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India Hotels and Resorts - India will sideswipe you with its size, clamour and diversity - but if you enjoy delving into convoluted cosmologies and thrive on sensual overload, then it is one of the most intricate and rewarding dramas unfolding on earth, and you'll quickly develop an abiding passion for it. Nothing in the country is ever quite predictable; the only thing to expect is the unexpected, which comes in many forms and will always want to sit next to you. India is a litmus test for many travellers - some are only too happy to leave, while others stay for a lifetime. The country's glorious diversity means there's an astonishing array of sacred sites, from immaculately kept Jain temples to weathered Buddhist stupas; there's history around every corner, with countless monuments, battle-scarred forts, abandoned cities and ancient ruins all having tales to tell; and there are beaches to satiate the most avid sun worshipper. On a personal level, however, India is going to be exactly what you make of it.

Taj Garden Retreat Kumarakom Kumarakom, Kerala - INDIA Hotel Rating: Reserve Inquire View Rates

The hotel, originally known as Baker's Bungalow, comprises of a set of completely refurbished colonial bungalows on the banks of the Vembanad Lake. The picturesque lake and sylvan bird sanctuary nearby make you feel one with nature. The Taj Garden Retreat is 14 km from Kottayam and easily accessible by land and water. Taj Garden Retreat is 20 km from Kottayam railway station. Originally built by an English missionary 123 years ago, Baker's Bungalow, as it was then called, housed four generations of the Baker family. Set in rustic surroundings on the edge of the picturesque Vembanad Lake, the hotel has 22 rooms including rooms in cottages and in houseboats anchored in the lake.

ACCOMMODATION: 22 air-conditioned rooms including suites. Standard Rooms: All rooms are elegantly appointed and offer guest amenities like international direct dial facility, channel music and colour television with satellite programmes. Choose from rooms in the Baker's Bungalow (Old-World) or live in one of the hotel's anchored houseboats. Deluxe Room: Old-World room in the Baker's Bungalow. Cottage Rooms: 10 rooms, including 1 Deluxe Cottage Room and 3 Deluxe Rooms facing the pool.     FACILITIES AND SERVICES : Restaurant : Serves Indian, Continental and local cuisine. Open from 7 a.m. to 10.30 p.m. Business Facilities :24-hour copier/facsimile facilities. Recreation : Backwater cruises on a Ketuvallam (Keralite houseboat) and night fishing on a country boat. Speedboats, rowboats and fishing rods on request. Table tennis, indoor games, badminton court. Nature books and binoculars for bird watching. Facilities and Services : Travel desk, car rental, currency exchange, safe deposit lockers and doctor-on-call. Room service.