The rooms have been recently renovated and are cozy. The location of the hotel is perfect and the pool and Jacuzzi adds to the hotel s beauty. The ferry service is good too. The best time to be awake is early morning as the property looks fantastic. The service is a little slow, though the staff is very nice. Must try the south indian sea food at the hotel.

The stay at the hotel was very good! Especially the rooms, which I was told were recently renovated were very cosy and very well done, the bathroom and room separation was lovely. The pool was great with good separation for Kids, Jacuzzi and main pool area. The breakfast was the best of the stay at the hotel as the variety was very good and wide in range from local South Indian cuisine to Continental. Calm surrounding like lake and garden etc.

This hotel is located next to one of the Backwater Rivers which I liked the most. It has a main wing on one side of the river and another residential wing on the other bank. There is a ferry service provided by the hotel to move between the main wing and the residential wing (incase one is accommodated there). The ride takes around 10 minutes and is real cool. There is a lot of greenery around the hotel with coconut trees by the thousands. Early morning one can find people fishing on the banks of the backwater river. I tried angling too and was lucky to catch a couple of fishes. Infact the water is quite clear and in the sunshine the fishes can be easily seen. The service at the hotel is a little laid back, but welcoming. I also liked the sea food at the restaurants, especially those prepared in the local Kerala style.

The staff were startlingly unhelpful. I called not once but three times for a doctor, and each time I was promised a call back which never arrived. Eventually I used the Yellow Pages in our room to find a doctor myself.

I asked for a Blackberry charger and specifically requested a new-generation version with a thin fitting. I was promised a call back; none came. However there was a knock at my door at 1.00am (!) with an old-generation charger with a thick fitting. I re-iterated that I needed a thin fitting but they said they did not have one and could not get one. This is not acceptable for a hotel that aims to cater to business guests.

The hotel was not helpful in assisting me with organising onward southbound transport from Kochi. I asked about buses and was told the choice was limited to a bus at 0130 or a chauffeured car; this is simply not true; buses leave the main bus station every 15 minutes.

I ordered a curry from room service and was surprised that it did not arrive with any rice/naan: I would have happily paid for it had I been prompted.

The variety of choices at breakfast was limited compared to other SPG hotels in India.

Reviewer ber357 is quite right: this hotel is not located near any tourist attractions in Kochi, nor to the business district in Ernakulam. The views are unspectacular, because the hotel is not well-located.

Overall, if you anticipate needing any assistance from hotel staff (as opposed to a serviceable room only), I would recommend against staying at this hotel.