Reviews of Thara's Houseboat

Beautiful weather, a stunning and unique setting, and delicious food – all while you can just sit back and take it all in. What more could you ask for? The staff were friendly, welcoming, and communicated clearly with us. We stayed for one night and thoroughly enjoyed our time. The room and bathroom were clean, and the bed was comfortable. We had amazing meals and we made a quick stop on the way to pick up some beers. We wanted for nothing. They also offered (for an extra fee) a ride on a smaller boat through the narrower canals, which we didn’t do, but it was fascinating to see how people live along the water. Tip: bring mosquito repellent – you’ll definitely need it!

The food! The bedroom! The views!

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Exceptional food, very helpful and kind staff, beautiful scenery and cruise

We were told the day before our stay that the payment system was cash. The night stop was at a massage parlour where we got a terrible service in a very dirty environment. The boat was quite dirty.

An exceptional experience aboard these traditional boats in the Kerala backwaters. The experience of immersing ourselves in the heart of nature and discovering wonderful birds is fully respected. There's no frills on these boats, which don't offer TVs, etc., but rather a complete disconnection experience. The crew was truly friendly and professional. They were able to point out every corner and bird in the backwaters, and the culinary experience was more than successful, with fresh and perfectly cooked dishes. The room is very comfortable. We stayed two nights on board, which allowed us to go relatively deep into the backwaters; this seems like the minimum amount of time to fully enjoy the experience. Probably the best houseboats and the best service in the Alleppey backwaters! Thank you for these memories that will remain etched in our memory forever!

Nothing to say

Tharas houseboat experience was really awesome, the food and hospitality was super. We will come again this property

Everything perfect

I really liked the traditional style of the boat, with its rounded features and cute design. The advantage of this size of boat is that it’s able to go down the smaller canals, which the bigger ones can’t. The food was excellent - delicious, traditional Keralan meals (lots of coconut!), and enough food to leave you feeling very satisfied! Meals were interspersed with chai and snacks. The staff were friendly, and were able to answer my questions about Kerala and the backwaters. The main highlight is just relaxing with a beer or a chai, watching the scenery gently pass you by as you wait for that beautiful sunset! Thara the owner was also very accommodating, providing transport to and from the boat and help with any questions we had. I'd recommend him and his team to anyone looking to experience Alleppey from the water

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Absolute luxury! What a fabulous experience this was, a huge houseboat to ourselves with three staff to look after us. The three piece suite, table and chairs and seating area round the side in the front allowed us to take our meals and/or just chill out watching the world go by. Great bird spotting opportunities. The food was just amazing and our room great too with aircon to keep us cool. We felt like celebrities, a truly wonderful experience. We would definitely recommend this.

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We had the most wonderful stay with Thara’s houseboats. Once on board we were greeted by the three lovely friendly courteous staff who looked after us throughout our stay. The food they provided for us was absolutely delicious. The rooms were well appointed and very comfortable. The cruising speed was just right to allow us to enjoy the view of daily life along the river banks. When evening fell all the insect nets came down to provide us with a very comfortable outdoor evening room to enjoy the fresh air in.. All in all, it was the most wonderful way to finish our remarkable Indian holiday. Many thanks to Jose , Kannan & David

We had an amazing experience in Tharas houseboat, the food and hospitality was too good, great time with houseboat staffs the chef Reji was very talented chef food was so tasty, the room was more comfortable, everyone should experience with Tharas houseboat, money worth it thank you Tharas crew.

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Very scenic cruise along the canals, taken away from the business and hustle and bustle into calmer areas. Served lovely food and the team are all very accommodating with needs. With air condition and fans in the rooms it’s very nice and the rooms are private for when you want to be alone.

We stayed for one night in a one bedroom houseboat. The boat itself was lovely, the staff excellent, and the food fantastic. I especially appreciated the company’s service to buy drinks to take on board with you! Not all companies do that. Highly recommend this company to book with. The prices are higher than some others but the service and quality are well worth it.

What a lovely two days we had on Thara's houseboat. Sano and the others really couldn't do enough, a big thank you from us! Joseph the chef produced the most incredible "keralicious" food and was very attentive to our needs. The bed is super comfortable, the boat kept very clean and was very relaxing enjoying the day to day sites of the backwaters. Thank you also to Ambily and Maya in the office helping with all the logistics and booking a very early taxi for us at 5.30am to Cochin airport.

Nothing it was wonderful.We thought we might see a bit more wildlife but overall was great. Just a note when you arrive it states Oscars cruises, which was slightly confusing but they own Thara's!

We loved our stay on Thara's houseboat. The food was incredible. The staff were very attentive. The rooms are beautiful and there is aircon available overnight. I highly recommend this accommodation!

We (two British female backpackers) were struggling to choose which houseboat to stay on, as there are so many options in Allepey - but we are so glad we found Thara’a houseboat! The size of the boat was perfect for the 4 of us onboard. It was a beautiful and comfortable stay, we were impressed by the cleanliness and design of the boat. The host, chef and captain were all super friendly and hospitable. We were grateful for the opportunity in the afternoon to go into a canoe and into the smaller canals - I would recommend paying the extra 500IR to do this. The food was also delicious. Super fresh and they accommodated our vegetarian and vegan requests!

This is a MUST in Kerala. With my husband and a couple of friends, we took a Traditional cruise and spent the night on the boat. It was an unforgettable experience. The landscape is breathtaking, and it's beautiful to see how the scenery changes as you navigate through the wide or narrow canals of the backwaters. We spent one night, but I would have loved to stay another day. In the evening, the boat docks in a place where only we were, creating a peaceful and excellent relaxing atmosphere. The boat was impeccable and comfortable, truly flawless. The food was exquisite, offering a wide variety for those who wanted to try the delights of Kerala cuisine or those who preferred something more international. The staff was very friendly and had excellent communication. Unforgettable!

Plenty of room for four travellers. Very friendly staff and excellent food. A leisurely way to experience the beautiful backwaters

Bathroom could do with an update

We loved with Tharas houseboat stay we were really impressed with their hospitality onboard.They served tasty food during the day ,the rooms and living area was cozy. more comfortable good value for money . night time was aircon in the room, second room had one couple ,we could enjoy together the amazing day.We highly recommend

nothing to say

Such a wonderful experience with Tharas houseboat, the entire crew were give beautiful moments, we could enjoy more the chef Reji was very talented chef he served amazing food for us, seafood dishes more authentic styles we were fear about spicy food but chef Reji prepared medium level spicy food we were very thankful to Reji ,captain Jose and Shaji friendly people , so the beautiful day in Tharas houseboat , everyone should experience Tharas houseboat.

nothing everything was excellent

The staff is very friendly. Everyone was very attentive and helpful with our requests, specially the chef!

Although there was AC, the room felt quite warm and humid at night, making it difficult to sleep. I also felt that the price was a bit high considering the facilities, especially the rooms, on the houseboat.

This was the boat trip of my dreams. A gorgeous boat with every facility you could wish for. The captain jise and cook reji were always on hand to offer what ever you required but at the same time never overbearing. The meals were utterly delicious and cooked fresh all day everyday by Jose. The constant beauty of the backwaters navigated by shaji, the captain

We had a wonderful stay on the houseboat. The crew of three – the captain, the assistant and the cook – was warm, professional and always attentive to our needs. They made us feel very well taken care of throughout the entire trip. A special mention goes to the cook, who truly made the experience unforgettable. He prepared three delicious meals a day, full of local flavors, and even took us to a fish market where we picked fresh fish that he later cooked to perfection on board. He was not only an excellent chef but also genuinely caring, always making sure we were happy and comfortable. We also loved being taken into quieter parts of the backwaters, far away from the busy routes – peaceful, scenic, and relaxing. The room itself was small (limited space on board) but enoguh to spend 1-2 nights. Equipped with a shower, toilet and AC. All in all, an amazing and authentic experience that we’d happily do again!

The interior is a bit worn and could need some attention. Also, the mattress cover on the sun deck should be cleaned soon.

Staying on Thara’s houseboat was one of the highlights of our trip in India. The food was amazing on the boat and all home cooked by the chef who stays on board. The staff were so lovely, it really was such a relaxing and tranquil experience.

We loved everything about our stay on Thara’s boat. The only thing to note is that there is a part of the backwaters the bigger boats can’t get down and so you have the option to go on a little boat for an additional cost. I would have preferred this to be included in the overall cost however there was no pressure on us to take the smaller boat, it was our choice.