India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (124 page)

Fort Kochi

Very Expensive

Brunton Boatyard
Situated at the water’s edge on the site of a bustling boatyard, this is the best located hotel in Fort Cochin, and the space gives it the edge on Malabar House, particularly if you’re traveling with kids. A smart, whitewashed colonial warehouse-style building with sloping tiled roofs, deep verandas, and spacious high-ceilinged rooms, the designers have successfully captured the gracious ambience of a bygone era, but with all the comforts of modern living. Each room has its own balcony from which to enjoy views of the fishing boats and ferries that cruise between the islands. Original and reproduction antiques include typical Kerala four-poster beds, high enough off the ground to make the footstools a necessity. Suites include a personal butler and kitchenette. The free sunset cruise from the hotel’s own jetty is a great way to kick off the evening, and cooking demos on the rooftop make you feel part of a BBC food program. The only possible drawback to staying here is the hotel’s proximity to the active and noisy waterways, but on the other hand, the low-level soundtrack lends an air of authenticity.

Near Aspinwall, Calvathy, Fort Cochin 682 001.
0484/221-5461
through -65. Fax 0484/221-5562. [email protected]. Reservations:
CGH Earth, Casino Bldg., Willingdon Island, Cochin 682 003.
0484/266-8211
or 0484/301-1568.
www.cghearth.com
. 26 units. Nov–Apr 335€–360€ standard double, 445€–505€ deluxe suite double, 45€ extra person; May–Oct Rs 7,590 standard double, Rs 10,925 deluxe suite double; Rs 2,000 extra person. Rates include breakfast and taxes. All-inclusive rates also available. AE, DC, MC, V.
Amenities:
3 restaurants, including The History & Terrace Grill (see review), tea lounge, bar; airport transfers (Rs 1,300–Rs 2,000); bicycles; Ayurvedic center; cooking demonstrations; Internet (in business center; Rs 100/hr.) library; large outdoor pool; room service; sunset cruise (free); guided walking tour, yoga and meditation. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, minibar.

Koder House
It’s not as polished as any of the better-priced places in the vicinity (and service is tentative at best), but its main selling point has got to be its authenticity (little has changed since it was built in 1808 and it’s stuffed with antiques) and the sheer enormousness of its rooms. Frankly, though, we’re not sure what you’re going to do with all that space, and there’s some odd arrangement of furniture and appliances that makes us wonder just how serious these people are about running a hotel. Sure, there’s a small pool (with hardly a jot of space around it) and a restaurant (that serves Jewish specialty dishes), but if you peer into the premises of the Old Harbour next door, you’ll probably want to relocate there immediately. Still, the location is convenient and there’s a pair of pretty lounges to inhabit when you get bored exploring your suite.

Tower Rd., Fort Cochin 682 001.
0484/221-8485.
Fax: 0484/221-7988.
www.koderhouse.com
. [email protected]. 6 units. Oct–Mar Rs 10,400–Rs 13,023 junior suite double, Rs 13,000–Rs 15,600 deluxe suite double, Rs 3,000 extra bed; Apr–Sept Rs 5,000 double, Rs 2,217 extra bed. Rates include breakfast; 15% tax extra. AE, MC, V.
Amenities:
Restaurant, 2 lounges; airport transfers (Rs 1,000); Jacuzzi; small outdoor pool; spa. In room A/C, TV, Wi-Fi (free).

The Malabar House
Step inside this chunky white 18th-century colonial British bungalow at the edge of the Parade Maidan, and you’re immediately cooled by rooms in vibrant colors, a lush courtyard, and the sound of trickling water. This tiny, very contemporary boutique hotel has a tropical inner courtyard (trees, potted shrubs, and stone pathways) with a lovely plunge pool, wooden foldaway chairs, a small open-air theater area, and a covered restaurant. Rooms (some of which are quite small; suites, however, are palatial) feature waxed black Kadapa stone floors offset by bright red, turquoise, or yellow walls; each features a selection of paintings, sculptures, and period furniture reflecting the cultural heritage of Kerala, while the narrowish beds, solid in every sense, are made from carved teak and rosewood. Not only good-looking, this was also the first operation in India to be certified by Green Globe, the global environmental certification program for travel and tourism.

1/268, 269 Parade Rd., Fort Cochin 682 001.
0484/221-6666.
Fax 0484/221-7777.
www.malabarhouse.com
. [email protected]. 17 units. Oct–Dec 19 and Jan 11–Apr 220€ deluxe double, 300€–360€ suite; Dec 20–Jan 10 285€ deluxe double, 380€–460€ suite; May–Sept 150€ deluxe double, 200€–250€ suite; 35€ extra bed. Rates include breakfast; 15% tax extra. AE, MC, V.
Amenities:
Restaurant, wine and tapas lounge; airport transfers (Rs 1,100); babysitting (with prior notice); bicycles; outdoor pool; room service; Ayurvedic spa; tailor. In room: A/C and fans, TV, DVD (in Malabar Suite) hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).

Expensive

Le Colonial
This wins the prize for Kerala’s most elegantly interiored hotel, and it’s surely among the most beautiful in the country. Although the grounds are small (but with room for a decent pool and sun loungers), there’s so much to look at on the inside, that you just might forget to explore Kochi. This is apparently the oldest colonial-era building in Kochi, and supposedly where St. Francis himself once stayed, and where Vasco da Gama died. A transformed—and perfectly renovated—16th-century tea bungalow, the architects and designers have injected this posh-yet-homey boutique hotel with painstaking attention to detail, imbuing it with great personality and filling it with exquisite antiques, impeccably restored furniture, and eye-catching artworks. All the rooms are sumptuous and very comfortable, but the price you pay determines the amount of personal space and type of bathroom you end up with. This is among the most glamorous pieces of heritage design you’ll see anywhere in India—if you don’t have the money to stay here (yes, it’s pricey), it’s certainly worth splurging on a meal here.