Vivanta Ernakulam, Marine Drive — Hotel in Kerala

I recently stayed at Vivanta Kochi with high expectations, given my consistent and exceptional experiences at other Vivanta properties such as Jaipur, Goa, Bekal, and Kollam. Unfortunately, this stay fell noticeably short across multiple touchpoints, from check-in to dining, and left me disappointed.||1. Check-in Experience: Below Par|The warmth and efficiency that typically define Vivanta's check-in process were sorely missing here. There was a distinct lack of personalized attention or welcome, and the process felt mechanical. Compared to the smooth, welcoming experience at Vivanta Jaipur or Goa—where staff are proactive, attentive, and make you feel truly valued—this was underwhelming and impersonal.||2. Room Quality & Housekeeping|The room was adequately maintained, but it lacked the finesse and detailing I have come to associate with Vivanta properties. Small but important touches that elevate the stay—such as well-stocked amenities, welcome treats, or even a courtesy call post check-in—were absent. Housekeeping service was inconsistent and lacked the proactive attitude I experienced at Vivanta Bekal and Kollam.||3. Dining Experience – Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner|The most disappointing aspect of the stay was the food experience. Despite the range of options on the menu, the quality, presentation, and taste did not meet the standards I’ve come to expect from Vivanta.||Breakfast: The spread was average, with several items either lukewarm or lacking in flavor. Service was sluggish, and there was minimal engagement from the staff in understanding or fulfilling guest preferences.|Lunch & Dinner: The meals felt uninspired. Portion sizes were inconsistent, and the overall culinary experience lacked the flair and finesse I've routinely seen at Vivanta Goa and Jaipur. Even basic requests took longer than expected, and the staff seemed overwhelmed or disengaged.|In contrast, my recent dining experiences at Radisson and Holiday Inn Kochi were far superior—not just in terms of food quality but also the customer connect. The team at those properties displayed attentiveness, regularly checked in for feedback, and genuinely made an effort to ensure satisfaction.||4. Service & Staff Interaction|What truly differentiates premium hospitality is the human connection, and unfortunately, this was sorely missing at Vivanta Kochi. There was little to no effort from staff to engage with guests or build rapport—something I have always appreciated about the Vivanta brand.||Compared to Radisson and Holiday Inn Kochi, where staff members are courteous, proactive, and highly service-oriented, the team at Vivanta Kochi seemed transactional and disengaged.||Final Thoughts:|While Vivanta as a brand has always stood out for its luxury with a personal touch, this property unfortunately did not live up to that promise. From lackluster service and indifferent staff behavior to uninspiring food and an impersonal check-in, this stay was not in line with my expectations—especially after such positive experiences at other Vivanta destinations.||I sincerely hope the management takes note of these areas and works toward realigning the Kochi property with the brand's otherwise commendable standards. Until then, I would be more inclined to consider alternate options like Radisson or Holiday Inn Kochi for both leisure and...

Vivanta Ernakulam, Marine Drive (Formerly, The Gateway Hotel) in Kerala state, India, is a 5-Star Taj property. I had the privilege to stay at this hotel back in May of 2022. Vivanta is currently rated #6 of 65 hotels in Ernakulam on TripAdvisor. This is an eco certified hotel. The great attraction of this property is its prime location in Downtown Marine Drive and its proximity to the bustling shopping haven, Broadway. Vivanta is also obviously amenities galore!

The check-in was great when I arrived by an evening train. I had only booked an Executive A/c room. Upon arrival, Mr. David, the Front Office Manager warmly welcomed me. To my great surprise and with an immediate update, my already confirmed booking was also upgraded to an Executive Twin Room to a sea facing one! It was also informed to me that I would receive a 20% discount on food, soft beverages, and laundry. It definitely helped a little bit. Before you enter the hotel, expect your bags or luggage to be screened, besides the usual security measures. This was a welcome sign.

Vivanta has 3 in-house restaurants which includes Sian, serving Chinese cuisine besides a rooftop restaurant where you get to see the great landscape, backwaters, the distant Arabian sea and even the fabulous Willingdon Island or the Cochin Port. The Bubble Cafe is a great one that I visited in 2017 (previously reviewed on Google Maps) and visited again in 2022. Please don't forget to get a peek through your room window, whether it be at night or before dawn. It's a treat, trust me, and very worth it! Go ahead and sacrifice your sleep and get up early. You would be mesmerized with the gorgeous skyline, the reflection of lights in the water, besides the great sights of either ships or small vessels making their way through..

Vivanta has a 24-hour front desk customer service, a great spa, a fitness center (not tried), a concierge, room service, housekeeping, non-smoking family rooms, minibar, suites, Ocean view rooms, smoking rooms, free parking, free high speed internet, pool, free buffet breakfast, Business Center with internet access and kids do stay free.

I had a great time during my stay at the then, Gateway, and experienced the wonderful Taj hospitality. I had memorable interactions with Mr. David, the Front Office Manager, Mr. Vishnu Prakash, Front Office, Mr. Joby and Mr. Joshua (Bubble Cafe). I also had a great conversation with Mr. Paul, an intern who accompanied me in the elevator and to my room, who was very friendly, humble, and patiently, answered all of my questions. This was even great since it was only his first day at the Taj!

The only suggestions I would have made would have been to enhance the bathroom and the furniture, which seemed to have been due for some needed updates. However, at this time, the hotel has gone through the Vivanta transition and even has had its renovations. Vivanta also offers free sunset cruises, included with your booking. I missed it in 2022 because it was offered only during the weekends. It would be worth the trip, especially during warm/humid days, and to get some...

The location is definitely the highlight of this hotel: wonderful to say the least. It's right on Marine Drive. The hotel has a private entrance to Marine Drive. However, when we walked up to the gate, it was locked and there was no one there to open it for us. We had to go back to the check-in desk and specifically ask for the security guy to open it for us.

Another very disappointing observation was that we were expected to take our luggage to our room ourselves: there was no one there to help us. The receptionist simply told us the room number (214) and advised that it's on the second floor: that's it. When we got there, we laughed: the name plate on the door showed 14: the "2" had fallen off! They call this a 5-star hotel: shame on them!

The second floor was a smoking room floor and it was really irritating and uncomfortable every time we stood waiting for the lift. We were not given an prior warning.

The hotel, like many others have stated in their comments, is very old. Despite this, the room that we were allocated (unfortunately a city view room) was of reasonably good quality in terms of cleanliness and overall maintenance except for the balcony (inaccessible for security purposes). There was a dead cockroach, lots of dust and black marks.

With regard to in-room facilities, it was rather disappointing. For 2 people, there was only one toothbrush! No shaving kit was provided (I had to ask for one). We also didn't see flannels. They failed to provide moisturiser / cream. No safe deposit locker. I was also surprised not to see an iron and ironing board. The bed was comfortable.

There's not much to see outside the building: there's just a car park and a large meeting room / conference hall.

Dinner was rather disappointing with not much choice. Taste was not up to the mark. I didn't see any biriyani, noodles etc. The choice of desserts was terrible. They were really quite restrictive in the choice of items. Breakfast was much better with a good choice of stuff: full marks for that.

Unfortunately this place deserved no more than 3 stars. I've stayed in 4-star hotels that are MUCH better at half the price. I certainly wouldn't...