Wayanad, Kerala · premium

Vythiri Village Resort, Wayanad

★★★★☆

Vythiri Village sits in thirty acres of rainforest near Vythiri town, at about 2,600 feet. A mountain stream runs through the grounds and more than 150 bird species have been recorded here. Rooms range from garden rooms up to cottages in traditional Kerala style and pool villas with an eight-metre infinity pool. The forest is dense enough that the villas feel well separated. The resort runs an activity list most days: a canopy zip-line, a rope bridge sixty feet up, guided nature walks, cycling, archery and a fish spa. The Nawa spa handles Ayurveda. It markets itself as five-star. We seed it as the premium tier for Wayanad, the value option against Taj Wayanad, and it earns that on setting alone.