Bolgatty Palace, Mulavukadu, Kochi. Built in 1774 by a Dutch trader, now state-run. Accom 26 rooms. Contact Ph: 0484-384448, 355003, 384456

Fort Heritage Hotel, 1/283, Napier Street, Elphinstone Road, Fort Cochin, Kochi. 300 years old, Dutch-built, now privately owned. Accom 10 rooms, all A/C, 2 suites. Contact Ph: 0484-215333, 215455, 216901, 215903

Brunton Boatyard, Fort Cochin, Kochi, Hotel redone in Colonial style on grounds of boatyard. Contact Ph: 0484-225557, 221461-68

Tharakan's Heritage Resort, Puthenveetil Parayil, Ezhupunna, 56 km from Kochi airport. Tharavadu built 1827. Accom 3 rooms. Contact P.H. Hormis Tharakan, Ph: 0478-872085, 873188

Coconut Lagoon, Kumarakom, 78 km from Kochi. Leader of the pack in Kerala's Heritage Resorts; cottages reassembled from tharavadus of aristocratic families. Accom 14 mansions, 28 bungalows, 8 private pool villas. Contact Central Reservations, Casino Hotel, Willingdon Island, Kochi Ph: 0484-668221/421

Kumarakom Lake Resort, Kumarakom North, Pallichira, Kottayam. Heritage resort; cottages sourced from tharavadus of aristocratic families. Accom 50 cottages. Contact Ph: 0481-524900

The Lake Village, Kodimatha, Kottayam. New resort done in old style. Accom Cottages set on backwater. Contact Ph: 0481-303622

Lake Palace, Thekkady, Idukki District, 200 km from Kochi. Once the summer retreat of the Maharaja of Travancore; set spectacularly in the middle of the Periyar Lake. Perfect for luxurious wild-life watching. Accom 6 rooms. Contact Ph: 04863-22023

Kayaloram Lake Resort, Punnamada, Alleppey, 90 km from Kochi airport. Reassembled tharavadus, using only wood, bricks and tiles. Accom 12 cottages. Contact Ph: 0477-232040, 231573.

Emerald Isle Heritage Home, Kanjooparambil-Manimalathara, Alleppey, 65 km from Kochi. 160-year-old ancestral home situated on island 10 km out of Alleppey. Accom 5 rooms. Contact Ph: 0477-703899

Spice Village, Thekkady, 190 km from Kochi. Recreated ambience of Kerala tribal community. Accom 52 cottages. Contact Casino Hotel, Kochi Ph: 0484-668221/421

Somatheeram Ayurvedic Beach Resort, Chowara, Thiruvananthapuram, 21 km from airport. Reassembled Kerala houses with antiques. Accom 6 kinds of cottages. Contact Ph: 0471-481601

Surya Samudra Beach Garden, Pulinkudi Mullur, Thiruvananthapuram, about 20 km from airport. Beautiful, classy cluster of transplanted Kerala tharavadus. Accom 18 cottages/suites. Contact Ph: 0471-480413/1702/1824/1825

The Travancore Heritage, Chowara, 23 km from Thiruvananthapuram. Traditional 'nalukettu' set on the seaside. Accom 43 (all A/C), 2 suites. Contact Ph: 0471-262828/29, 262831/32.

Keraleeyam Heritage Home, Thathampally, Alleppey, 65 km from Kochi airport. 70-year-old Kerala home in a picturesque backwater setting. Accom 5 rooms (A/C), 4 cottages. Contact Ph: 0477-231468/236950, 0477-254501/2/3

Ayisha Manzil, Court Rd, Telicherry, 95 km from Calicut airport. 138-year-old colonial mansion located on a hill overlooking the Arabian Sea. Known by town residents as Judge's Bungalow. Accom 6 rooms. Contact Ph: 0490-341590

Shanthitheeram Lakeside Heritage Resort, Varanam Post, Alleppey, 57 km from Kochi. Heritage resort that offers traditional 'ettukettu' accommodation as well as modern buildings. Accom 12 rooms. Contact Ph: 0478-582333