmanned, leaving us knocking or looking for staff. Housekeeping was extremely poor too. Our room wasn't cleaned for two days, the bed wasn't made, and towels weren't changed. The bathroom exhaust fan didn't work. There was no kettle or tea and coffee setup, no iron, and the water bottle wasn't complimentary despite what we'd expected. Basic bathroom items were missing, including conditioner, moisturizer, toothbrushes, and toothpaste. They provided only cheap ₹1 shampoo sachets and a questionable dispenser. With better service and maintenance, this place could be much better, but as it is, the location and beach don't make up for the issues.

The beach opposite the resort was beautiful, serene, and clean, making it a lovely place for a getaway. The resort itself was clean and well maintained. Sunil was helpful, the staff were friendly, and manager Hari responded quickly. I'd definitely recommend it if you're in Kannur, you'll be happy with the stay.

We got a free upgrade from the hotel, which made us even happier. The rooms were clean and spacious, and the resort felt cozy, bright, and lively right by Kannur thottada beach. The food tasted really good, though there weren't many options. Kannur's beaches are a little away from the main market, so having a personal or rented vehicle is suggested for quicker access to nearby sights and markets.