Our local friend recommended we stay at Aranya Nivas for our visit to Periyar, and I think it was a great choice. It's the best location if you're going to be visiting the park, which we did in several occasions. The staff were very helpful in arranging all the tickets for us and giving us proper indications to make the most of our stay. The only complaint is that the accommodations, although clean, were quite worn out. Food was also very nice, with both breakfast and dinner included, buffet style, traditional Kerala fare.