Malabar House

passable service. Great room. fantastic location.

La decoración, la comodidad de las camas, la ducha, la ubicación (inmejorable) y el trato con el personal..

La piscina estaba en obras. Supongo que en temporada baja aprovechan para hacer obras en en el inmueble.

Great location, very helpful staff, restaurant food was good (rather than great) though a bit expensive for what you got. It included several western dishes, nearly as many as Indian which seemed odd. The breakfast (included) had a varied set of options. Nice big room (we had room 9).

The room smelt a little musty when we arrived, but this may have been because the monsoon had hit the previous week.

Personnel aux petits soins, très belle décoration , chambre spacieuse et confortable.

Instabilité de la wi-fi

Fantastic Hotel. Beautiful property and room. Great Artwork. Delicious Food. Exceptional Service by the Staff. Super Friendly.

Absolutely nothing.

Good

Everything was lovely

nice decoration- nice garden- cleanliness- food ok-bar in the garden-

swimming pool not really usable- looks more like a decorative pool due to size and location just behind the desk.

Hotel style colonial. Personnel très agréable Excellent restaurant, très raffiné.

The old world charm and thoughtful art and design interventions.

WiFi was really awful which required one to move around to different venues within the property to catch a signal. The pool could have been bigger and more useable .

Beautiful architecture and friendly staff. Wine bar.

Practically no windows and noise in ground floor rooms.

Breakfast amazing. Pool area great. Music in the evening enchanting.

The only comment - and only to be hyper critical - would be that perhaps the bathroom needs a touch up. Otherwise this was an amazing place to stay. We loved it. Location is perfect.

L’emplacement, l’ambiance, la déco

En rapport avec son statut, les infrastructures ne sont pas impeccables

This is one of the worst hotels I have ever stayed at - it is badly managed and they can't even seem to get their reservations right! I would never stay there again.

The location, ambience & the art. Food was ok. Staff served with a smile.

The reception on arrival. The iron provided was leaking. The washrooms need to be cleaner. The swimming pool was a let down. A request for the history of the hotel/building could not be met. The manager directed for it to downloaded & provided but that did not happen. THE MATTRESS WAS LUMPY & UNCOMFORTABLE. The plugs need to be dual type so as to be compatible with both round & flat pin type chargers. A succinct history of the town & fort area would have been helpful.

A very handy location for walking Kochi We had a very late check-in due to our flight so didn’t get to enjoy the pretty pool and loungers. A nice little cafe though for a spot of breakfast. Very friendly English speaking staff members.

We stayed in the king room with a balcony. The stairs might be a problem for young children or unsteady seniors.

Lovely Dutch heritage hotel in a central location in Fort Cochin. Friendly and helpful staff

Nothing other than the wifi could have been better

Great place with generally attentive staff, great food and drink. We will return.

On arrival, after checking in and unpacking I asked the duty manager where I could get a drink. He told me that the bar shut at 11pm. I pointed out that the time now was 10:55pm. He responded that the bar had shut. He could have been proactive and just gone to get me a bottle of beer or two. We had been on a long train journey and could have done with a drink to wind down.

We spent one night at Malabar House, which I was excited about as I had heard good things. But I was sadly very underwhelmed. It's a great location, but when we arrived it was almost as if the Reception staff were on lunch, as there was one guy who checked us in, carried our bags upstairs and opened the room for us. There was no chat about meal times/restaurants/bars/wifi/afternoon tea/pool hours/spa or anything - most unlike every other hotel we had stayed in during our India trip. My husband ordered drinks/nibbles around the pool area and the service was slow. It is a beautiful building, spotlessly clean but the service was impersonal and you could tell it was a hotel that was part of a chain rather than privately owned and managed.

The hotel is presented well and the bedrooms are excellent

The staff couldn't be bothered, poor communication. At breakfast they didn't have the simplest things like croissants, muffins and bananas. Coffee was ordered first but arrived last.

One of those special hotels where everything just works! The staff are lovely and extremely attentive, the rooms are stunning, but the food is absolutely amazing! We loved our stay here, not long enough, so we will be back! Thank you!

Location, food at the restaurant

Room was too small for the price we paid. Bed was horribly small.

Beautiful colonial building converted into a hotel. The rooms are spacious and comfortable, with large, clean bathrooms. The staff is extremely friendly, and the food is very good. It’s definitely a place we would love to return to.

Beautifully done rooms, courtyard and pool - staff were wonderful great food in restaurant

Nothing

Standard of the property and service was nowhere close to the price they charged. Wifi was very poor and kept going off, and staff did not know how to deal with it. There were some mosquitoes in the room. Staff was also not at the level of training to attend to guests who have higher expectations.

De ligging

Zwembad is een piepkleine poel pal achter receptie midden in zicht van iedereen, dus niet leuk om daar even in te plonsen.Heel veel straatlawaai. Badkamer oud en lekt water. Bar heeft maar helft van wat de kaart aanbiedt. Personneel is traag en onvriendelijk. Ontbijt is een ramp, geen espresso (geen bonen gekocht) , geen bruin brood , geen kaas enz… Dit hotel is geen relais & châteaux’-label waard !

Great service ambience and accommodation. Loved our sitting out area overlooking the central pool/ courtyard. Restaurant food was excellent

The only caveat is that breakfast could have been better. Maybe a buffet? We stayed at Forte Cochi around the corner for a couple of nights and in every way comparable except Forte Cochi breakfast substantially better

I have always stayed at Malabar House for any trip to Kochi when it is available. It is one of the most elegant and lovely small spots to unwind and enjoy some respite before venturing into town. The breakfast is superb, as is all meals, as well as the service--always terrific. The presence of art (and artists) is an added bonus along with the laidback charm and feel of a private bungalow. Be aware that it now takes more than an hour to reach the airport because of traffic--but this should not deter anyone from staying and visiting wonderful Kochi!

Very disappointing stay and well below the standard expected of a Relais & Châteaux property. We experienced serious issues with cleanliness, safety, and maintenance, including faulty electrics, dirty rooms, mosquitoes, a flooded bathroom, and non-functioning amenities. Service was poor, particularly at breakfast, with delays, undercooked food, and missing orders. Bottled drinking water was unavailable for most of our stay. Despite repeated complaints, problems were not properly resolved, and communication before and after our stay was lacking. Overall, the experience did not justify the price, and we would not recommend this hotel.

Central location, lovely swimming pool, good restaurant

It would be great to have a spa and gym

Great location. Good breakfast. Clean rooms.

Rooms lacking in space/had too much furniture. Bed was tiny and high - not suitable for a short person. Swimming pool looked unclean. WiFi did not work. Hugely overpriced for what you get.

It’s a beautiful hotel, with lovely staff and in a great location.

Service was slow at times.

I stayed at The Malabar House in Kochi with my family for two nights in September, and it was a delightful and memorable experience. The property is truly picturesque — charming, beautifully designed, and perfectly in sync with the character of its lovely surroundings. The ambiance adds a unique boutique feel that makes the stay even more special. The service throughout our stay was warm, caring, and genuinely hospitable. A special word of appreciation to Annmary, Yshaik, Nevin, Rose, Kokul Lakshmi, and Jiten — each of them went the extra mile to ensure we were comfortable and well looked after. One area where there is room for improvement is the limited vegetarian food options on the menu. Expanding the vegetarian choices would definitely enhance the experience for guests like us. Overall, we had a wonderful stay thanks to the warmth of the team and the beautiful property. A lovely place to unwind and experience Kochi’s charm.

Emplacement central, architecture patrimoniale, cuisine gastronomique, personnel très serviable.

Central and clean

Cuisine catered entirely to a foreign pallete

It's a beautiful building in the perfect location, and it could have been an excellent choice for our 24-26 December stay. I was there with my sister, so we had a twin room, the beds were comfortable, but narrow.

Where do I begin? ...the wheels fell off pretty quickly! All of the rooms are windowless (it's how it is designed), and while beautiful, they feel cold and lack cosiness. We were booked in for mandatory Christmas meal (not cheap!), but were berated (by a very unfriendly male member of staff) for not stating that we had a food allergy beforehand - not that we were ever asked, and apparently it couldn't be adjusted on a case-by-case basis as everything was preprepared. There is so much else to say, but I just don't want to be mean. Let's just say, we won't be going back there to stay or eat.

Lovely aesthetics, nice decor Great service Very nice restaurant with a charming courtyard

Room is a bit worn out, showers do not work well

Lovely old house, nicely converted with spacious rooms. However we were not impressed with the number of mosquitoes in the room. The room was ‘smoked’ while we were at dinner, using natural herbs. Trouble is that smoke does not kill mosquitoes so we were still eaten alive during the night. Top tip is definitely to take your own fly spray and treat the room. Upstairs balcony bar was great for an early evening drink, but few staff once dinner service started with slow service.

This hotel is beautiful and the staff are so helpful and informed. The location is excellent for exploring Fort Kochi and the ambience and art is exquisite. An oasis of charm and elegance. Thank you for the great hospitality.

Den unikke indretning af hvert værelse, det var smukt og æstetisk. Skønt med pool. Dejlig morgenmad, god restaurant og hyggelig vinbar.

Good boutique hotel, well situated for the Chinese fishing nets etc. A few nice shops scattered about.

The property is small, intimate and very well suited. Ann Marie at the front desk is truly exceptional.

Street noise due to a political event coming (one night)

Beautiful property, gorgeous room with canopied bed and little terrace overlooking the pool and courtyard. Very peaceful and calm. Lovely breakfast. Lovely staff. The art and decor is wonderful. Would love to stay again and would highly recommend. My daughter is gluten free and lots of breakfast items available. Only stayed one night wished we could have stayed longer.

This was a great place to land for our first night in India. It’s a lovely hotel and the food in the restaurant is exceptional

Good service staff were efficient and courteous

Cleanliness of room could be better

Elegantly furnished, attentive staff, super food.

The location, although central, is a little noisy at times.

Beautifully appointed. Staff very friendly and helpful. Comfortable beds. Food excellent. Nice beer and wine bar. Would visit again

Fantastic hotel with wonderful rooms and great staff

Le personnel très agréable, très serviable, souriant. Excellent petit déjeuner. Hotel somptueux

without doubt the best place to stay for the discerning traveller, this Chateax et Relais associated property is an exceptional experience for world travellers. individually curated (yes original artworks as well as pre colonial antiques deorate the rooms) rooms with plenty of space with large bathrooms with bath with all the amenities. The superior aspect of service, missing in hotels in the neighbourhood, is evident the minute you enter and it continues till you leave. Special mention to Sashi, the experienced manager of the property and AnnMary the everhelpful lady at the front desk. There is a restaurant for cozy dining with excellent service. For those travellers who appreciate taste and elegance, there is no better place than this in Fort Kochi . I highly recommend this hotel

This is a heritage hotel in the Fort area and has a colonial look and feel about it. The beach is very close but is rather crowded in the evenings and weekends. However, it should be noted that it's quite far away from the Ernakulam airport. The reception staff were friendly and professional while checking in. There are only 17 rooms in this hotel. Our room was very spacious, clean and was tastefully decorated. However, the bed was very high and for senior citizens, climbing on to the bed will be a problem! The bathrooms was also spacious but was rather dysfunctional. The hotel is not really cordoned off from the road on one side; this can lead to security issues, although nothing happened during our stay. The breakfast menu had limited offerings. There was no breakfast buffet. The quality of food was not up to the mark. Overall, the level of service was not very professional or prompt. Please note that, on check in, it is important to verify the contents of the 'mini bar'; there was a long list of items which were said to be available in the mini bar according to the notice kept on top of the refrigerator. However, the refrigerator was actually empty! At the time of checkout, the reception staff accused us of helping ourselves to the contents of the mini bar. This left a bad taste in the mouth as we left the hotel. One should be aware of this racket.

Posizione - cura dettagli - pulizia atmosfera

Nulla

Ro og atmosfære

Prisen

The staff was really friendly. The food service was a little slow but the food was really good. The rooms were clean and cleaned every day. The room was big enough and cozy. We liked our stay here, and would recommend it!

We loved the environment luxurious and relaxed. Artwork and gardens! Also loved the location and staff.

No cappuccino machine.

I stayed both at Malabar House and their sister property in total for 7 nights. I paid in advance by bank transfer middle February, sending them copy of the bank transfer and later respective location code. Until my departure (28.03) they were unable to locate the transfer and I had to pay the whole stay again by credit card. This while my bank informed me that the money reached the recipient bank but not the final account. I asked my bank to cancel the initial transfer (obviously with additional charges) and being aware that Malabar Escapes had to agree with the devolution, which they assured they would. Until now, May, the amount hasn’t been returned and the reservation department - Adithya - stopped answering my e-mails. Fully unacceptable for a Relais & Chateaux member. I don’t understand why the hotel’s finance department cannot handle this situation proactively with their bank instead of putting the stress on the customer’s side, not to mention the double payment already debited twice in my account. So I cannot help wondering if there is any scam with payments or simply incompetent staff. I already asked to speak with GM or senior management and they simply do not respond. What could have been a nice stay turned into a nightmare. I hope that by sharing this experience , hotel management cares to investigate the matter, return the money and apologize for this serious inconvenience. Future travellers be aware.

Big an d clean rooms, ambient setting, friendly staff.

Great location, pool was excellent shape. Loved the wine bar and cafe. Room was very spacious and plenty of space. Staff was very friendly and anticipated every need.

When we arrived I had high expectations as a heritage hotel. However it didn’t live up, it was dated, dirty, no pool/relaxing area (the pics look like it has). The service was dire, I did complain as we didn’t get breakfast the 2 mornings we stayed due to abysmal service, even 2 cups of tea 49 mins came without milk then undrinkable. Trying to get a drink in the day was painful. Of all the 9 hotels we stayed in across India the other heritage hotels didn’t disappoint, this was a real let down and wouldn’t recommend at all. Ironically there look to be some beautiful hotels in Kochi sadly not this one.

We had a wonderful 2 night stay at the Malabar House. The staff is warm and welcoming and they graciously accepted our request for a late check out. It is a beautiful property which is very well located.

I thought the food was very bland

When planning a three week trip to India, we were attracted by The Malabar House’s website featuring a stylish decor and Relais Chateau status. While it is a small but attractively designed and decorated property, we found our stay to be disappointing. The room was satisfactory - although we missed having a “real” closet for our clothes, only an exposed rack and two drawers were provided. We left many of our clothes in our suitcases on a bench in the room. The bathroom was commodious. However, the customer service left a LOT to be desired. Requests to housekeeping were not met without a second reminder. A dirty dish was not removed the next day during standard cleaning. Dining service was slow and disorganized. Our tea and coffee arrived…but it took 5 minutes to get the milk. The wine bar was open but deserted and clearly had not been bused from the night before. IMO the owner/manager needs to take a more hands on approach and provide better training to bring this hotel back to what I understand was a favorite Cochin property.

Property was nice. Rooms were really nice.

Pool was rather disappointing. Also had an incident with a staff member walking in unannounced. We were in the back of the room and he knocked, we didn’t hear and he walked in. He should have called or there should be a do not disturb sign or something. Instead of apologizing and appearing bad, they gave a justification for coming in. It was an embarrassing situation and we were disappointed in their reaction. Really, a simple do not disturb would work wonders.

Very nice hotel downtown Bar and restaurant : good wines and cooking Very good service

An oasis at the end of the journey . Beautiful toom with a veranda -- sense of relaxation throughout our stay Try the massages . Staff on reception so professional and helpful . Enjoyed the variety of food in the small restaurant . Very peaceful property

Tastefully appointed and furnishes, large room, comfortable bed, good service

Rooms on ground floor have no noise insulation

We only passed through this time, but it was our second visit and really enjoyed being back. A small pool which works find for a few lengths and a lovely room (1). It has a real sense of style and atmosphere with some interesting artisan pieces and curated artworks

good location

Room floor was dirty - they cleaned it when pointed out to them

The is a well run friendly hotel near all amenities in kochi fort area I think it was a former old bank The restaurant and bar area are within the enclosed courtyard Food was excellent The staff were friendly and attentive There is plenty to see around the area and a 2or3 night stay would be fine

I liked this hotel. Comfortable room and beds and a pretty court yard. The breakfast was very good and we also had dinner a couple of times. The chef has a light hand probing some lovely dishes and a good introduction to Keralan fish cookery. Fort Kochi is an easy going place to explore - would recommend a visit

The location was perfect, close to everything. Staff was helpful. Dinner was excellent.

This small hotel is the whole package! I am looking forward to returning. We enjoyed relaxing to the live sitar music in the charming courtyard after a day of exploring Kochi. We tried a couple of outside restaurants with good trip advisor reviews it none could match the hotel’s restaurant. The location in Fort Kochi was central to everything but on a quiet street. The young woman at the reception desk during the day was very, very helpful. She gave us info on activities, efficiently handled checked-in and check out and even organized a tailor to come the hotel in our last night and had my dress back to me by 8am the next morning!

A little gem of a hotel. The staff were absolutely lovely, especially Anne Marie on reception, nothing was too much trouble. Room was very pleasant, 2 balconies, one with a swing bed. Water and fresh fruit provided. Nice breakfast. Ate both evenings, highly recommend the prawn risotto. Didn't really enjoy the foot massage, not sure why we had to speak to a doctor first and a hard wooden bed was very uncomfortable.

We stayed here twice, either side of our houseboat trip. The first two nights we had a very large room overlooking the garden which was lovely. The hotel has a lovely little bar and garden and there was some local musicians one night which we enjoyed. On our return we had a different room which was a little smaller but just as nice; clean and comfortable with everything you could need. The staff were all extremely friendly, helpful and professional. We especially appreciated that they organised an early breakfast for us before our departure. I wouldn’t hesitate to stay here again.

Review here from a luxury travel professional. Nothing like the weather was bad so the hotel is crap. :) PROS Small boutique hotel Superb location in Fort Kochi Pretty pool area Food quite good. CONS Service delivery falls far below Relais Chateaux standards. Breakfast service slow Service level very sloppy Housekeeping especially poor There are 4 levels of accommodation. We had the Baron Villa, separate lovely house 3 mins walk away. The Baron Villa is lovely with a nice pool, kitchen and is well appointed. BUT The owner apparently lives in the adjacent house. We came home one day to entries open in 2 places. Never swam in the pool as was taking a shower downstairs in the evening and someone came in the back entrance and out the pool lights on. Scurried away once they realized the situation. This accommodation is NOT private. The manager on duty said they would check the “camera”. Hardly comforting knowing the complete lack of privacy. I know #thenewworld is prices up+service down+everything is full. The Malabar House proves my post pandemic travel equation is alive and well in Kochi.

Great location, beautiful rooms, front office staff was lovely

Uncomfortable pillows, super slow, inflexible service in the kitchen.

Beautiful bedroom with gorgeous decor. Bathroom was quite small. Reception staff very friendly. Location was ok, but further from the centre than we were anticipating. Breakfast service was very slow with limited options and bar was closed by 10:30pm but they did offer to bring drinks to our room.

the malabar house is a wonderful place to stay in Kochi. the staff is lovely and accommodating and the food at the restaurant is delicious. it is very centrally located to the most popular sites in fort kochen yet also on a quiet street which is the perfect combination!

Malabar House in Fort Kochi exceeded our expectations in every way. The beautifully cool rooms provided a tranquil retreat, and the friendly, attentive reception and waiting staff consistently went above and beyond to ensure our comfort. The air-conditioned lounge was a perfect spot to relax, and even our laundry was returned beautifully folded, showcasing the attention to detail. We particularly enjoyed the daily vegetarian Indian breakfasts, which were a highlight of our mornings. Its prime location made it ideal for exploring the vibrant shopping and dining options in the area. As part of our Kerala tour booked with Trailfinders, Malabar House was a standout experience. Highly recommended!

Lovely boutique hotel with exquisite artworks and attention to aesthetics. Seriously good food, beautifully presented. Great location - walkable to restaurants and shops and along the promenade. The only thing that let the hotel down was the dirty towels on the sun loungers by the pool. Even when asked for clean towels they simply brushed away the debris rather than changing the towels on which previous sweaty guests had lain. We were surprised and disappointed that they were not more alert to the need for clean towels in a hotel of this standard.

An beautiful hotel. Very comfortable beds and lovely bedroom. We enjoyed the menus and food was great. Great choice for dinner and breakfast. The staff were warm, very helpful, professional, attentive but not intrusive and friendly. We would thoroughly recommend this hotel.