The Siena Village

HOTEL OVERVIEW

Look, I’ll be honest – when I first pulled up to The Siena Village in Chinnakanal, I wasn’t expecting much from a 3-star place tucked away in this quiet corner of Kerala’s hill country. But sometimes those assumptions bite you, you know? This little property actually surprised me in ways that the flashier resorts down in Munnar town never did. The thing about Chinnakanal is that it’s still got that authentic hill station vibe without all the tourist circus – you’re about 15 minutes from the main Munnar action, but far enough away that you can actually hear birds in the morning instead of honking horns.

What struck me first was how the staff here genuinely seemed to know the area. I mean, really know it. When I asked about tea estate walks, the guy at the front desk didn’t just hand me a generic brochure – he sketched out a little map showing me which paths have the best views and warned me about the muddy sections after the recent rains. The rooms themselves are pretty straightforward, nothing fancy, but they’re clean and the beds are actually comfortable (which isn’t always a given at this price point). The hot water situation is solid too, which matters when you’re up in the hills and it gets properly chilly at night. One thing though – if you’re a light sleeper, grab a room away from the main road side. It’s not terrible, but there’s some early morning truck traffic that might wake you up.

Here’s what really won me over: the location puts you right in the sweet spot for exploring without the hassle. You can walk to some decent local spots for dinner – there’s this little place called Saravana Bhavan nearby that does incredible dosas, and honestly, it’s better than most hotel restaurants anyway. The Siena Village sits at that perfect elevation where you get those misty mornings that make the Western Ghats famous, but you’re not so high up that you’re dealing with constant fog. During peak season (December through February), this area gets busy but not impossibly crowded like central Munnar. The staff mentioned that they get a lot of repeat visitors, which makes sense – it’s the kind of unpretentious place where you can actually relax instead of feeling like you need to be “on” all the time. With an 8.6 rating, they’re clearly doing something right, and after staying there, I get it. It’s not about having the fanciest amenities – it’s about having a comfortable base camp for exploring one of India’s most beautiful regions without paying resort prices or dealing with resort crowds.