THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Next time you think about taking a holiday, opt for the beautiful hills of Ponmudi. For, 15 new granite cottages built by the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation at Golden Peak Resort, beckons tourists.
The decision to construct additional rooms was taken to accommodate the rising number of tourists in the hill resort and to make Ponmudi one of the most sought-after destinations. Constructed at a cost of Rs 3.2 crore, the new cottages are open for visitors now.
Though being a famous getaway, Ponmudi, known for its beautiful hills and captivating scenic view, could never attract people like Kovalam owing to the lack of proper infrastructure facilities. It was then that the Kerala Tourism decided to upgrade the facilities. It started working on the project to construct additional rooms along with other recreational facilities which were completed in a year.
Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran inaugurated the additional 15 rooms of the resort in the presence of DK Murali MLA and KTDC chairman M Vijayakumar. In his inaugural address, he said, “ The construction of additional rooms at the resort was a step taken by the government to make Ponmudi one of the most visited tourist destinations in Kerala. Though there was enough footfall in the previous year, we hope for an improvement with the upgrading of facilities.”
Earlier, the resort had 14 rooms and now with an additional 15 rooms, it has a total of 29 rooms, including seven deluxe rooms, 15 premium rooms, five cliff-view rooms, two suites and one superior suite which has two bedrooms.
The price for each cottage ranges from Rs 2,000 to Rs 3000 per night depending on the rooms. The authorities are planning to bring down the cost, making it more affordable. The cliff-view rooms are individual cottages which give a spectacular view of the hills covered with fog.
The old property was functioning under the State Tourism Department but was later handed over to KTDC who upgraded the infrastructure facilities and named it 'Golden Peak Resort.' Kerala Tourism has also plans to upgrade the old rooms.
KTDC chairman M Vijayakumar said, “ It is an important day for tourism as well as the Tourism Department. From Ockhi to the devastating floods that the state faced this year, this is a new beginning to gain back all the losses incurred in these calamities and thereby boost tourism.”
He said booking for the new rooms have already begun and tourists will start pouring in from January.
The cottage rooms made of wood and granite have been attracting more domestic tourists during vacations. With the upgradation of rooms, the authorities plan to bring in cable cars and more tourism-related activities.