Kumarakom is a tiny hamlet on the banks of a lagoon formed by the Vembanad lake. It is a picturesque world of backwaters, thatched houseboats, Cormorants, Chinese fishing nets and swaying palms. An ideal getaway if there ever was one.

Loveliness of the place enticed an English man, Henry Baker, who selected Kumarakom as his residence and built a bungalow with a beautiful garden, acquiring 104 acres of land from the then Maharaja of Travancore. This beautiful bungalow has now been modified into the 'Taj Garden Retreat', a hotel with modern living facilities but still retaining the traditional old style.

Taj Garden Retreat is 20 km from Kottayam railway station. Originally built by an English missionary 123 years ago, Baker's Bungalow, as it was then called, housed four generations of the Baker family. Set in rustic surroundings on the edge of the picturesque Vembanad Lake, the hotel has 22 rooms including rooms in cottages and in houseboats anchored in the lake.

The hotel comprises of a set of completely refurbished colonial bungalows on the banks of the Vembanad Lake. The picturesque lake and sylvan bird sanctuary nearby make you feel one with nature. The Taj Garden Retreat is easily accessible by land and water.