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ABOUT OUR RIVERSIDE CHÂTEAU

“Cranganor History Café & Riverside Château”is a labour of love. Rasmi, Vineeth & their daughters Tanvi & Tia moved to Kerala in 2017 to give shape to the place they had been dreaming about for years. Rasmi & Vineeth are MBA’s from IIM Bangalore and XLRI Jamshedpur respectively and between them have almost three decades of experience working at large corporations in various metros in India. Rasmi’s connection with the region began in 2011 when her work in the area of conserving and revitalizing the traditional craft of handloom in Kerala brought her to the village across the river, Chendamangalam, one of the traditional centres of excellence of a craft that is now quickly perishing. For Vineeth, this is the region of his ancerstral village and he has fond memories of numerous summer vacations spent here as a kid back in the 70’s & 80's and etched in his mind are the picturesque rivers & backwaters, the serene beauty of temples, the games kids played, fishing & food. As a child, he remembers hearing adults talk about Vanchinaad, the old Chera capital that existed here two millennia ago and of the legend of the ancient port city of Muziris. Cranganor History Café & Riverside Château is located in the region of this old port city, which historians and archaeologists are now uncovering to be ancient India’s gateway to civilizations with a history dating back more than 3 millennia. By the 1st Century BC, the Chinese, Arabs, Jews, Greeks and Romans were already trading spices here. In the 2nd Century AD, the Portuguese, Dutch and the British arrived, initially to trade and soon were part of the internal power struggles between Travancore, Kochi, Calicut and the Mysore kingdoms. All of them have left their imprints on the region.

WHEN TO VISIT

Kerala has something to offer all year-round. However, the highest tourist traffic begins as the main monsoons subside and the climate is cooler from September till February. The summer season from March to May and the main monsoons from June to August see relatively lower tourist traffic; but the monsoon is also when the rivers are full, nature bountiful and the views most enchanting. Monsoon is also the cheapest season to visit Kerala and get Ayurvedic treatments. We provide lower rates and discounts during this period and you can save on air tickets too.

WHAT OUR GUESTS ARE SAYING

A labour of Love which shows

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This was a sudden trip planned to make my wife's birthday memorable. Infact the first trip that we ever took alone without the kids ! I knew Vineeth and Rashmi, the youngish owners of this slice of heaven before. They gave up plum corporate careers for this place. I came out of curiosity to see what Vineeth had done on his own ! And boy what a place he has created !. Disclaimer - I have no vested interest in this place and it was a fully paid trip ....so this review is as honest as it comes The hosts are amazing and warm and of course very educated and civil It just doesnt get any prettier than this. I will let you decide after you see the photos I upload The staff is locally sourced from the village and are super warm , enthusiastic and eager to please. They are also proud to work in a place in their ecosystem.Jose the the chief Chef used to work in the royal household of Qatar before - make sure you meet and chat with him and ask him what he can cook for you - yes its that interactive here ! Oh,, BTW the seafood is mostly supplied by the fisherman straight from the river / backwaters where the resort is located. Definitely doesn't get any fresher ... If you just want to wallow in natures beauty , then I highly recommend this place, If you want to explore the Mujris heritage and the ancient synagogues (the second oldest in the country), the old Jewish burial ground, or the church established by St Thomas, then its probably the best place to be. I went by boat to all of these places. Takes much more time than by car, but you are treated to sights that will make the gods jealous.In addition, all the claims Rashmi and Vineeth make on their website are true. I actually did a trip to Allepey for a houseboat ride and Athirapalli falls on day trips - super ! Without a doubt, I can say that these were the best 4 days we have ever spent together. These guys have only 9 rooms. I daresay its going to be difficult to get space here once word gets out of this little gem on the mighty river Periyar .... And the best value for money I have had in a long while.

V L Rajesh, CEO - ITC Foods

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