Where to Stay and Dine in Cochin

Most guidebooks suggest going to Kerala between January and March, when it's dry and sunny. But the best season for ayurvedic massage is said to be June and July, when monsoons pound Kerala before sweeping north. They say that in the rainy season your body opens up like a thirsty flower to receive replenishment. Hotel prices are lower then, too.

You can see Kochi in four days, but it's worth spending a few nights in the backwaters. Fred and Ellison Poe, a father-daughter team who run Poe Travel (800/727-1960; www.poetravel.com), an Arkansas-based agency recognized in the list of super-agents.

Taj Malabar
The five-star landmark on Willingdon Island is where we stayed in Kochi. It's on the water and 20 minutes away, by either car or ferry, from Mattancherry or Ernakulam. The staff is extremely helpful, and the food at the hotel's Rice Boat restaurant is superb (try the njandu ularthiyathu, a crab appetizer). Rather regret accepting the chef's suggestion experience a traditional banana-leaf lunch out by the dock, in full view of the entire hotel's guests,

DOUBLES FROM $150; DINNER FOR TWO $50
Willingdon Island; 800/448-8355 OR 91-484/266-6811; www.tajhotels.com

 

Brunton Boatyard
This reconstruction of an 1849 boatyard is where we would stay next time we visit. It sits on the Arabian Sea in the center of Fort Cochin. There are terra-cotta floors, punkah fans in the lobby, and antique four-poster beds in many of the 26 rooms. DOUBLES FROM $130
CALVETTY RD., FORT COCHIN 91-484/221-5461; www.cghearth.com

Malabar House
A diminutive boutique hotel in Fort Cochin that feels a little fussy, but its owners have two beautiful hideaways in the backwaters: Serenity, a rubber-estate bungalow with five bedrooms, and Privacy, a romantic two-bedroom retreat in Sanctuary Bay. DOUBLES FROM $136
PARADE RD., FORT COCHIN 91-484/221-6666; www.malabarhouse.com

Nimmy Paul
As part of her ongoing plan to take over the world, this Indian domestic goddess just inaugurated homestays this October. Her guest room is spare but clean; she also offers meals, cooking lessons, and full- or half-day foodie immersions. Ask her son to teach you how he folds a napkin into the shape of a lotus flower. $125 PER NIGHT WITH FULL BOARD
CHAKALAKAL RD., ERNAKULAM 91-484/231-4293; www.nimmypaul.com

WHERE TO DINE

Badettu
This vegetarian restaurant in the Sarovaram hotel on the road to the airport serves wonderful traditional Keralan lunches on banana leaves: a dozen varieties of tasty, spicy curries and rice. We were the only WESTERNERS THERE; YOU EAT WITH YOUR HANDS. DINNER FOR TWO $8
NH 47 COCHIN BYPASS RD., ERNAKULAM; 91-484/230-5519

Shreekrishna Inn
They start you off with ayurvedic water—which tastes like chicken! Well, licorice, actually. The Keralan curries packed with chiles, ginger, and mustard seed are excellent (though the service is a bit lackadaisical). DINNER FOR TWO $5
WARRIUM RD., ERNAKULAM; 91-484/236-6664

Dream Cochin       

Location.

four and five star

SA Road, Ernakulam, Cochin, 682020 India 1800 102 3346

 Situated in Cochin's Ernakulam neighborhood, Dream Cochin is close to Durbar Hall Art Gallery. Additional area attractions include Mattancherry Palace and Jain Temple.
Hotel Features.
Dream Cochin has a spa tub, a fitness facility, and a pool. Wireless Internet access is available in public areas (surcharges apply). Business amenities at this 4.5-star property include a business center and small meeting rooms. This luxury hotel offers a restaurant. Guest parking is complimentary. Additional amenities include gift shops/newsstands, concierge services, and an elevator (lift).
Guestrooms.
The 151 air-conditioned guestrooms at Dream Cochin include minibars and safes. Televisions are equipped with satellite channels and DVD players. All accommodations provide phones with voice mail. Wireless high-speed Internet access (surcharge) is provided. All units feature refrigerators and coffee/tea makers. Bathrooms offer showers. All guestrooms at Dream Cochin are non-smoking.

Ramada Resort Cochin

4 stars

Pv Sreedharan Rd Kumbalam S, Cochin, 682506 India 1800 102 3346

Location.
Situated in Cochin's Vembanad Lake neighborhood, Ramada Resort Cochin is a business-friendly hotel and area attractions include Hill Palace, Durbar Hall Art Gallery, and Mattancherry Palace. Additional regional attractions include Jain Temple and Santa Cruz Cathedral.
Hotel Features.
Ramada Resort Cochin has an outdoor pool, a spa tub, a steam room, and a sauna. There is a business center on site. This business-friendly hotel offers a restaurant. Guests are served a complimentary breakfast. Additional amenities include a fitness facility, laundry facilities, and complimentary newspapers in the lobby.
Guestrooms.
Amenities in air-conditioned guestrooms at Ramada Resort Cochin include minibars and safes. Rooms open to balconies. 32-inch LCD televisions are equipped with cable/satellite channels. Rooms have high-speed Internet access. All units feature refrigerators and coffee/tea makers.