2017

Below is feedback from our customers. If you would like to add your own feedback about a Kerala Connections holiday - scroll down to the bottom of the relevant year and click on COMMENTS. Our ON-LINE QUESTIONNAIRE can be found at the top of our home page.
Scores are 1 - 5 with 5 being the top score.

We are now back in the UK after our wonderful holiday in South India.  We loved every moment and would gladly do it all over again.  We should like to thank you and the local agents, for all the organisation and the choice of our accommodation which was perfect everywhere.  Our driver, Shibu, is a perfect Ambassador.  He is good company with a ready sense of humour, always courteous and helpful and a very good driver. His car was kept shining like a new pin every day.  Roger and I have already discussed a repeat trip and will be in touch again very soon!!

Jo Taylor

A big thank you for arranging such a wonderful holiday for us.  The Homestays were lovely and very friendly and I feel like we got a real taste of life in Kerala, which is what I wanted.  Your information booklet was brilliant so helpful and I referred to it all the time. Your contact in Kerala was also very quick to respond and helpful (as you were before we left).  We are now in Sri Lanka but have many memories of India that I will treasure and am already thinking about a return trip.  I will get round to writing individual reviews for the Homestays but wanted to thank you first. 

Jane Bay

We had a brilliant holiday and enjoyed every aspect of it. Your planning was spot on for us and the pace of the holiday just right. The transport worked perfectly and we soon realised that we could just relax and a driver would appear to take us on to our next completely different accommodation.  Each place was our favourite until we got to the next one! The holiday has left all 6 of us keen to go back.  Thank you for organising such a memorable holiday for us. 
Jackie Flatman

Absolutely perfect holiday in every way. Transfers, meet and greets, organisation, pre-trip planning and accommodation recommendations we could not fault in any way. Thank you!
Claire von Ribbeck and Richard Davies

Our holiday was great! Spotting so many exotic and sometimes rare birds, the journey through the Western Ghats and meeting so many friendly India people were the most memorable and exciting parts of this holiday.  I would not hesitate in recommending to a friend. 
Chris Bush 
(Booked through Responsible Travel – full feedback may be found on that website).

Hello Diana

Can I thank once again for your help and understanding on helping me sort out the problems I had with our eTV visas.  I will always be grateful. Thank you.

We are also grateful for helping us have truly wonderful holiday. There are just too many highlights and special moments to mention here but needless to say we had a fantastic time everywhere we stayed and visited.

Please pass on our thanks to Gary for all his planning and recommendations which all worked out so well.

Kind Regards

Derek Ratcliffe

Just wanted to let you know what an amazing holiday we have just had. Thank you for helping me to plan it. I have done the feedback form, so you should get that next week, have to start saving for the next one now!! 
Sue, Lee and Jacqueline Warburton

Just to let you know that we had a really good time in Kerala. Thank you for your organisation and all the other people (especially Anil Kumar our driver) who were involved.  I normally put together a record of what we got up to while we were away (useful to look back on for the future or for friends) and in due course I will send a copy to you.    
Edward Tozer

Please pass on my thanks to Gary and the team for organising our trip.  All the paperwork and transfers went as planned which meant  we were able to enjoy our holiday.  I would certainly recommend you, Kerala Connections, to other people. 
Celia Palmer

Overall we had a wonderful time. Without a doubt our two favourite locations were still Dewalokam and the backwaters on the Houseboat - exactly the same as last time. Like many people, we continued to be really impressed by the hospitality at Dewalokam. The family are naturally friendly people but we felt their warmth was reflected in the staff too, especially the young boys who served at table. The place also has plenty of interest by way of the farm and accompanied excursions. I was also fortunate in being invited to teach in the local school again. Punnamada - beautiful setting by the lake. A Beach Symphony - a truly beautiful place, fabulous setting and lovely staff.  High levels of comfort and decoration.  So - overall a good holiday; thank you again for your detailed planning and organisation. We hope to use you again sometime. 
Sheila and Geoff Rapley

Your itinerary and accommodation choices were really great, especially since we were booking at the last minute!  The drivers were all great.  The guy who was with us for 6 days from was really helpful. It wasn't obvious if/how things were being organised but someone always turned up on schedule and it all went smoothly. It was a wonderful holiday and we will definitely book with you again – soon we hope!  Thank you for everything. 
Susan and Alan McNab
(booked on 18 January – departed on 8 February – Kerala’s busiest month)

An exciting and most enjoyable holiday with a great welcome from agents, drivers and hotel staff.  It was privilege to witness the Pongal holiday at the Tanjore temple, the fort and elsewhere.  Our favourite place was Rajakkad, a tribute to British eccentricity, but we also enjoyed the unique Danish post-colonialism of Tranquebar and were lucky to witness posh wedding at the Radisson and a betrothal at Anantya. All in all a well-designed tour and a memorable holiday.

Colin Sara

Our driver Siji is a gem.  Personable, knowledgeable and obliging.  He made our holiday memorable - we came to regard him as a friend.
Mr and Mrs Whiston

We have been back for a few days from our trip to Kerala: we had a wonderful time. Thank you for organising such a wonderful itinerary, selection of hotels and seamless transport/connections for us. We were able to fully relax and focus purely on enjoying the multitude of experiences we had.  We were very impressed by how well everything was organised, and obviously Daniel/Jerry were constantly checking (mostly behind the scenes) that everything was running smoothly, even though they were not at all intrusive to us. They obviously were in touch with our driver, and also others to ensure everything was OK. Daniel pro-actively re-booked our domestic flight on to the next best option following the major delay to our flight from the UK so we didn't have to deal with that hassle, and it was all easy to sort out how to get the money to them. In short everything very, very well, was well coordinated, and we never had to worry about any of the logistics, leaving us to relax and enjoy our holiday. 
Claire Souch

We loved India.  We love Kerala Connections. 

(Received immediately on their return to the UK).
We had a perfect trip to a land of wonders. Planning was excellent. Every stop was so different from the one before.  We have nothing but praise for the help we had with planning and booking.  We enjoyed the variety and standard of places to stay and the events planned for us balanced with free time.  Length of stays and transfers were perfect.  Travel through three states gave us a real flavour of southern India.  Finally the driver - Sajeeven organised all our events and responded to our requests and interests to make our stay in India one that we will never forget.
Mr and Mrs Grocott

The itinerary and hotels you suggested worked out really well, Jess/Prakash was an excellent driver and companion and all the pick-ups and transfers were on-time and efficient, and we had a most interesting and enjoyable time.  I am attaching a scanned Questionnaire/ accommodation score-sheet, and as you will see the scores are nearly all very good.  The Hindu temples, particularly Madurai, were fascinating.  Our days at Coconut Lagoon and on the Houseboat were great fun, and it was very good to have an excellent villa with pool at Marari Beach.

So, again, thank you very much for arranging all this for us - we will of course be recommending Kerala and your firm to our friends.    
Mr and Mrs Kinsey

We are very satisfied with our holiday. The service you and the local agents have provided is excellent. Everything was well planned and the local agents were always in the back-ground to help, if needed. Like guardian angels.  The food at Marari Sands was fantastic, and the environment balm for the soul.  The Dune got a lower score because the outside furniture was broken and you could not sit on the porch. We also wondered why they change the linens every day, or do not give that option at all. The food and the yoga was perfect.  We are very happy with Raven´s Nest.  Good food, nice surroundings and a clear ecological and environmental thinking.  All in all we want to thank you and your team for a holiday that met with our dreams and surpassed our expectations.
Åse and Gustav Jagner
Mr and Mrs Jagner (from Sweden) booked the South India by Rail holiday through Responsible Travel and a more detailed report of their holiday can be found on that website. 
 

I thought I'd drop you a note to tell what an absolutely fabulous time we had in Kerala. 
I must admit (as we painfully progressed through immigration at Kochi airport and emerged to a sea of faces outside the terminal) to thinking "what have we let ourselves in for"; but your man was at the front of the throng and from there on it was just one delight after another with every day more rewarding than the one before.  In fact it’s hard to put into words just how wonderful it all was.

Each of our drivers and hosts were excellent, the locations were stunning, all the accommodation was superb and some simply out of this world.  It was the most rewarding holiday we have ever experienced.  How do we top it?  I'll send the questionnaire later this week, but you are going to get some seriously good scores from us.
Many thanks for making it all happen so wonderfully.
Stephen and Helen Nickson

We had a wonderful holiday.  Thank you so much.  I’ve just filled in the questionnaire and given nearly everything a glowing report.  We’ll definitely want to go back at some point.  It was one of our best holidays ever.  And a particular mention must go to our driver Siji who was the loveliest most resourceful helpful man in the world. 
Lucinda Montefiore

Great success and we loved every minute.  Right balance of time in each place and right balance of rest to activity.

Dewalokam – a gem!!  For us 4 nights and our arrival in India it was the perfect starting point.
We loved Ambady. Small, low key and charming staff.
Houseboat - yes touristy but we loved it. Lovely people on boat and lovely views and setting. One night was probably enough for us, but a very special experience
Purity - top place this and ticks every box for us. Of course not much to do but chill. But discrete, charming staff and spectacular setting.
So thanks to you for all your help and assistance – we could not have done it or assembled it as well without you.  So I am sure we will be in touch sooner rather than later. 
Simon Taylor

All four homestays (Gitanjali, Amaryllis, Teak House and Dewalokam) are outstanding, provide very good food (Dewalokam was the best) and have excellent hosts/families.  Dewalokam is getting busy - can we make a provisional booking for 2018 now?
Mark and Wendy Bostock 
(Mark and Wendy are regular customers and particularly enjoy the homestay experience)

Overall an excellent holiday and we will be recommending both Kerala and Kerala Connections to friends and family.  We particularly enjoyed the 3 days on the houseboat. The on-board staff were delightful and great company. We think 3 days is the ideal period as it is long enough to navigate away from the crowds, but short enough to hold the magic of the backwaters.
Mike and Dagmar Bere

An excellent holiday for all the family (ranging 21 to 61). Everything was so well organised from the initial booking to the final drop off at the airport. Basil was an excellent driver who had excellent anticipation of the Indian road conditions and adjusted his speed well to suit the conditions.  The local agent was also extremely helpful by lending us a local mobile in case we needed to contact someone, and arranging a train ticket for our son who was travelling independently.

Particular highlights for us were: Kayaking and bird watching at Hornbill Camp; our stay at Royal Mist, Munnar; the houseboat.  The holiday was well balanced with time in a city, the mountains, on the backwaters and by the sea. Thank you for a splendid holiday.

The Sharp Family

We had an excellent holiday to Mumbai and Kerala and thanks to you for organising it.  Mumbai we found very interesting and walked to most places even at night and never felt uneasy or threatened.  We enjoyed Cochin – Malabar House is a nice hotel.  We were really impressed by Dewalokam.  Your choice of houseboat operator is good – we saw some inferior boats.  On the flight back we discussed our holiday and thought that we would struggle to imagine any of our friends and relatives on this holiday – but we like challenges.  If however, we do hear of anyone thinking of holidaying in Kerala/India we would recommend you without hesitation. 

Peter Fletcher

Peter and Ruth took local rickshaws, walked and ate in local restaurants – and it was these experiences that gave them the ‘challenges’ that they mention. 

 
Wanted to tell you how much we enjoyed our holiday, it was seamlessly organised and our driver (Siji) was a star.  We have travelled with you before - and it was another great success for Kerala Connections.  The friends we went with had never been that far - and were slightly aprehensive.  But they too loved their holiday.
Joanna Moxham

We had an absolutely amazing holiday - everything was perfect.  Every day as a massive adventure.  The drivers were so knowledgeable.  The whole holiday was totally fabulous - I can't thank you enough. 

Helen Ellis

All arrangements went according to plan.  Jerry rang and spoke to us to ensure all was well.  The houseboat was superb and the crew looked after us extremely well.  Dewalokam is a wonderful retreat, what an experience – I would recommend to anyone. 

We loved our holiday and are already telling friends about your services.

Mr and Mrs Hutchinson

  

We wanted a "responsible" travel agent who cares about the places and environment.  When researching on the web, your company had one of the best reviews and also allowed us the flexibility of designing our own trip with friendly good advice and help from Gary (thanks Gary).
Kerry Hughes (Australia)

Thank you once again for organising a wonderful holiday for us. We got home on Monday night. We were delighted to meet Anil's lovely family and to be invited by Daniel and Liz to lunch. I shall be sending you my usual feedback when I get a few free hours.  

Leela Grant

Now safely back in freezing London after yet another wonderful trip.

Hampi Boulders - what a fabulous place, and the most concerned and helpful owners/management. On the first night I managed to fall off the pathway on our way to dinner and badly twisted my foot. The next day I couldn't walk at all so had to forego our first day's sightseeing, infuriatingly. The management and owner were full of concern that evening and arranged for me to be seen by one of their friends who was a doctor. We were then sent off to hospital the next morning on his instructions for x-rays. This was all fascinating and made up for the loss of temple-viewing by giving us a real insight into Indian life. Fortunately, the foot was not broken, only badly sprained, so I was strapped up, given some tablets and sent on my way. All for the princely sum of about £8.

The Serai was undeniably luxurious, however, we found the place a bit soulless.  I guess it appeals to a certain type but it wasn't really for us, albeit a perfect stopping point between Hampi and Kannur. The best bit were the two nearby temples at Belur and Halebid. Individually they were far more impressive than anything we saw at Hampi - it real must-see for any temple fans among your clientele.

On to Chera Rocks, which, as ever, is always a joy and really makes our trips to India. Nivedh, Ali and everyone there, as usual, went out of their way to help us enjoy our time there; they really have become friends now after our fourth visit. Can't wait to get back there as soon as humanly possible!

A special mention for Shibu: just the best driver ever. We always feel totally safe with him and thoroughly enjoy his company. Laughs are always had and interesting things and wildlife are pointed out with knowledge and personality. He is worth every penny and we very much look forward to seeing him next year. Please pass on this praise and our thanks to Daniel.

That's it for now, with our thanks to you for yet another brilliant holiday.

Lucinda Martin

Thanks, that's great.  Extremely impressed with the speed and helpfulness of response (again!).  If this is any reflection on our holiday we are going to have a fantastic time, can't wait!  
Laura Luckhurst   Departing shortly

This was a terrific trip.  We congratulate Kerala Connections on choices of locations and perfect organisation.  Well done.  

Mr and Mrs Hughes

We acknowledge the very thorough preparation you put in to your itineraries and the efficiency of your administration.  Very many thanks for all your help.  
Jo Taylor

Malcolm and I thoroughly enjoyed our holiday, and we recommended your company to several guests that we met at Coconut Lagoon resort. Speaking of which, we cannot speak highly enough of this place, in particular the reception area manageress, nothing was too much trouble - even arranging excursions to an annual religious festival and allowing a member of staff to accompany us.

Ironically, one of our highlights was a strike day, we hired a tuk tuk, there was no traffic, and we spent about three hours really absorbing the atmosphere of Cochin.

Thank you for all of your help, it was much appreciated.  
Sue Cashmore

What a "hot" business you run, and what a great team you have!!!   Three working days from start to finish to fix a wonderful fortnight in Kerala. Flights, accommodation, transfers, visas - the lot - for a holiday where we asked for your ideas less than a month before our hoped-for date of departure....... Very impressive!  Kind regards and thanks to all at Kerala Connections!  
John Davies

This was a terrific trip.  Everything worked like clockwork – the agent and drivers were all brilliant.  We congratulate Kerala Connections on choices of locations and perfect organisation.  Well done!  Mr and Mr Hughes