“Good place to chill out”

Really relaxed spot.
There is a sort of courtyard in the middle of the premises, we're they've build a roofed place with comfortable cushions and low tables, with nice lighting. Good speakers, nice mellow (Indian) music.
Besides plenty of hammocks, they also have a massive swing, attached to two palmtrees...
The guys running the place are nice and relaxed and the rooms are clean.
I went out for a couple of days on a motorbike in the countryside and it was OK to leave my things there, they looked after them.

• Stayed January 2014, traveled as a couple
• Trip Advisor

“Great accommodation, fantastic food and friendly staff.” * Thank you Tom!

We found Shiva Gardens by chance and end up staying for 7 days. The room was clean and had all that we required, including a mosquito net. Jayan, the manager and his staff made us feel very welcome and nothing was too much trouble. The resteraunt served the most authentic Keralan food in town with everything cooked fresh. The beach was only a short walk away and the garden was a welcome relief from the heat of the day. I'm not sure when we'll get back to Varkala but when we do we would definetly stay at Shiva Gardens. We would happily recommend this guest house to anyone looking for a relaxing good value place to stay. Chances are you'll end up staying longer than you expected.

• Stayed December 2011, traveled as a couple
• Trip Advisor

“What a great vibe”

What a great place! if varkala is amazing, its this place that will make it. 
the variety of very clean rooms and nice airy dorms are spread around in 3 or 4 building (and a couple of tree houses), all around a huge, well landscaped garden, with hammocks strown about between the palms and banana trees. centering it all is a great seating area which is the key, the place to sit around comfortably and meet the most lovely people all in one place. they serve a great thali and reffreshing juices, the staff are really warm, laid back and helpful there's also a badmington net, chess, karom etc all you need in anywhere to make it the number one backpackers/triavellers place i'vve found on any continent. I'm sure there is one, but i havent found it yet. 
and to top it all off, the beach and the great variety of restaurants are all in just a couple of minute walk.
its my second time back to wonderful home from home and i'm sure it wont be too long before returning again. the only problem with the place is trying to leave!
enjoy x

Stayed February 2012, traveled solo

Trip Advisor

“Can't fault this place” * Thank you David

Best place we stayed during 4 weeks in India. Rs800 a night. Clean. Friendly staff. Great location, 3 mins from North Cliff.

Stayed March 2012

Trip Advisor

“The perfect place to relax, to calm down and to meet nice people!” * Thank you Mellanie

Shiva garden is a fantastic place to relax, read books, chat to the very nice owners and to other tourists. Very spacious cottages as well as rooms are situated in a beautiful garden. They are very clean and comfortable with nice furniture. There are several hammocks in the garden and the possibility to play volleyball. Moreover, there is kind of a meeting point in the garden, a space with pillows and low tables, where people can eat, drink, chat to each other or connect to the rest of the world (wifi connection offered). In the morning, Yoga courses are offered by Sonia, who is part of the staff, who runs Shiva garden. We highly recommend this place to everybody!!

• Stayed May 2012, traveled as a couple
• Trip Advisor

“My best guest house in India !” * Thank you Marie!

Undoubtedly the most friendly guest house that I made in India.
The whole team is adorable. The rooms are clean and tidy.
And the best of the best is the kitchen staff.
For me the best chefs in India.
We had to spend two days ... we stayed there five days so the atmosphere is pleasant.
They also offer trips in the backwaters and yoga classes. A superb address.

Stayed May 2012, traveled with friends

Trip Advisor

“Relax, meet, enjoy!” * Tank you Den!

Such a fantastic guesthouse: friendly and helpful staff; large and clean rooms to suit every budget; wonderful gardens; tasty food served from the kitchen; and many fun parties.
My first stay here (2 months) was in room 106: huge 1st-floor room with king-size double bed; en-suite shower/wc; mosquito net; ceiling fan. So much cheaper, and so much cleaner than the rooms I'd seen on the cliff, and yet only a 5 minute walk away. I settled in quickly, met so many inspiring people, and found it very hard to leave.
AND very hard not to come back: which I did, and stayed for another 2 months in 1 of the 4 apartments.... HUGE double bedroom with a very grand and spacious en-suite bathroom, and a reception room with chaise longue, TV, and kitchenette.
But it's the communal garden that is Shiva Garden's ace card: a great place to relax, eat, lay in a hammock, play badminton, and meet many of the wonderful guests that are drawn to this fantastic place.
If you plan to visit Varkala, Shiva Garden is THE place to stay. Whatever your budget, there's an apartment/room/dorm bed to suit you. You won't be disappointed. ENJOY!!!

Stayed for 6 months in the seasons of 2012, 2013.

Trip Advisor

“A very special place” * Thank you Sally!

I was recommended to stay at Shiva Garden by a friend and I was not disappointed. I had a lovely airy room, a cute balcony and thoughtful finishing touches such as candles, incense and seashells in the bathroom. It was clean, well presented and suited my needs perfectly. There is a swimming pool at the hotel next door that you can pay a small fee to use. 
It is 5 min walk to the cliff and beaches, and a torch is advisable in the evenings as the way is not always well lit. 

I enjoyed enormous bowls of fresh fruit salad in the peaceful garden and took yoga lessons with Sonya every day. I was the most relaxed I've felt on my travels so far. I changed my travel plans in order to stay longer at Shiva Garden because 3 days just wasn't enough. This place has a wonderful feel about it and I look forward to coming back.

Stayed June 2012, traveled solo

Trip Advisor

“Great place to stay!”

We loved staying at Shiva Garden. 
Location is good, walking distance to beach. Breakfast included and delicious. 
Deluxe room was not so deluxe but clean and comfy beds. 
Thank god for the fan! 
Owners and staff were very friendly and helpful. 

Stayed October 2012, travelled with friends

Trip Advisor

“We loved this place!”

My Girlfriend and I stayed her for 3 nights during our recent trip to India and loved it! It is so relaxing and makes you feel so comfortable. 
We had one of the apartments and we were amazed with how much we got for our money - clean and quiet, really lovely. 
The staff are welcoming and the food is amazing.... my girlfriend still says its the best she had in India! The Fish Thali is massive but well recommended! 

If we visit Varkala again we will stay at Shiva Gardens!

Stayed December 2012, travelled as a couple

Trip Advisor

“Clean, happy and beautiful”

Great hospitality, amazing staff. Clean and affordable. 
Food is good, and it seems like only 'good' people stay here....

choice of shared rooms or private rooms, both are comfortable and clean. 

A real garden of eden :)

Highly recommended!

Trip Advisor

“After a while it became "home"”

Shiva Garden.... It makes me sad to see people writing bad reviews because of smoking hippies and spiders about such a great place. You can find this everywhere in India. And spiders are able to get into a 5 star hotel room too.
Shiva Garden is a special place with lovely people like Jayan and Sonia running that place together with Liju and the Apu. 
It seems like Shiva Garden attracts a special kind of people. It is like a community - everyone cares about everyone. You can go to the 5 star hotel next door but here you meet the real travelers who can become real good friends, who can become a part of you're "family", who care about you if you don't feel good and you can have a lot of fun with. 
We spend a lot of time laying in the hammocks, making new friendships and listening to the stories of other people while having a great chai or a really good honey lemon ginger tea.
I spend most of the time sleeping in he dorm and a few nights in a room. I slept better in the dorm than in the room in the front because in the dorm the barking dogs and rickshaws weren't that loud. But the rooms are clean. The mattress in the dorm wasn't as hard as the bed in the room. Well just look at the pictures. What you see is what you get!!

I planned to stay just a few days. In the end I left after 6 or 7 months. It became "home" for me. Now I'm back in Germany after a 6 month trip around the world and I can say that Shiva Garden is a really special place and I'd like to take the next plane back there. I miss the great time I had there and I will definitely go back.

Stayed December 2012, travelled solo

Trip Advisor

“Good place”

Shiva garden is a good place when you are going for Ayurveda treatment and swimming in the sea or take yoga.
Our room is clean, simple no a/c but nice to stay 
People are friendly here. Food is good.

Stayed November 2013

Trip Advisor

“The best place in Varkala” * Thank you Sarah!!!

I have stayed at Shiva Garden for just over 3 months. It is easy to get stuck in Varkala but somewhere like Shiva Garden makes you want to stay forever. It is a haven of peace and the owners have created a real family atmosphere for backpackers travelling alone or in groups. I came here with a friend but decided to stay on when he returned home. The yoga classes in the morning are brilliant - I was a complete beginner, couldn't even touch my toes and now I'm almost at advanced level. The yoga yeacher also offers massages, reiki and life coaching of which I've tried all three and they were really therapeutic, I'm very glad I did them. The rooms are great and clean and the communal area is brilliant and a great place to hang out with other backpackers. Shiva Garden is my home in India and I'm already planning my next trip back.

Stayed September 2013

Trip Advisor

“Really amazing”

Wow, what a place is this. I would have never left this place. Even though I stayed here for very less time but the memories are deep rooted. Probably I can say the best place to be in Varkala. 
Special thanks to Jayan and Sonia. These guys are doing amazingly good to keep their guest happily at their stay. 

Rooms were clean and comfortable. More over you might never stay at the rooms since they have such a lovely garden area between the coconut trees. 

I am just awaiting for my next Kerala trip and I would definitely stay here for a week.

Stayed December 2013, travelled as a couple

Trip Advisor