Coconut Bay Beach Resort, Vizhinjam

Even though the resort is down by the water in Vizhinjam, a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff happens here at Chandrankunnel House. We are located in Kollappally, which is in the Anthinadu area near Pala. It’s quite a distance from the coast, up here in the Kottayam district. We’ve been running things from this family home for years. It’s a bit of a trek between the two places, but we make it work. Here in Pala, life is mostly about the greenery and the local community. We handle the bookings and the phone calls from this office. It’s a quiet house, not a busy hotel lobby. My family has lived here for a long time, so everyone knows the Chandrankunnel name. Sometimes we have to rush down to Vizhinjam if there’s a big group coming or something needs fixing urgently. But mostly, we stay here and coordinate everything. We don't really do the big corporate style of management. It’s more about making sure the rooms are ready and the guests are happy when they reach the beach. The air is different here in the hills compared to the salty breeze at the resort. We like both, though. It’s a bit of a juggle, keeping the beach spirit alive while being surrounded by rubber trees in Kottayam. We just take it one day at a time, answering emails and making sure the supplies get to where they need to be on time. It is a long drive, but it's worth it for the business.