"I have just spent two weeks in Jasar's cottage, and had a fantastic time. The listing description is very accurate, the cottage is a good size and well furnished, if you are looking for quality accommodation secluded from the main tourist area but only 15 min walk or a 5 min tuc tuc trip away this is the place for you. There are deserted beaches, great walks and plenty wildlife to enjoy right on your doorstep. Jasar is the perfect host and has become a good friend, he has a passion and enthusiasm for retaining the local heritage and looking after his families land. We spoke about leaf tea one morning and that afternoon had arranged to drive me on a 6 hour round trip to the Ponmudi tea plantation which was fascinating, the drive there and the plantation location, stunning. He is very welcoming and keen to advise you on local events, customs and places of interest. The preferred tuc tuc driver is a real character and again very willing to ensure your stay is as full and enjoyable as you want it to be. Sharaff the caretaker is always around and keeps the cottages maintained, serves your breakfast and arranges your tuc tucs! I will definitely return to the cottage, the friendliness of the locals, the location, the food, the beaches, and a perfect host, fantastic. The downside, packing my case. Thanks again Gordon"

Gordon Bell, Edinburgh, UK

"Jasar met us on arrival even though it was quite late, he welcomed us with a warm smile and a complimentary coconut which was just what we needed after our long journey to get there from the mountains. The cottage was lovely and everything we expected. The location was quiet and private yet only a short Tuk Tuk ride to the beach or town, though I preferred to walk the 25mins or so along the ocean front. Jasar is a wealth of knowledge on India and we spent some enjoyable time discussing over the lovely traditional breakfasts that Jasar provided each morning. The location was awesome and a very pleasant surprise to us, to watch dolphins and eagles from the breakfast table was sensational. The local fare was fantastic along with the local markets. We highly rate the area , the cottages and the host, it was a great break and we will be going back."

David Wilkie, Australia

"Jasar was a fantastic host to me and 4 friends, (we rented both cottages). He greeted us when we arrived and showed us around, answered our many questions, arranged scooter hire for us and even took one friend to the pharmacy when she was ill. He was everything a host should be and we felt very welcome. The location of the cottages is unbelievable, right on the ocean, we watched dolphins frolic in the water as we ate breakfast! Breakfast was excellent as well, really tasty Keralan food. The cottages themselves are private and comfortable, there is aircon if it gets too hot, but the fan was fine most of the time. We used the hammocks and verandah sun loungers a lot - the view through coconut palms to the sea is stunning. Varkala beach cliff is about a 20 min walk along the beach path or the cottage caretaker will call a rickshaw anytime which will take you there in about 5 mins. There are a couple of restaurants in 5-10 min walking distance at the closest resorts if you don't want to head into Varkala. We had a wonderful stay and missed the cottages as soon as we left!"

Lucy Power, Great Britain

"After travelling around India for 2months I was really looking forward to spending time on my own in my first Airbnb stay. From the initial enquiry through to the actual stay, Jasar was extremely polite, professional and proved to be the most excellent host (and now friend). I stayed in the luxury cottage for 9nights. Jasar greeted me on arrival, introduced me to Sharaf the resident caretaker (and absolute star!) before giving me an overview into the area and potential things to do. In terms of what I was looking for (especially being a single female traveller) this cottage and the whole experience exceeded my expectations - all previous reviews are positive but words alone can not sum up the great time that I had. The cottage is immaculate, clean, tidy, a/c, tv, kitchen, modern shower the lot - the food is delicious (I would jump out of bed in anticipation) and the cottage is located in an ideal spot away from the hustle and bustle/main tourist area (a very pleasant 20-30mins walk along beautiful coast) Jasar is an excellent host! Very knowledgeable about all things Kerela and Indian. I enjoyed several lengthy conversations, trips to the local store, nearby beaches and delicious Indian tea at his home. He even invited me to breakfast at his home on my last morning - a truly amazing and unexpected experience. I always go back to places where there is good, positive energy, where I feel safe and happy - I can't wait to head back here and introduce this amazing place to my friends."

Suki Johal, Great Britain

"My daughter and I have just spent one of most memorable holidays in Luxury Cottage, Varkala. Situated in a coconut grove on top of a cliff overlooking the Arabian sea, the setting doesn't get much better than that! The cottage itself was exactly what we needed and bigger than expected. With high ceilings and air conditioning, we were more than comfortable. Jasar's cottage is set slightly away from the touristy part of the cliff, so you get the feeling that you are in your own private coconut grove. A 30 minute stroll along the cliff and beaches, however, finds you among the bars and stalls where there is a great choice of places to eat and a very relaxed vibe. Quite a few places had already closed for the season, but we still had a great choice and it wasn't crowded at all. En route you can see other cottages which have been built very close together and are crammed in. We didn't see another place to beat our coconut grove! What made our holiday so special was our host Jasar! He really could not do enough for us. He arranged trips for us to ride on elephants, to go on a private boat in the backwaters, to have an ayurvedic massage at the nearby yoga centre which is only a 10 minute walk away. He gave us advice about the locality, cooked lovely breakfasts (served whenever we wanted) and even took us to meet his family in his beautiful home nearby. We really enjoyed his company and he went above and beyond to make our holiday a truly memorable and cultural experience. We now just have to arrange our flights back for the next one!"

Judith Short, Great Britain

"We had a wonderful week at Luxury Cottage. The location was perfect for us, around 2km from the busy cliff and a 1 minute walk from the private beach, where we swam at least twice a day. On two occasions we spotted dolphins as we swam. The accommodation is spacious and very comfortable with a caretaker on hand 24/7. Jasar was an excellent host who couldn't have done more to make us feel welcome. He is also a very decent all-rounder at cricket and we played a few games on the home made wicket which were terrific fun. Every day we were treated to a different and absolutely delicious Keralan breakfast. Our week flew by. We only wish we could have stayed longer!"

Andrew & Laura, Great Britain

"Firstly: What a great place to stay! Fantastic host! A lot of Varkala is really over-crowded, and cottages squeezed in next to each other, but this place is away from the crowds, while still being really well connected to everything you need (beaches, restaurants etc).
We stayed in one of Jasar's amazing cottages for more than two weeks. He was a great host, looking after us with a real personal service, helping us sort out anything we needed, and being very informative about the area and things to do (He organised a boat trip for us with a friend of his who is a local fisherman, and even created a cricket pitch, where we all played cricket together, overlooking the sea!).
The location is excellent, secluded but not cut-off, with plenty of restaurants just a few minutes walk along the coast path. The cottages are in a spacious coconut grove, just 50 metres to a beach that is almost like your own private beach, as there is hardly ever anyone on it. It's far enough away from the overly commercialised and crowded 'North Cliff' to truly feel relaxing.
The breakfasts Jasar served were all home-made Keralan local dishes, and very tasty. You can sit and eat overlooking the sea (on some days dolphin pods swim by.) There is a very friendly 'caretaker' who is always on hand to order motor-rickshaws which take a maximum of 5 minutes to arrive (often quicker than that).
Overall I can recommend Jasar 100%, his facilities are top-notch (modern, clean, fully-functioning) and he really looks after you. On our next trip to Varkala, we'll definitely stay wit him again."

Gabi & Johnny, London

"A beautiful place in a great location. Jasser made sure we were well looked after and was available for help or advice. We felt very fortunate, a great stay thank you."

Scott, London