Welcome to this beauty of Kochi cultural heritage, which takes us back to the glories and luxuries from the present. It’s not merely a hotel but a place where you find the best and possible service or hospitality in Kochi with charm and comfort.

You will need at least 2 or 3 days to sample all the offerings of the Kochi Biennale. My favorite hotel in town is Forte Kochi. Read on for a review of my stay.

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How to get to Kochi

There is an international airport at Kochi that has many incoming flights.

Kochi Immigration is the best immigration I have ever seen in the world! I had done my visa online and was through within 5 minutes. The immigration staff was amicable. They even had lounge chairs in front of the immigration counter that made it look like the check-in desk of a five stars hotel.

Kochi airport is located about a 1-hour drive from Fort Kochi which is the most charming area of Kochi.

TIP: In Peak traffic time, it can take more than 2 hours to reach the airport. I was not planning on this on my way back and almost missed my departing flight!

I wanted to take a taxi from the airport, but the ATM’s at the airport was not working so I could not get cash. Fortunately Uber is available in Kochi airport, and I was able to order one using my credit card. It is cheap ( 850 rpies), and my driver was friendly and spoke good English. Note for future trips: it might be a good idea to order a driver with the hotel in advance.

The Forte Kochi hotel is located in Forte Kochi, on princess road. It is about 2 minutes walk to the seafront and the picturesque fishing nets.

The primary location for the Biennale is Aspinall house, and this is about 10 minutes walk from the hotel

 

The check-in at Forte Kochi hotel

I arrived at 1 am and was pleasantly surprised to find a member of staff waiting outside the hotel to help me and my bags out of the taxi.

The hotel has been recently renovated, and it shows. I was greeted with a drink and a warm smile and quickly showed to my room.

 

The rooms at Forte Kochi

The hotel boasts 27 colonial-style rooms. While they look antique and traditional, they also offer all modern comfort.

The rooms show the real heritage of this hotel: cozy beds, luxurious furniture, tinted windows and other facilities in the room for guests.

I stayed in an imperial king room with its four posters bed. Those rooms are a bit bigger than the classic rooms and well worth the small extra price. They also offer a bathtub.

The room was decorated with flower petals which combined with the four-poster bed gave it a romantic feel. Too bad I was staying alone.

Before you book your room, be aware that the standards room feel much smaller so you might be better off upgrading, especially if you will be two in the room.

I also visited the Sovereign room, and I am not sure I would pay the extra price to stay in one. They are a bit bigger than the imperial room and have a nicer bathroom.

Facilities at Forte Kochi hotel

Here you can enjoy the very luxurious amenities like a central courtyard with its many attractive seating areas.

There is a beautiful pool in the middle of the courtyard, and it is, in my opinion, the nicest one in Fort Kochi. It is private and secluded. As it is located in the yard, it is also very quiet. We could hear the birds singing while swimming. How relaxing. Visiting Kochi can be hot and sweaty, so it was nice to have this oasis of calm to come back to in the middle of the day.

 

Fun Fact: A water source is located next to the swimming pool. The water is believed to have holy properties and people used to come here to get purified. It is not easy to find but look for the stairs on the left side. I did try it for fun. But be prepared that it is small, dark and the water didn’t look to clean. So basically I didn’t stay long in the holy water. Hopefully, it was long enough to be purified 🙂

Oh! And you can also enjoy the free WIFI. The free Wifi is fast.

 

The food at Forte Kochi hotel

Breakfast is buffet style and is included in most room rates. You can choose to eat in the dining room at the front of the hotel or the delightful courtyard. There is also a small menu that you can order from. The breakfast had a good mix of Indian and western food. The service is efficient and friendly through the hotel.

The restaurant is also very pleasurable for lunch and dinner. We did try a few of the famous restaurants in Cochin ( including the renowned boathouse), and the one at Forte Kochi was our favorite for food quality and prices. At the Forte Kochi restaurant, you can dine and enjoy the taste of Kochi. The spices and blend of flavors will make your mouth-watering for sure. Here, the traditional items are a must-try so do not miss them at any chance. The menu has western food but also delicious south Indian food. Do try the fish curry!

The only drawback of the Forte Kochi restaurant is that they do not have a liquor license so no beer or wine with your meal. If you want an alcoholic drink, check out the restaurants at the old harbor hotel which is 2 minutes walk. The Brunton Boatyard hotel is 10 minutes’ walk away and has a nice outdoor waterfront dining area. Those 2 hotels are also a good alternative option if the Forte Kochi is fully booked.

 

Conclusion

Forte Kochi is a solid hotel for those looking for colonial charm and comfort. I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone staying in Kochi. This hotel is always booked or filled with tourists because of its magnificent architecture and welcoming staff so make sure you book it on time.

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