Built in 1506, this is the second oldest colonial bungalow in asia. One of the earlier residents was Vasco de Gama who died here and was buried in St Francis Church before his remains were removed to Portugal. Other notable resident was a French Naval officer Mahe de la Bourdonnaise who went north and coquered Malabar. The bungalow was then used by Dutch officers before it fell to British. 1605 AD was possessed by the Dutch and remined in Dutch possession till 17th Century when it fell in British hand and remained so till 1947. Many a Dutch, French and British colonial army and navy officers have stayed at this property
Present owners from France bought the property c. turn of the millennium and converted it in to a seven-bedroom resort with a swimming pool. Each room is named after colonial officers who had made significant contribution in colonial times.
Hotel Marigold series two was filmed in this hotel.
Dining area overlooks the pool and overlooks the garden. This is
tastefully decorated with outside lights and is suitable for romantic evening dinning. Cuisine is mixed Indian and European cuisine and all including bread and ice-cream if requested are prepared daily in house.
Rooms are attended to twice a day, in the morning for main cleaning and in the evening for turning down the bed. Bathrooms are very spacious and each room has a shower and a bath.
Staff are very friendly, attentive and meals are excellent and cooked to western taste.
This place is a must visit.
Le Colonial is a charming little hotel indeed, I’ve always wanted to find something like this and here we are! An old Colonial home with many stories to tell, tastefully restored and recreated into a luxury dwelling with many modern day requirements,
yet retaining its old world charm. Just walking in to the entrance through the living room like lobby was always a warm feeling with so much history before you.
We stayed in the Jan Van Spall suite which was again, full of period charm, two vintage styled queens, Mahogany furniture, a sit out terrace and a large bathroom with separate tub and large shower cubicle. Most importantly for us, a nice strong water pressure often rare in historic buildings. We also particularly enjoyed our terrace and the view we had onto the garden and pool.
A warm reception always from Arun, the manager and his team.
Special thanks to Akhil for moving around some furniture and my several requests for extra towels. They also were able to arrange an in room massage for me on the terrace, which was most appreciated.
Only place that we felt they ran short and could easily improve was food, not that it was bad, but considering that this suite is one of the highest priced accommodations in town, they could do better. Breakfast was that of a good B+B, nothing to match the luxury 5 star tab that they charge. I’m glad we opted to have dinner included only one night of our stay, as we were able to dine very well in nearby restaurants.
I would definitely stay again. For lovers of nostalgia and comfort this is the place to be in Kochi.
This 8 room boutique hotel was built in 1506, but is completely modernized. The location in historic Fort Kochin can't be beat. One block from the Arabian Sea and walking distance from all the historic sites. The rooms are large and three have balconies (get one). The food is excellent and the staff is fantastic. Visit Kerala and stay here for a magical experience.
We had the pleasure of staying in Le Colonial at the start of our late December visit to Kerala, and we were so glad we had chosen this wonderful, restful place. Although right in the centre of the action at Fort Cochin, the walled hotel is a sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of the main road and it attendant wonderful colourful atmosphere that is India at its best.
Our spacious, immaculately clean room with mahogany furniture reflecting the period, was filled with everything we needed except a kettle, but the hotel gave us tea and coffee - beautifully served - whenever we needed it. Although we didn't have dinner, the breakfast was of a very high standard, provided everything we requested - including marmalade! (but what would one expect?) The staff were very friendly, polite and exceptionally helpful from the manager downwards. He obviously leads from the top and sets a wonderful example to the staff.
Le Colonial will be my first choice of venue when next we are in Fort Cochin - but we'll make it longer next time!
I was lucky enough to stay in this beautiful hotel recently and wanted to say what a great experience it was. It felt more like staying in someones beautiful home rather than a hotel. Though it did help that we were staying there with friends and had the whole hotel to ourselves. The staff were very attentive, without being intrusive, and all of our food was amazing. There is a lovely little pool where you can sit and relax and the bedrooms are all gorgeous, with beautiful en-suites. A fantastic place to stay to escape the chaos of Cochin. Highly recommend if you are looking for something a bit different to your average hotel.