Villa Retreat - Boutique Hotel

We had visited Villa retreat in the second week of May 2024 and have booked a mini sun valley view room and a garden view room. Below is a detailed/lengthy review of our experience. Booking process : The booking process was very well managed and a smooth experience. Mr. Pradeep and Mr. Vinodh were very helpful and guided us well to book a room of our choice. Cancellation policy was also fair and straightforward. Our experience in accessing their website/communicating with Villa retreat and geeting our booking confirmed was a smooth experience. Location : Situated in Coakers walk, Villa retreat is very close to the main attractions to Kodai town Coakers walk is adjacent to Villa retreat and Bryant park is just opposite to the stay. The bus stand is about 3 minutes away and Astoria Veg restaurant is also a 3 minute walk. Rooms : The rooms are well managed and well laid out. The mini Sun valley view room has a steep climb down into the room and there are around 5 steps leading down to the room. The bathroom is very small and the mini sun valley view room, though provided with a good view and a spacious window, is small. The gardn view room is spacious and faces the garden and the valley beyond. Both these rooms are accessible after climbing a flight of staris (around 6-7). Elderly people may find this a bit inconvenient. Bassic toileteries and towels are provided in the rooms. Lighting can be improved in the Garden view room. The passages and the whole stay is lighted in the night - however, lighting can improve with at least one brighter light in the garden area and near the steps leading to the restaurant - we experienced rain and the stairs were slippery - lighting leading to the restaurant can improve. Hot water is available 24 hrs - note that the bathrooms are only provided with a fixed shower and no taps/buckets are available (they provide on request). Dining : Breakfast is served complimentary. Food is good and freshly prepared. A set menu is provided to the guests to choose from. However, service is very slow and preparation of items take a very long time. This is an area where they need to improve a lot. For the 2 days that we stayed there, we experienced a considerable delay in serving our order. The dining area is a small place with a seating capacity of about 15 in 2 small rooms - if the dining area is full, it feels a bit cramped. They also have a small functional fire place which is a nice touch to the dining area. Food is tasty, but on the pricier side. The portion size does not justify the price and can be reviewed by the management. Warm/hot water is also served thoughfully and is of good quality (note : bottled water - 1 ltr/2 ltrs - are not available anywhere in Kodaikanal). Other facilities include a small lobby near the reception, a fairly good collection of reading material and a carrom board. Staff : the staff were very friendly and courteous and go that extra mile to help the guests feel comfortable. We were caught in a

It's my preferred place to stay in Kodaikanal. Rooms are nice and you have options to choose from rooms to suites. I stayed in a suite which had great views and was spacious. The service is warm and friendly... but the nicest thing, after the stunning views, is the food. Chef Shabad and his team work magic . Wholesome food with amazing local flavours. Nothing is "usual". There is a warm casual vibe to the place. Thank you

Excellent location close to the lake and botanical gardens; but the room was very small; bathroom was very basic; overall, room cleanliness can be better; the tv wasn’t working, and the staff couldn’t get it to work

Had an amazing stay in Villa retreat, Kodaikanal. Things that worked well for us. 1. The property is located on top for he hill and we stayed in the Sun valley view rooms. So the views were breath taking. Felt like we were in the clouds. 2. The food menu is amazing. The chef Shabadh has been doing an amazing job with the menu - Dakshin (soup), The drop v2 (coconut jello dessert), and many more curries. 3. We went on weekday. So there was not much crowd. We also saw that on Sat when we were returning the streets became very crowded. 4. The property is also located right next to Coackers walk and Bryant park. So we only have walked to finish 5 activities. No crowds. 5. Overall a great experience staying, food, site seeing, and the Chef!

The morning view especially the sunrise was mesmerizing... Loved the cottage we lived in and the staff was really kind and cooperative. The food was decent too and the flavours were delectable. We are really happy to have found this accomodation.

Villa retreat has a rustic charm with its calm and serene surroundings. It's easy to spend your entire holiday within the premises, especially during the summer holiday season where all of the Kodaikanal seems to be bustling with people, you don't want to leave the laid back confines of the property. Food is great. Staff are polite. All in all a great experience.

Overall had a good experience at Villa retreat. The Food was delicious. The views from the resort were exceptionally beautiful. It is a little overpriced. Though.However the location of the place is fantastic.

Villa Retreat is positioned strategically to capture the Kodaikanal view – valley, hills, city et al and a short walk away from the marketplace. We feasted on golden sunrises and a healthy, tasty menu topped by detox to wash away the city blues. And what a pleasant surprise to get the granola bar recipe straight from the chef’s storehouse! Thank you, Praddeep and Chef Shadab for the offbeat exploring tips and a smiling Rebecca and staff for your kind hospitality.

It was a wonderful experience in Villa Retreat. We were 2 families with young kids and stayed for 2 nights . The location is close and walkable distance to the town center and just beside the Croakers walk . Everything from the room amenities, the food , the staff and the chef was an experience that we would cherish for a long time . The room we choose , Signature suite with Fireplace gave a wonderful view of the sunrise . I would definitely recommend this place to my friends and family