Been There | Tips | Kerala

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Pic: Bruce, host at Rose Lodge in Cape Town

Staying in a bed and breakfast is either a briliant way of getting a more authentic feel for a place than a hotel; or it's a dire way to feel like an unwanted guest in someone else's house. The key factor? The hosts.

We have scoured Been there for the tips which sing the praises of the wonderful people whose knowledge and banter created a stay to remember - for good reasons.

If you feel there's someone we've overlooked or who needs mentioning then post a tip on the site or drop us an email: been.there@guardian.co.uk

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GK's Riverview homestay

Posted by Tilly 7 September 2009

Nestled between emerald green paddy-fields, luscious palms and meandering canals is George Kutty's homestay, at the heart of the Keralan backwaters, in the village where Arundati Roy grew up. For $10 a day, guests are provided with ensuite, air-conditioned rooms and invited to share mouth-watering meals with the Kutty family, freshly prepared from the sumptuous fruits, spices and vegetables, which burst from their garden. Days can be spent navigating the waterways on the Kutty's canoe, exploring the surrounding villages and exquisite wildlife or venturing into the nearby, bustling market towns of Kottayam and Alappuzha. George Kutty's enthusiasm and knowledge is truly boundless, providing visitors with a priceless insight into and understanding of rural Southern India; its culture, traditions, religion and day-to-day life.

www.gkhomestay-kumarakom.com/

tinyurl.com/mzx6dc