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This upmarket business hotel (owned by the Oberoi Group) is quiet, tasteful, and replete with modern conveniences. Conceived by a Thai architect, the design blends Keralan and Thai elements, and the hotel has the ambience of a large villa. Accommodations surround a pleasant courtyard where you can swim in the pool and dine alfresco. Traditional artifacts and ornaments have been used to capture the ethos of Kerala; wooden cooking implements and earthenware pots converted into lamps adorn the walls, while the entrance is dominated by a giant urli cooking pot mounted on old black and gold snake-boat prows. The modestly sized guest rooms have functional decor and furnishings; bathrooms are small with marble surfaces. Executive rooms include perks like breakfast, one-way airport transfers, free laundry service, and a free drink -- which may or may not be useful, depending on how long you've been in India.

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