The Leela Kempinski, Kovalam Beach,Kerala

This is a bit of an interesting setup because while the name says Kovalam Beach, our actual base is Kuniyil House over in Valery Post. That’s up in Wayanad, which is a world away from the coast. It’s much greener here, and the air feels a lot heavier with the smell of rain and trees. We handle things from this house, tucked away in Mananthavady. It’s a family-run kind of atmosphere, even if we’re tied to a big name. The walls are thick, and the roof holds up well during the monsoon season, which can get pretty intense in this part of Kerala. We don't have a big staff, just a few of us who know the area well and keep the operations running. Sometimes the internet is a bit slow because of the hills, so we have to be patient with our emails and calls. It’s a lot of manual work and staying organized. Visitors don't often come all the way out here to the post office area, but we like the quiet. We spend our days coordinating and making sure everything is lined up. It’s not a fast-paced city office; it’s more about being steady and getting the details right. We’ve lived in Wayanad most of our lives, so this is just home for us while we do our work for the beach side of things.