Inside an Alleppey Houseboat: Rooms, Deck and Crew
If you have never been on one, it is hard to picture what is inside a houseboat in Kerala. This page walks through one of the boats we book room by room: where you sleep, where you eat, who is on board and what they cook.
The boats we book come in two tiers, Deluxe and Premium, and in sizes from 1 to 5 bedrooms. The layout is the same idea on every boat; the differences are noted below.
The bedrooms
Every bedroom is private, with its own attached bathroom, clean bed linen and towels, and AC. Each bedroom sleeps 2 in the base price and up to 4 in total, with a charge for each extra guest.
- Deluxe: traditional Kerala-style interiors. Bedroom AC runs at night, usually 9:00 PM to 6:00 AM.
- Premium: upgraded bedroom interiors. Bedroom AC is available on demand from check-in to check-out.
The living and dining area
At the front of the boat is an open living area with seating, where most guests spend the afternoon watching the lake and villages go by. Next to it is the dining area where meals are served. Premium boats have a more spacious dining area, and selected Premium boats have an upper deck or open viewing area.
The kitchen
Each boat has its own kitchen at the back, where the cook prepares every meal fresh. Nothing is brought in from outside.
The crew
Every private boat has a captain, who steers and knows the route, and a cook. They are there for your group only.
What the cook makes
On an overnight stay you get five meals from a fixed Kerala menu:
- Welcome drink: juice or lemon juice; tender coconut on Premium boats
- Lunch: rice, sambar, thoran, mezhukkupuratti, fish fry (karimeen on Premium), pappadam, pickle, salad and fruit
- Evening tea: banana fritters or onion pakoda, with tea or coffee
- Dinner: chapathi, rice, dal and chicken curry or roast, with paneer masala for vegetarians on Premium boats
- Breakfast: idli, appam, puttu, or bread with eggs
Vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals can both be arranged. Tell us about any dietary needs before you arrive.
What is not on board
Being honest about the limits helps you plan:
- On Deluxe boats, the bedrooms are not air-conditioned during the afternoon.
- The living area is open, not enclosed, on the Deluxe and Premium boats we book.
- The boat does not move at night. Night cruising is not allowed in Alleppey, so the boat moors near a village from evening until morning.
How it all fits together
On an overnight stay you board at noon and have lunch as the boat crosses the lake. The afternoon is spent in the living area. Evening tea comes as the boat reaches the villages, dinner is served after it moors for the night, and breakfast is on the morning cruise back.
To book, choose a Deluxe or Premium boat and send your dates on WhatsApp. A 25% advance holds it.
FAQ
Houseboat interior questions, answered.
Do houseboat bedrooms have attached bathrooms?
Yes. Every bedroom on the boats we book has its own attached bathroom.
Is there AC inside the houseboat?
In the bedrooms. Deluxe boats run it at night; Premium boats run it on demand all the time.
Who is on board with us?
Your own captain and cook, for your group only.
Is food cooked on the houseboat?
Yes. Every meal is cooked fresh in the boat's own kitchen.
See the boat before you book.
Ask for photos of the exact boat on WhatsApp. 25% advance to book.