In the Thatampally district of Alleppey town itself, Pierce Residency is an elegant house in a leafy residential street. It is just 5 minutes walk from a canal where houseboats cruise through on their way to the backwaters. Mr. and Mrs. Vinod are the hosts, who live with their two children and grandparents in the house; they are a charming traditional family who enjoy going to Alleppey's long white sand beach (2km away), watching Hindi films together and playing badminton. The family goes back 5 generations in Alleppey and are the perfect guides for a visitor wanting to do more than just the tourist trails; they can give an insight into the city from a local's point of view
Moreover, this is the true experience of living with an Indian family as the guests occupy comfortably furnished rooms in the house itself. This gives the stay an informal aura as you can really get to know the family, whilst enjoying as much privacy as you like. Mrs. Vinod is a dietician, so expect wonderfully nutritious Indian food; her star dish is the roast duck. There is a sports ground just around the corner where guests can play badminton, basketball and tennis, and the family are keen to show their guests local walks or cycle rides around the town; they can even take them to some shops where they can get good bargains. Pierce Residency is a great stepping off point to explore beautiful backwaters of Alleppey and staying with the Vinods' greatly enhances charm of the place.
|
