I never imagined that one of my most personal projects would take me outside technology. Yet technology is exactly what is helping me build Vayl Arik — a quiet, family-rooted stay beside the paddy fields of Kollad.
I Never Planned to Build Something Like This
Technology has shaped the way I think for years. It is where I learned to experiment, research, solve problems and build ideas. That interest started with my dad, who first encouraged me to explore technology long before it became such a big part of my life.
Over time, technology became my world. So I never really imagined myself building something in hospitality, design or slow living. Vayl Arik changed that. It showed me that the knowledge we build in one field can sometimes help us create something completely different.
A Cottage That Was Already Part of Our Family
My parents own a small piece of land in Kollad, in Kottayam district. On it stands a one-bedroom cottage they built years ago as a family retreat. Beside the property is a stretch of paddy field that changes the entire feeling of the place.
For years, the cottage was simply ours. We used it when we needed to be near family, when we wanted a weekend away, or when we wanted a quieter setting than the city could offer. As my parents grew older, their visits became less frequent and the cottage eventually remained unused for long periods.
The Conversation That Started Vayl Arik
This year, my parents suggested something simple: why not make the cottage available as an Airbnb and generate some income from it?
I could have treated that as a straightforward listing project — clean the cottage, take photographs, upload it to a platform and wait for bookings. But the more I thought about it, the less interested I became in simply creating another place to stay.
I started asking a different question: what could this place mean to someone who is tired of the pace of city life?
What I Did Not Want It to Become
When I spoke with different people, some suggested positioning the property around drinks, loud music and parties. Others said that was the kind of crowd we should target in Kottayam.
I listened, but I did not follow that direction. There are already places serving that market, and more importantly, it would work against the reason this property feels special. Families live nearby. The paddy field and the quiet surroundings are part of the experience. Turning the place into another loud destination would erase what we already have.
A Place to Slow Down
The idea behind Vayl Arik is much simpler. Come here for a weekend. Sit on the balcony. Look across the fields. Make your own breakfast. Read. Talk. Rest. Spend time with family. Or do absolutely nothing for a while.
Over time, we may introduce carefully chosen experiences — perhaps small workshops, intimate get-togethers or gatherings for five to ten people when the cottage is not occupied by overnight guests. But every addition has to respect the character of the place.
Where Technology Fits In
I am using technology and AI extensively to research the market, think through the guest experience, study hospitality, develop the brand and plan operations. But I do not want technology to become the attraction.
The irony is something I actually love: I am using modern technology to create a place where people can temporarily step away from the noise of modern life.
| Vayl Arik exists because we already had something worth protecting: a small family cottage, a field beside it, and the possibility of helping people slow down. The business came later. The purpose came first. |
