Amritara Shalimar Spice Garden Resort & Spa, Thekkady: A Solo Traveller Review

Disclosure: I paid for this stay myself and the opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you book through them, at no extra cost to you. Stayed: May 2026. Last updated: 28/09/26

A peaceful spice garden stay in Thekkady.

Thatched cottages surrounded by greenery.

And a wonderful Ayurveda treatment to finish.

As part of a six-night solo wellbeing trip in Kerala, I spent two nights at Amritara Shalimar Spice Garden Resort & Spa, close to Thekkady – the spice abundant region of Kerala.

➜ Read more about my 6 night Kerala Wellbeing Trip here

My review covers the accommodation, food, accessibility, the solo travel experience and what it was like as a wellbeing stay.

Amritara Shalimar Spice Garden Resort & Spa in Thekkady

Amritara’s thatched rooms and cottages are scattered among lush green spice plantations, surrounded by trees laden with mango, nutmeg and cardamom, on the edge of the Periyar Tiger Reserve.

Rooms range from simple standard rooms to luxury villas with their own private pools. I opted for a standard room — small, simply designed and topped with a thatched roof.

My room looked out onto trees and spices, with the sights and sounds of nature all around me – from the intense chorus of evening cicadas to a wild giant squirrel that provided an entertaining show.

Amritara is an established hotel group with properties in destinations across India.

My first impressions of Amritara Shalimar

Amritara has quite a dramatic entrance.

From the carpark, you enter from the top of the resort and descend down palm-fringed steps to a bridge that takes you across verdant vegetation to the reception.

It feels a little like you are making a grand entrance!

Then at the end of the bridge, you are welcomed with a bindi placed to your forehead and a cool drink.

The grounds of Amritara Shalimar

The main reception area is beautiful, with a real traditional feel.

You look up to an open thatched roof, giving a strong sense of nature and earth, with lots of interesting design touches – low tables, colourful lounging areas, wooden artefacts, Moroccan-style lamps and umbrellas hanging ready for the monsoon rains.

In one corner, there’s a deep red lounge with a fireplace for cooler nights, along with a chessboard and other games. It’s a lovely snug space to relax.

The whole resort sits within a spice garden, so wherever you wander, you’re among the plants and trees that give the place its name. There are spice tours of the grounds available every day.

Rooms are dotted throughout the grounds in different settings, some sit on terraces among the greenery, while others are grouped around the swimming pool.

The pool was a pleasant spot, surrounded by trees and greenery.

My room at Amritara Shalimar

Rooms vary quite a bit at Amritara. I opted for a standard room, which was lovely, although the more luxurious options, some with their own private pools, looked particularly appealing!

My room was small but perfectly adequate, with a comfortable bed, fan, air conditioning, wardrobe and the usual essentials. I liked the design, which had a simple, clean but classic Indian feel.

I particularly liked the bathroom. It had an old colonial feel, with eco-friendly bathroom product and the shower was powerful and hot (which is not always a given in India!)

I also had a terrace, which was a pleasant place to sit, although it didn’t offer much privacy as it looked out onto a path used by other guests. I personally prefer a more enclosed terrace or balcony.

The restaurant and food

I’d paid for half board, so breakfast and evening meals were both included, with a great range on offer. Breakfast covered both Indian and continental choices, while dinner was Indian, with an à la carte menu also available if you wanted something more international.

The restaurant itself was lovely, with an outdoor area decorated with colourful lanterns and wooden tables. I liked the informal feel, which made it particularly comfortable as a solo traveller.

The food was tasty, with plenty of variety and I loved  having the choice of different dishes at each meal.

The Ayurveda treatment at Amritara – top notch!

What I particularly loved about this stay at Amritara Shalimar Spice Garden was the Ayurveda treatment.

It felt like the treatment I’d been waiting for. I’d had a few others in Kerela and Goa, but they hadn’t quite ticked all the boxes for me. This one really did.

I had a two-hour ayurvedic treatment that included Shirodhara with a head massage, a full-body massage and a steam bath. There was a real sense of clear flow between each stage and the therapist looked after me every step of the way.

It began with a short head and shoulder massage, before moving into the Shirodhara — actually the best I’ve experienced, with oil drizzled over the forehead followed by a beautiful head massage.

The full-body massage that followed was wonderful — deep, flowing, and she made sure I was warm throughout, so I felt properly cosy and cocooned in the process.

At the end, the therapist led me out through a door into an enclosed, leafy courtyard, where a wooden seated steamer stood under cover at the far end. She opened the steamy door and I sat down, fully enclosed apart from my head.

I loved being left to steam there, looking out onto the fresh greenery of the courtyard. The ability to take in nature while steaming felt both fresh and…well, steamy.

The Therapist

The therapist was clearly very experienced, but what made the treatment particularly special was the way she approached it. She was caring, confident in her manner and attentive, I felt completely at ease in her hands.

I’ve always felt that a really good therapist brings something more than technique to a treatment.

Their nature, presence and energy can make a real difference. You can receive an excellent treatment technically, but if something is missing in the person giving it, the experience can feel quite different.

Here, I felt completely cared for.

I’ve had quite a few treatments in different places over the years, and this was genuinely excellent.

The Treatment Rooms

Simple and clean, in dark wood, with a fireplace in one corner (unlit during my treatment). You’re provided with a disposable thing, slippers and a gown.

Treatment Cost: full body massage with steam bath £20 (Rs 2500), Shirohara £15 (Rs 2000)

There was something fitting about ending a solo wellbeing trip through Kerala’s spice country with an Ayurvedic treatment this good.

➜ Learn more about Amritara Shalimar Spice Garden here

What I loved about Amritara Shalimar

• the Ayurveda treatments
• the steam cabinet overlooking a leafy courtyard
• the very attentive, professional and caring therapist
• thatched huts set among the spice plantations
• excellent value for money
• delicious food
• the sights and sounds of nature, from the evening cicadas to the giant squirrel

I wasn’t so keen on

• the terrace, which was pleasant but offered no privacy (other room types do)
• quite a lot of steps

How did I feel as a solo woman traveller?

I felt completely safe here as a solo female traveller. Being a well-organised chain resort, everything felt straightforward and well managed.

I didn’t notice any other solo travellers during my stay, but I never felt out of place on my own. It was the low season for international tourists and the Indian school holidays, so the majority of other guests at this time were families. However, when I spoke to the receptionist she said solo guests were common at other times of the year.

Accessibility

There are quite a few steps and some slopes around the resort, so this is worth considering if you have difficulty with stairs or uneven ground.

If you have balance or mobility issues, I’d recommend asking about the location of your room when booking, as some rooms are easier to reach than others.

Things to do at Amritara Shalimar Spice Garden

Free spice garden tour

A free guided spice garden tour takes place every day. When I joined, I was the only person who turned up, so I ended up with a personal tour of the garden.

The guide gave clear explanations about the different spices and fruit growing around the resort, which made me appreciate the gardens even more and I learnt some new things about the local spices.

I also got personally introduced to the hotel’s cows – always a treat.

There’s a also a range of tours, experiences and hikes on offer that the hotel will also arrange, if that’s something you’d like to do.

Book organised tours & experiences in Thekkady

When I travel I tend to use Get Your Guide or Viator to book trusted tours and experiences.

They are great for solo travellers, not only as a way to discover places but also as a way to meet people.

I particularly liked the look of: Explore The Rustic Life Of Thekkady

Other India Posts

Munnar to Thekkady in 6 nights: 3 Very Different Kerala Stays

Akanta Ayurveda & Yoga Resort Review: A Solo Traveller’s Experience in Cherai, Kerala

Kochi Solo Travel for Women: A Guide for Midlife Travellers

Slow & Cultural Women-Only Tours in India with SheFarer

Visiting Rishikesh as a Midlife Woman with Chronic Illness: A Realistic Guide

10-Day Pranayama Retreat in Rishikesh, India – Review of Yoganga Healing

Nirvana Naturopathy & Ayurveda Retreat and Hospital (Near Mumbai): My Honest Review

The Best Exotic Marigold Retreat – A Midlife Women’s Wellness Retreat in Rajasthan, India 

Slow & Cultural Women-Only Tours in India with SheFarer

Ashiyana Yoga Retreat Goa Review: A Midlife Woman’s Experience of Rest, Yoga & Slow Living

Wellbeing Places

Explore all Wellbeing Place Guides

Gentle & Chronic Illness Solo Travel guides

Sri Lanka for Women with Chronic Illness: A Calm, Restorative Destination for Midlife Solo Travellers

Solo Travel to Morocco with a Chronic Illness: A Midlife Woman’s Guide

Solo Travel to Penang: A Safe, Affordable Island for Midlife Women with Chronic Illness

Travelling Solo with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND): From Fear to Freedom

Solo Travel with Chronic Illness: How to Reclaim Yourself at Midlife

The Unexpected Benefits of Travelling Solo with a Chronic Health Condition