The Old Courtyard Hotel

A wonderfully intimate and historic hotel close to the bustling Fort Cochin’s north waterfront, with open-air dining and live Indian music

This atmospheric heritage hotel has a cobbled courtyard as its hub, with a fairy-lit mango tree in the centre. It is both elegant and old (over 200 years to be precise), having been built by the Portuguese when Cochin was their window to the spice trade. But there’s more. On summer evenings, you can sit around and soak up violin and flute music or clay pot drum rhythms played by local musicians. And you can enjoy continental-style cooking (a refreshing alternative to curries) under the shaded colonnaded arches any night of the year.

Follow the grand wooden staircase to the 8 guest rooms, varying in size and price but all charmingly decorated and, thanks to a 2010 revamp, fitted out with air conditioning and solar power. Step outside and you have spice shops, Chinese fishing nets, a Dutch palace and India’s oldest church on your doorstep. Ayurvedic treatments are only a short walk away and, although there’s no pool, you can take a dip in the one at the hotel next door for a small fee. The ideal base for history buffs and those looking for historic style, peace and Keralan culture amidst the bustle of Fort Cochin.

Highs

• The 200-year-old building is full of original decorative details (and features on many guided tours of Cochin as a result)
• Atmosphere is provided by the sparrows fluttering and cheeping through the eaves
• The walls are covered in expensive paintings (thanks to the owners' passion for art)
• You’re within ambling distance of Fort Cochin’s deservedly-famous Chinese fishing nets and other attractions
• Summer evenings bring enchanting live music in the courtyard
• The food is delicious and mixes spicy Keralan influences with familiar Western fare

Lows

• There’s no communal lounge area with comfortable seating
• The hot water can be a bit hit or miss
• There’s no room service or alcohol licence, though an application to serve alcohol is underway
• If you have an early start, the pre-ordered breakfasts don't always arrive
• Towards the end of the season the nets, curtains, towels and walls can look a little tired and the fixtures and fitting are more homely heritage then boutique
• When the hotel is full the owners sometimes offer rooms in the annexe. We haven't seen these rooms, but feedback on them is poor