Le Colonial 1506 - Exclusive Luxury Hideaway — Hotel in Kerala

My husband and I stayed here for 5 or so nights just a few weeks back - while it was a good experience I have given it only 4 stars and have provided the following comments:

This was a very expensive hotel to stay in and not sure it was worth the price. Not because it wasn’t good but it wasn’t exceptional like some hotels I’ve stayed in with similar pricing in India. It is a very small charming boutique hotel and the history within this hotel is undeniably incredible. It has been maintained well with beautiful decor and photographs on the walls. We actually booked a smaller room but were given a free upgrade to a larger, better room with a generous private outdoor verandah looking over the pool. We were grateful for this. The service was good; we really enjoyed the conversations we shared with one of the staff members, Sumesh. He is a real character but lovely man. I also had come down with food poisoning on the car drive from the airport to the hotel, my husband phoned the hotel ahead to arrange for a doctor. The staff were very accommodating and got me to the room straight away so I could rest while I waited for the doctor. They also checked on me the next day. The breakfasts were really great however we were not informed of any breakfast options as there is no menu. For the first breakfast we were served fruit first and then the wait staff proceeded to ask us how we would like our eggs (as if this was the only option), because of my stomach I just requested toast with jam and no eggs. For the subsequent days we continued to have fruit and then eggs on toast. It wasn’t until a few days later that we saw other guests have different meals and we queried this, the staff then apologetically advised there were other options such as local meals that we would have to request the day before so the chef could prepare. On the last day I tried a local dish for breakfast called Appam which was so delicious, highly recommend! I wish we were informed of the options earlier. A small menu would go a long way in ensuring all guests had the correct info from the beginning of their stay! We had a hotel dinner one night during our stay and thoroughly enjoyed it. The chef catered to my dietary requirements. While the dinner is somewhat expensive for India, the quality and quantity ensures you absolutely get your moneys worth. It was so delicious and fresh. Very impressed and wish I could eat this food again! There were a lot of mosquitoes and I think more measures could be in place to ensure the rooms were free of mosquitoes like nets around the bed, covering the gaps below the balcony doors with a cushion etc. The staff do perform a turn down service which involves using some sprays etc to remove the bugs as best they can before sleeping however we continuously found ourselves tossing and waving about at night to shoo the bugs away -we got bitten a few times on the face. These mosquitos are no joke. It does detract from the experience! I also noticed in the inside communal areas of the hotel, you can’t really sit down on the couch as there are insane amounts of mosquitoes hiding behind the cushions and when you go to sit down, they fly all around you 😅

Overall, good experience but not exceptional given the...

Our stay at Le Colonial was wonderful in every respect!

The warm hospitality of the staff was evident before we even arrived. We felt that the staff genuinely cared about us enjoying our stay and went above and beyond what we would expect from a luxury hotel, for example when we asked for a last minute change of dates; nothing was too much hussle and our requests were always met with kindness and a smile.

Beyond the hospitality, the hotel and its garden are an oasis in the bustling Fort Kochi. Both are beautifully maintained and the building’s rich history and culture are palpable throughout. Each of the rooms has its own unique character and lots of attention to detail, for example in the gorgeous patterned robes, the delicate infusers and the home baked biscuits. The hotel is also quite literally at the doorstep of some of Fort Kochi’s main attractions.

A big highlight of our stay at Le Colonial was the food. While other guest reviews have commented on the relatively limited selection compared to a conventional buffet, we found that this meant that each and every dish of breakfast and dinner was carefully prepared and tasted absolutely delicious! The coconut ice cream that we had read about is simply a must try.

Overall our stay at Le Colonial was more wonderful than we would have expected. We are looking forward to coming back to this small piece of paradise and would highly recommend Le Colonial to anyone looking for a luxury stay with...

This property has major payment issues. They don't seem to accept AMEX, and local Indian cards don't seem to work. Don't book this property if you want a stress free relaxed vacation. There is also some Singapore team behind this property that manages reservations, and the poor manager here is not empowered to take decisions. Two of my credit cards have been swiped multiple times over to no payment confirmation - extremely weird and shady.

Don't book unless it's a cash transaction, and unless it's directly with the property.

Also, at a time when all of Fort Kochi is bustling with people, there are no takers for this property which also goes to show that there's something wrong here. Not sure what the matter is. Not impressed. Significantly better properties around.

They don't turn on the fan, it's sweltering hot inside. The lights are off. The price doesn't speak to the quality - there's apparently some bell that has to be rung to summon the manager. But nobody told me about the bell. Had to go out and ask the guard if anyone was even in, and then the guard showed me to ring the bell. It's just one of the many weird instances of below-expected...