The Privilege - Ayurveda Beach Resort

The treatments and yoga made this a real wellness break, and I felt like a new person afterwards. It’s a lovely spot by the sea, sun, and sand, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for that kind of experience. I also felt safe coming here alone. This small, beautiful, quiet hotel is a little paradise and an authentic, unpretentious place for Ayurveda care, facing the ocean. The Safe and Secure certification and strict procedures were reassuring. The hotel is quite big, but only 50% of the rooms were offered, which I appreciated. Our package covered everything from arrival to departure, and arranging it was easy. The kind staff looked after us, with fresh juices and teas available all day. Meals were freshly made and served individually. We had two hours of treatment each day with skilled therapists who’d been with the hotel a long time, plus morning yoga. Waking to waves and birds really was just like the email said. It was my first trip in two years, and the best stay I’ve had.

The doctor, therapists, and Chef made sure my needs were met. The food was delicious, and the massages and treatments were amazing. Set right on the beach among an old coconut plantation, the rooms are spacious and clean. It was a perfect stay for me, though this kind of Ayurvedic retreat may not suit everyone, so do your own research.

The staff were kind and did their best with what they had, but I wouldn’t return to ‘The Privilege Ayurveda Resort’ or recommend it. I stayed for two weeks and came away disappointed. The manager said the resort was a level 1 hotel, but I couldn’t find it on the official level 1 hotel list. When I first contacted the ‘booking office’ three weeks before my stay, they said occupancy was high and urged me to book quickly. Yet on arrival there were only four other guests. In the last week there were just two of us, and I suspect the resort closed after we left. Perhaps that explains why the pool was dirty and never cleaned during my stay. I stopped using it in the final days. The treatment towels were past their expiration time and weren’t changed between each treatment. Food was basic, much the same for everyone, and didn’t vary much. Breakfast was especially repetitive, and we had one fruit juice during the day, served with lunch. I think there were two kinds of tea, with a thermos bottle to help yourself. The treatments and medication seemed more or less the same for everyone. I don’t think they were very effective, although you may lose weight. I did, even though I didn’t want to. At the end, they gave us a list of foods to eat, have rarely, or avoid. I’d eaten plenty during those two weeks of foods I was supposed to have rarely 😂. It felt like someone was running the hotel on the lowest possible budget to make the most profit, which is sad.

The therapists, both women and men, were fantastic, and I can’t thank them enough for their care and attention. The doctor was attentive, knowledgeable, and always available when a problem came up. The two chefs cooked varied meals perfectly, the two waiters were caring and attentive, and the two housekeeping men worked considerately around our treatments and wishes. Sadly, management let down the rest of the experience. We found broken light fittings, a toilet that wouldn’t flush, a broken sink, and badly mouldy rooms. We were told the mould was because of all the rain, and that the rooms had been aired and cleaned beforehand. Mould can make lung or skin problems worse, so this is a serious concern for anyone with those issues. Across the bridge to the tea area, the bridge was uneven and its rusty rails were falling apart. We had high expectations, but general repairs and care of the rooms and grounds weren’t kept up. When we raised complaints about management, we felt ignored because they already had our money. Such a shame, since everything else was great. I haven’t added negative photos because I hope they’ll make repairs, and I want the staff to keep their jobs. 🙏