Hotel Arches — Hotel in Kerala

We were on a short trip to Kerala covering Kochi and Munnar.|Had decided to ditch staying in the city area ( Ernakulam ) and decided to stay at Fort Koch instead, and so happy we did that.The streets of Fort Kochi exude an old world charm and are filled with history and lots of colonial architecture. We chose to stay at Hotel Arches Abode and were very happy with our stay there. It is centrally located and all the sightseeing places like St.Francis Church, Santa Cruz Badilica, the beach, the famed Chinese fishing nets, etc are all within walking distance.||Our rooms were spacious, had lovely old world furniture and we were happy with the amenities provided like hot water kettle, mini fridge, hot water, toiletries, etc.||The staff, manager Neeraj, and Roshni and Ambica were super helpful. In fact when we arrived, Ambica stepped forward at once and helped us with our baggage.|I had written earlier requesting for rooms on 1st floor and twin bedded rooms and they took note of and gave us the rooms as requested. ||The in-house restaurant , Rasoi had helpful staff and the food was very tasty, only was disappointed that it was only North Indian food served and no Keralite cuisine for meals. It's always great to taste local food rather than getting the typical North Indian dishes in the South.|Breakfast was lovely, a generous platter of freshly cut fruits, fruit juice and the softest idlis and great dosas. ||The only cons that I saw was that the intercom on our side of the wing was not working, so if we needed anything we had to climb down and request for it ( there is no elevator , but the stairs are easily negotiable )||Also we would have preferred if local food was served in the restaurant, but there are plenty of restaurants and cafes around where you can get the local fare.||All in all, we were very happy with our stay and would definitely ...

Thumbs Up:|- Very welcoming reception, Ambiance is beautiful, exquisite paintings, you will feel the Heritage hotel feeling|-In the heart of Fort Kochi and was lovely walking around. I would recommend staying here so the ease of moving around.|- Chinese fishing net , the local shops, St Francis Church is walkable.| -The Rasoi restaurant has amazing food. We ate there almost all the time we were in Fort Kochi. The price was pretty decent. I highly recommend this restaurant.|-If possible, ask for 2nd floor rooms 205, 206. They are spacious and nice.-Room service Tea and evening french fries were good.|-Rasoi gave Jain food which was yummy-We paid for breakfast, they served fruits, canned juice, one time they served Puri and alu sabji , next day they served Idli Sambar, and tea/coffee. Though limited, it was pretty good. I would recommend having breakfast here if you are traveling with a large family like us.|-The manager was nice and explained us a bit about local places to visit.|-You can find some local auto drivers who will take you to all the places for 600rs||Thumbs Down:|-Avoid first floor rooms 105, it had a smoky smell from kitchen and noises from kitchen.|-TV was not working in most rooms, Had to call them to fix AC|-Some rooms had a damp smell. |*If you request they will change your rooms. Some rooms have balcony, 2nd...

The property is old but very comfortable and well maintained. It is a perfect blend of colonial architecture, modern amenities and nature too. Morning, we woke up to the delightful chirping of birds, this was something that made my day.

Pros Excellent service Value for money Comfortable and well maintained In house restaurant which serves one of the best north Indian foods in Kerala Well located. Walkable to popular site seeing Book shelfs loaded with books in every floor.

Cons In house restaurant is available only for lunch and dinner that too open only till 10pm. But there are options outside. Parking is on the street. This again is common in this location. TV is available but hardly any channels available. This was not an issue for us though. Can have something setup for...