If there is one place in India that you should splurge a little on your accommodation, it’s Fort Kochi. There are a plethora of beautiful heritage buildings that have been renovated into impressive hotels and guesthouses, offering a high standard of service at an affordable rate.
Staying in a Kochi heritage building is an experience in itself and you will be living the history of this colourful port town.
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We were extremely grateful to be invited to stay at the exquisite Ayatana Fort Kochi, situated in a beautiful two-hundred year-old building, formerly used as the court house. On arrival we received the warmest welcome and were immediately struck by the stylish monochrome décor, complimented by the high ceilings which created a calm, airy ambienc; the perfect retreat.
Breakfast
Our sleeper train from Bangalore had arrived early that morning so before we checked in to our room, we were treated to a very yummy breakfast.
Fresh from the onsite bakery emerged the fluffiest of muffins which we all devoured. The boys then shared a full English breakfast with scrambled egg, hash browns, baked beans, tomato, bacon and chicken sausage.
They also provide a local breakfast and us parents both thoroughly enjoyed the Masala Dosa.
The room
The large rooms, again with high ceilings, are decorated to an extremely high standard. We stayed in a ‘suite with balcony’ and it was a treat having a separate lounge area (including TV and velvety sofa) for the parents to enjoy whilst the boys slept.
The bed has to be the most comfortable we have slept in all of India! They added an extra single bed to the room for us, there was still plenty of space.
A/C and a fridge is standard, and the bathroom includes a big deep bathtub, perfect for a long soak after a day’s site-seeing.
The swimming pool
The thing that the boys absolutely loved about Ayatana Fort Kochi was the roof top swimming pool (you can see from my photo below that I am referring to ALL Lynn boys!), which also affords wonderful views across to the main town centre and behind to the heritage rooftops of Fort Kochi.
It’s too deep for little ones to stand in, so parents have to be in the pool as well. But it’s just the right temperature; not too cold.
Final thoughts on Ayatana Fort Kochi
We wholeheartedly recommend Ayatana Fort Kochi for families travelling to Kerala. The staff were exceptional with the boys and would go out of their way to make our stay as comfortable as possible. Make sure you try those muffins at breakfast!
To get the most out of your visit, make sure you check out our guide to visiting Kochi with kids.
Where would we be without our trusted Lonely Planet.
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