Magnolia Guesthouse Varkala

I loved the gardens, the pool, the food, and the proximity to Odayam beach. It's very quiet there, and there is ONE bar very nearby (Sandy Bay)! It's a like a 7 minutes rickshaw ride to the heli-pad, by the way.

Nothing! Everything was good.

The place is very nice, very calm and yet only a km away from the north cliff. Room and large and clean, only about 50 metres from the sea shore. This is the place where you actually relax, have good food from the in house restraunt, enjoy the pool. Really great place to live in varkala if you are planning a relaxing time.

Excellent Sea View Suite rooms with large balconies, good food and responsive staff

Great location, the sea view was so nice.

Staff should be little more polite

Best rooms clean and perfect, excellent environment, friendliest staffs ever met and the best vacation spot to stay.

Location, rooms, bathroom

Limited menu probably due to off season

We had an absolutely amazing stay at Magnolia Guesthouse in Varkala. From the moment we arrived, we were struck by how exceptionally well-managed and pristine the entire property is. The rooms and common areas are kept spotlessly clean, making the atmosphere feel fresh and welcoming throughout our stay. One of the absolute highlights is the magnificent sea view—waking up to the sight and sound of the ocean creates such a peaceful, relaxing vibe. The hospitality here is top-notch; every single member of the staff is incredibly polite, attentive, and genuinely helpful, always going out of their way to ensure a comfortable stay. To top it all off, the food was wonderful. It felt just like a delicious, comforting home-cooked meal every time. Magnolia Guesthouse truly felt like a home away from home. I would love to stay here again whenever I get the chance, and I highly recommend it to anyone visiting Varkala!

Nothing

Really good stay and excellent serivce by the staff special shout out to Mahesh

We had a wonderful stay at Magnolia Guesthouse! We were lucky to get a beautiful room with a sea view, which made our stay even more special. The staff were always helpful, warm, and kind, especially Mahesh, who made us feel very welcome. The breakfast we tried was tasty and fresh. The location is excellent, with the beach nearby and easy access to many places by walking along the cliff. Overall, we had a lovely experience and would definitely love to come back again. Thank you, Magnolia Guesthouse, for a memorable stay.

Sea view room was good. Coats rs 13 k plus for 2 days. Near to beach front

Certain food items taste can be improved. Rest all good.

They have made the stay totally nature oriented. Butterflies, birds, safe, beautiful, flowers and Odeyam Beach just 30 seconds away. The property is so beautiful.

Nothing

I had an amazing stay here, the reception staff were very helpful. I was so happy with my wonderful cottage and the pool was perfect. I had a magical stay and can’t wait to return.

Quiet location but still walking distance to amenities. Mostly a very peaceful stay. Room was large and clean, bathroom very nice. Whole place is well kept and maintained.

Nothing.

It was nice 👌 one

Nothing

Location, staff

For cleaning we need to call every morning and they don’t change the bedsheets if we don’t ask them too also don’t clear the used cups , empty bottles . Plus they need to add more options for breakfast same breakfast everyday.

The property was beautiful and a great location. The staff were so attentive and helpful and the food was also good quality. Would definitely stay here again next time I visit Varkala.

The Garden/ Outdoor was well maintained and at night the had the fairy lights on. So sitting on your porch is quite enjoyable and cosy. The location is a bit outside Varkala, so it’s nice and quiet as there is no party crowd. The owner, Ameer, also told me that they screen their guests before they approve reservations. Which matches with my impressions of the other guest I saw staying here. Mostly families and couples. The staff was very attentive and helpful as well. Special thanks to Mahesh who made sure I had a smooth checkin, helped with my luggage and was always reachable if I needed anything. The food was also delicious. For breakfast you can choose from their options and have fresh fruit/ juice with it. As I’m a vegetarian I don’t know if the fish is good but I did enjoy my veggie noodles.

Maybe one little deduction for the AC as it was quite loud during the night but worked nicely otherwise.

Location is good. Walkable to the black sand beach. Mahesh was very helpful and actively responding to requests in sharing transportation contact etc

The family room allocated to us was very small and the bathroom had a foul smell, no exhaust fan. I called the staff at check in , they put a strong room freshner. I had booked a triple room meant for my parents who are senior citizens but the one allotted to us was in first floor. They were fully booked so we had to swap the family room meant for us with kids and share inconveniently. We visited in May when monsoon had begun and teh beach was rough, we could hardly enjoy the beach. Please check the season before booking Varkala as the other beaches like papanasam and kappil also were barricaded and were nothing compared to south goa beaches

The staff were wonferful. Everyone looked after us very well, all staff were friendly and curteous. We had complimentary breakfast which we chose from the a la carte menu . It was very tasty ,lots of variety too. We used the pool a couple of times .The water was warm .It was a bit too hot for sitting out though. Our room was large great a/c and a fan . Fridge and kettle. We had a beautiful balcony with a sea view which we used every day, it was great for watching the fishermen come in with their catch onto beach and the sun set in evening. We sat and read our books there. The general area is quieter than North beach . Its a wee walk to Helpipad Road. Tuk tuk about 150irs.The Tuktuk can be found at bottom of road at the rank. From Magnolia take round the bay to right along beach if you have time to visit Almond restuarant and Blue Water if you want cocktails.Both do lovely food. Our hotel food looked lovely too ,some other guests were having meals. We just didnt get round to it. We went to Jataya Earth Centre and got hotel car and their lovely driver Srikanth to take us there and again to the airport early morning tge next day He is a great driver very careful and looked after us well.He drove the car at a nice pace. Overall a lovely friendly hotel.

Enjoyed our stay .

We loved our stay here walking distance from the beach and a relaxing pool to lounge by. The room was large and comfortable with good aircon and wifi

Shower was a bit cold but didn’t matter because it was so humid

All the staff were simply amazing 👏 11/10 in most cases...The on site massage was amazing delivered by Shalini and I would recommend to everyone..The cleanliness around the site was exemplary and the gardens were just divine and well kept...Stay at this place !!!!

There is nothing not to like

we loved the gardens around the guesthouse and the pool! the rooms were spacious and the staff were incredible. They were so friendly and helpful!

The beds could’ve been more comfortable. We found the mattresses a bit hard but not too much of an issue.

Amazing service, especially from Mahesh, who made our stay really comfortable. The property is excellent considering its location, service, and rooms. The rooms are very spacious, with a hammock just outside, which adds to the whole vibe. It’s very close to a beach that isn’t crowded, and you can clearly see the beach right from your cottage and which was honestly a highlight. They even allowed us to keep our bags after checkout, which was really thoughtful. If you’re looking for a place with great ambiance, peaceful surroundings, and a pool, this is definitely recommended.

I highly recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a comfortable stay with outstanding service. Thank you to the entire team, especially Mahesh 😊 for such a memorable experience!

Need to lessen Chlorine in the pool.

Staff were very friendly and the gardens very well maintained.

Slightly shabby in places. Avarage breakfast.

I spent four nights at the Magnolia cottage located near Odayam Beach, and it was truly a pleasant and surreal experience. The cottage is just a few hundred meters from the beach, making it very convenient for quick visits. You can also easily access the North Cliff area, which is about 1 km away and has a great selection of restaurants and local markets. A special mention to the caretakers, Magesh and Manu, who were extremely cordial and provided top-notch service throughout the stay. I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a peaceful and comfortable getaway

Sehr schöner Ort mit super freundlichen und service-orientierten Menschen. Herzlichen Dank an Manu und Mahesh für eure Gastfreundschaft! Der Garten ist wunderschön, das Cottage mit Meerblick gemütlich und das indische Frühstück sensationell.

Der Natur zuliebe sollte man bei den Handtüchern auf Weichspüler verzichten. Aber man bot mir zum Glück am nächsten Tag normal gewaschene Tücher an, was meine Haut freute, vielen Dank!

Had everything we needed pool restaurant great gardens close to beach

Everything

Everything! Location is right next to the beach, cottage was so cosy and clean with modern decor. The staff are incredibly friendly and helpful (shoutout to Mahesh, Manu and all of the kitchen staff), the pool is also really clean snd relaxing (especially when it's 35c. Food is also great. Seriously loved everything. Quiet but still only 10mins from the cliff. Perfect!

Nothin

Clean functional facilities.well maintained gardens, clean and spacious rooms. Friendly and helpful staff made sure the stay was pleasant and comfortable.

No break fast buffet.

Great three nights experience with warm assistance and support of Mahesh and Manu, especially with room management and cab booking to continue our trip. Fair prices, great breakfast, sunny pool, excellent location (10’ by walk to cliff) and warm & sincere welcome. At two inches to feel like at home! Highly recommended.

The property is really good according to the price and very close to the beach. Odayam beach is just 2-3 mins walk from the property, and the north cliff is also walkable. The staff was really courteous and polite and resolved all our queries. They provide complimentary breakfast which was also good. The rooms were very spacious and have a private terrace to sit and relax. The pool was very clean. Overall a very good stay.

Proximity to the beach, courteous staff, great food, safe environment

None

We stayed at The Magnolia for two weeks in beautiful Varkala and had a fantastic experience. The location in Odayam was perfect for us—peaceful and quiet, but still only around a 15-minute walk to the cliffs. We found hiring a scooter really useful, and tuk-tuks were very cheap and easy to use. The hotel was a great base for exploring Kerala. The area is very tropical and scenic. The beaches aren’t always pristine, but if you explore a little (especially by scooter), you can find quieter, cleaner spots and really appreciate the coastline. The hotel itself was just right—not too big, with a really friendly and relaxed feel. We stayed in a cottage (Room 101) with a private garden and hammock, which was perfect for relaxing in the afternoons. It felt very peaceful and private. Everything was very clean, and the staff were exceptional—everyone was so friendly and couldn’t do enough for us. The gardens were beautifully maintained with lots of colourful plants and flowers. We would definitely stay here again.

The only minor downside was the early morning call to prayer from a nearby mosque around 4am, which can be quite loud. However, this is part of the local culture and not something the hotel has any control over. So if you don’t want waking up for prayer at 4am I suggest taking ear plugs.

Hoppas kunna återkomma

Beautiful grounds with lots of plants. Clean swimming pool. Huge room & balcony with sea view. Short walk to the quiet Odayam beach & 20 minute walk to Varkala cliff with lots of shops, cafés and restaurants. Staff were friendly, helpful & always on hand to help. Food was excellent

Beach is very close to the hotel. Great beach and very clean water. The path to the beach has some debris and could do with some cleaning. The property is very well maintained. The rooms are good but not the best. The bath area is not seperated enough from the toilet area so it gets completely wet when you shower. The electric points are absent for the hot water kettle. You have to carry the kettle to a different place to make your tea.

The bathr area needed to be better and the absence of electric points where needed.

Amazing location. Our room had a great sized balcony with a sea view- AMAZING! Large room. Close to the beach (suitable for western swimwear) and lots of restaurants. Nice pool area. Chicken curry was the best we’ve had in 5 weeks of India. Cheap laundry service (30 rupees per piece and 15 rupees for underwear).

The shower was cold for 2/3 days we were there. They fixed it for day 2 but it was cold again on day 3. This was a treat stay for us so this was very disappointing. No proper coffee (no barista coffee) but two cafes with barista coffee close by.

Had a wonderful stay at Magnolia Guest House in Varkala. A special thanks to Shrikant for being such a lovely and supportive host. Despite all my requests and requirements, he patiently helped with everything and truly made us feel at home. The property is beautiful, located right beside the black sand beach at North Cliff, offering a stunning view and a very peaceful atmosphere. The pool area is fantastic, perfect for relaxing and enjoying the surroundings. One of the highlights was the amazing breakfast, which felt just like a warm home-cooked meal. Everything about the stay — the hospitality, the location, and the ambience — made our experience memorable. Highly recommend Magnolia Guest House to anyone visiting Varkala. Thank you again, Shrikant, for the wonderful hospitality!

I loved the area, the houses were nicely located and not too close too each other. There was a lovely breakfast in a cosy open air restaurant and it was walking distance to the sea so we started with a dive every morning.

Lage ist super und Personal sehr freundlich

Pool ist nach ein paar Tagen gekippt und konnte nicht mehr verwendet werden

The location was superb! And the property was clean and beautiful. Grecian style architecture mixed with Kerala and Tamil style. Staff was very friendly and excellent. They took care while staying very well. I was a bit unwell and the staff Srikanth took extra care in helping get water and asking regularly for medicines, etc.

N/A

Nähe zum Strand, gepflegter Garten, Cottage mit Meerblick, nettes Personal

We had a room with a lovely large balcony facing the sea (over the property in front) easy access to the beautiful beach and a pleasant walk to the busier north cliff

The initial sheets had a stain on them which we asked to be changed and didn’t go down well initially but the warmth of the staff improved after that.

Personnel très bienveillant et souriant Très bien situé et près de la plage Bon petit déjeuner

Très bonne localisation, à l’écart du bruit mais cependant proche du Cliff. Grande chambre avec vue partielle sur mer.

Il manque peut être des chaises longues à la piscine avec des parasols ainsi que dans le jardin, surtout quand des clients peu respectueux des autres laissent une serviette sur une chaise longue et partent ailleurs!! Quand toute une famille fait cela , pas terrible ! Mais le Magnolia n’y est pour rien ! Pas assez d’informations, le petit déjeuner n’était pas inclus dans le tarif donc j’allais ailleurs ou je je sautais le repas , pour finalement découvrir au bout de 5 jours qu’il était inclus ! Dommage. Très faible niveau d’anglais du personnel pour avoir des échanges.

The pool was really nice, the gardens were well managed and we’re blooming beautifully. The ocean was very close and the general vibe was very relaxing and peaceful. The staff was very polite and made our stay as easy as possible.

The food at the restaurant was not very satisfying.

The staff were amazing and very friendly and helpful. The rooms are very tasteful, peaceful and clean.

We received a free breakfast from the hotel even though the booking.com booking did not include. Many choices, excellent service And food.

Nothing

1. the staff, very nice and attentive 2. the whole atmosphere, nice rooms, i liked the furniture, a bit scandinavian, simple but tasteful 3. great terrace 4. close tot the beach & restaurants

I only have been there only 5 days. You could go for a walk, to Varkala cliff with tutktuk or by foot (around 20 min). Inthe surroundings were a few restaurants, but not a big choice. Didnt try the restaurants on ther cliff. I ate one time excellent in town (near the station. Daytours wre available, but not really a lot to do in the surroundings.

We got our own little cottage to ourselves which was lovely. It was a 2 minute walk from the gorgeous Odayam Beach. Food was also brilliant at the restaurant

Super friendly staff, perfect location near quiet beach but walking distance to central varkala

Really helpful staff, on the ball, quick response to what's app messages and keen to make sure we had a good stay Overall a really good basic resort, clean big rooms and good outside space and a nice pool Would 100% return

Couple of issues but staff did 100% to rectify immediately, couldn't ask for more

Obviously the location was awesome but we liked the intent of Mahesh and Manu to provide the best possible experience to the customers. They were excellent hosts.

Fortunately, I don't have any such thing to share.

La gentilezza, la disponibilità del personale e la posizione ad 1 minuto dal mare

Hele fijne, schone , ruime kamer. Heerlijke bedden. Goede locatie vlakbij het strand, restaurant op loopafstand.

Excellent quiet location and clean air

Suggest owner speak to neighbour burning rubbish (illegal?). Wind was blowing away from us so no problem. But best to follow up for future

We loved the proximity to the beach and the very comfortable rooms. Staff were super friendly and the property was lush

It was beautiful, clean & very comfortable. A lovely swimming pool, a good restaurant & we were right on the beach.

Nothing

The room and garden and pool area are immaculate. The location allows you space from the busyness of the north cliff but is in walking distance for an evening there(we took tuk tuk back after dark). Walking away from Varkala the beaches are attractive, few people but with cafes behind the beach

Our first impression of the staff was not good. No welcome or how was your journey. Form filling in a pokey office . The general impression during our stay was surly or inefficient amongst the office staff but friendly and committed from gardening and cleaning staff

The place is stunning Lovely location Super friendly staff Good breakfast

There was a mosque next door that starts up at 5:25 in the morning and then again a couple of hour’s later

De locatie, de aanleg van het terrein, de ruime kamers die op verzoek werden schoon gemaakt

Niets

Clean , spacious accomodation with attentive staff

Nothing

Extremely comfortable guesthouse. Tasty breakfast with many options. In room we had a nice terrace with beautiful sea views. Good clean pool and friendly staff. Location is perfect. Peaceful, as it is not in the middle of Varkala cliffs. But only ten minutes walking distance to the cliffs. And beach is just a few minutes walk.

The guest house is well placed for the beach and shopping/nightlife area. The accommodation was basic but clean and comfortable. The staff/management were exceptionally helpful, friendly and kind. The gardens and pool area are delightful and the restaurant serves good food.

Unfortunately, the guest house is situated next to a mosque, which blasts out calls to prayer several times a day - one of them at around 5am, which is impossible to sleep through. Also, although the beach area is what many would describe as paradise, it is spoiled by piles of rubbish dumped all around.

The staff were very friendly and helpful. The room was a good size and clean.

A very basic place. We went with guests on the basis of the reviews however found people may have overrated it. Didn't like the linen, pillows, towels etc. No accessories like shower caps, just dental kit. Options for vegetarian was very limited.

Ich hatte das Seaview Cottage. Wunderschön! Auf Bitten wurde mir eine Liege auf die Terrasse gestellt: perfekt. Was ganz toll war: super Speisen aus dem Restaurant direkt auf die Terrasse geliefert. Eine frische Kokosnuss von der Palme vor meiner Tür gab s auch noch 😍 Ein schöner Spaziergang nach Varkala „downtown“ und dafür ein wunderbar ruhiger Strandabschnitt

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The most important fact to have a nice athmosphere are the other guests .. and they were so kind beautiful! We loved the food / nice breakfast !

Nice people ! Guests and Staff !

Les bungalow Le service L’accueil L’emplacement à l’écart de l’exubérance du Cliff sans être trop éloigné Proximité de la plage

Chambre sombre, On aurait apprécié une fenêtre supplémentaire dans la chambre

We had a lovely, airy room with huge windows and balcony view of sea. Good swimming pool and restaurant too. It's at the north end of Varkala beach which is much quieter - highly recommended.

No complaints.

Location

Staff’s response

Le personnel

Pool was nice. Good outside hangout area. Good staff. Close to the beach.

100 meters from mosque that had call to prayer that woke us up at 5am every single day.

מקום מקסים. צוות של אנשים חמודים ואדיבים. מרפסת עם נוף לים. היה מושלם

מים חמים במקלחת וחיבור לוויפיי. אבל מקום כ"כ קסום שלא היה אכפת לנו :)

Beautiful property with perfect location. One thing that stands out is breakfast and courtesy of the staff. Love the way we were serviced and fed. Rooms were huge and clean. We were a family of three who stayed very comfortably.

Shower didn’t work, not that it was a dealbreaker. But I breaker shower especially after coming from a beach. No television in the room.

Room was clean and spacious, food was great. Location is really near to the beach.

After looking at what felt like a million properties in Varkala, I finally found Magnolia—and honestly, where do I even begin? The property is breathtaking. It feels like a hidden paradise, wrapped in lush greenery and flowers everywhere you look. The owner graciously upgraded our room to a sea-view, and it turned out to be one of the most beautiful experiences of the trip. Falling asleep to the sound of waves at night was incredibly calming. The beach is literally a minute’s walk down the road, which made it even more perfect. Breakfast completely surprised me—in the best way. It felt genuinely home-cooked, warm and comforting, which easily became the highlight of our mornings. We were also treated to a complimentary dinner, an incredibly kind and thoughtful gesture. Some places are nice, but a few are truly about hospitality. Within just two days, Magnolia felt like home. I already can’t wait to return.

Helpful friendly staff . Lovely spacious room and patio and a lush garden to sit in around the pool. The food was fantastic and really good value . We came back for noodles , momos and breakfast . Thank you to Manu and Devan who were kind and helpful and especially to Homraj who gave us a really personal experience and was a good man to get to know