Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Situated on Willingdon Island with a magnificent view of Cochin harbour, Taj - Malabar Resort & Spa is a fine balance between yesterday and tomorrow. Our lobby is a unique mix of chic and classic. The heritage wing, built in 1935, reflect the inherent beauty of Cochin. And the tower wing houses newly renovated guestroom suites, each a delicate mix of the classic with the contemporary.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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Nestled in the serene backwaters of Cochin, the Taj Malabar Resort & Spa is a sanctuary praised for its cleanliness and stunning views. Guests have called out the exceptional service and warm welcomes as hallmarks of their stay, while the hotel's thoughtfully appointed rooms and local cultural touches contribute to a charming atmosphere.
Travelers are enamored with the amenities, especially the infinity pool and spa, though some guests caution about the value, citing high prices. Despite mixed opinions on costs, the hotel's location and ambiance often leave a lasting impression.
Location
Picturesque
Atmosphere
Charming
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Immaculate
Service
Attentive
Amenities
Outstanding
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Everything about our stay at The Taj reflected 5* luxury. The welcome ceremony when we arrived set the scene for a stay which keeps guest interests at heart in everything they do. We arrived in time for the delicious (complimentary) afternoon tea followed by the sunset cruise. Breakfast the next morning was excellent with outstanding service provided by the ever-smiling attentive staff and perfectly cooked eggs. The pool area is lovely and kept clean by the staff who ensure all guests are comfortable and provided with fresh towels and drinks etc. Our balcony suite was beautiful, we had a view overlooking the sea and the bathroom had a freestanding tub as well as a modern rain shower. The room was scrupulously cleaned every day and a turn down service was also offered every evening. In-dining room service was efficient and there was a varied menu. Everything we ordered was well-presented and delicious. The reception staff, travel desk staff and lobby managers at the hotel were all so polite and helpful and were happy to organise our sightseeing trips/taxi transfers etc for us. A thoroughly enjoyable stay which met our expectations of a 5* hotel. Thank you.
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Date of stay: January 2025Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Lalith Viswakumar, General Manager at Taj Malabar Resort & Spa, Cochin
Responded 16 Jan 2025
Dear Ms. Alka Greetings from Taj Malabar Resort & Spa, Cochin! We sincerely appreciate taking your valuable time to share this positive review on TripAdvisor. I am delighted to read your detailed comments about the overall ambience, room experience, dining experience, overall services, overall hospitality and all together you cherished the Tajness experiences with the perfect hospitality, right from check-in till check-out. Our constant endeavour is to offer memorable experience to our guests. I will share your feedback with our team, and I am sure that this feedback will serve as an encouragement to all our associates at the hotel. Once again, we thank you for sharing your valuable feedback and look forward to welcoming you back soon… Warm regards, Lalith Viswakumar Area Director - Operations & General Manager – Taj Malabar Resort & Spa
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The room was impeccably provided with a platter of assorted homemade cookies and local flavour of sweets. The bed and pillows are of the fluffiest quality. The bathroom is superbly layout and provided with sone exotic toiletries. The restaurant Pepper treated us with an excellent meal on all times
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Date of stay: June 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Lalith Viswakumar, General Manager at Taj Malabar Resort & Spa, Cochin
Responded 23 Jun 2024
Dear Guest, Greetings from Taj Malabar Resort & Spa, Cochin! Thank you for taking the time to share this wonderful feedback in TripAdvisor. It is our endeavour to serve the best and with the passion that we are known for and it certainly makes our day to know that we could leave you with everlasting found memories. At Taj, our associates try to create memorable experience for all our guests and feedback like yours definitely keeps the team motivated. Thank you once again for your feedback. We look forward to welcoming you back soon and create many more memorable experiences for you. Warm regards, Lalith Viswakumar Area Director - Operations & General Manager – Taj Malabar Resort & Spa
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High level of service experienced at the hotel. The rooms were large and comfortable. I would suggest asking for a front corner room to get more views across the waters. The swimming pool is ideal for actually swimming with an infinity end where you can watch all manor of ship and boat go by and dolphins most ,mornings around 10am. Great service received from Chef Anoop and Jomon, waiter. We also had an informative conversation with Jasmine, reception and Jenifer the Taj rep for Cochin. The gentleman with the catapult keeping the hungry birds away from us was obviously good with visitors and the kids. He ran after me to the lift when I forgot my shirt on the back of a chair. My only feedback for the hotel would be to improve the heating system for the buffet. I found several dishes not as heated as I would want or expect. Also, the cabinet for heated plates was either not working or not turned on early enough. Food was excellent. Finally ensure people at3 told what is complimentary in the room and what is not. We were told everything outside the fridge was complementary but I got a significant bill for some crisps and nuts which annoyed me after I spotted it on the other side of my bill. Overall an excellent 3 nights.
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Date of stay: February 2025Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Ensure you know what is complimentary in your room. Corner front room best.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Lalith Viswakumar, General Manager at Taj Malabar Resort & Spa, Cochin
Responded 4 Feb 2025
Dear Mr. Ian, Greetings from Taj Malabar Resort & Spa, Cochin! We thank you for your valuable feedback and sincerely appreciate your time for doing so. It is the feedback from our esteemed and valued guests which gives us an opportunity to further enhance and refine our processes to achieve customer delight. I am happy to note that you had a comfortable stay with us. we are happy to receive your compliments on the room experience, location, pool experience and overall services rendered by our associates. At the same time I have noted the observation and the area of improvement that you have shared in feedback and the same will go for a long way in helping us to provide seamless experience for all our guests. I will share your feedback with our team, in special Chef Anoop, Mr. Jomon, Ms. Jasmine and Ms. Jenifer. We thank you once again you for sharing your valuable feedback and look forward to welcoming you back soon… Warm regards, Lalith Viswakumar Area Director - Operations & General Manager – Taj Malabar Resort & Spa
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This one of the best hotels we have stayed at in 45 years of international and domestic (US) travel, beginning with the traditional morning music, which managed to be both soothing and energizing. The yoga instructors are expert and helpful whatever the level of one’s practice. The serving staff, front desk personnel, and travel advisors were uniformly friendly and knowledgeable, and often went the extra mile. The food was of the highest quality from breakfast through dinner—healthful, various, and delicious, with many vegetarian options. Bravo!
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Date of stay: January 2025Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Lalith Viswakumar, General Manager at Taj Malabar Resort & Spa, Cochin
Responded 28 Jan 2025
Dear Mr. Mihoko Greetings from Taj Malabar Resort & Spa, Cochin! At the onset I would like to thank you for being a valued patron and delighted to know that you had a happy and comfortable stay with us. We sincerely appreciate your valued feedback on overall ambience, overall service rendered by our associates, yoga sessions and overall dining experience. I will share your feedback with our team, and I am sure that this feedback will serve as an encouragement to all our associates at the hotel. Once again, we thank you for sharing your valuable feedback and look forward to welcoming you back soon… Warm regards, Lalith Viswakumar Area Director - Operations & General Manager – Taj Malabar Resort & Spa
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Excellent hospitality...a simple vacation made great just by the amazing staff ! While the location was great, what stood was their details to small things making the guest feel very welcomed. the Boat trip, and the Bharatnatyam dance were also a thoughtful gesture which made the whole experience worth it !
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Date of stay: January 2025
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Lalith Viswakumar, General Manager at Taj Malabar Resort & Spa, Cochin
Responded 31 Jan 2025
Dear Mr. Ankush Greetings from Taj Malabar Resort & Spa, Cochin! At the onset I would like to thank you for being a valued patron and delighted to know that you had a happy and comfortable stay with us. We sincerely appreciate your valued feedback, and I will share your feedback with our team, and I am sure that this feedback will serve as an encouragement to all our associates at the hotel. Once again, we thank you for sharing your valuable feedback and look forward to welcoming you back soon… Warm regards, Lalith Viswakumar Area Director - Operations & General Manager – Taj Malabar Resort & Spa
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Extremely disappointed with my experience, starting from the check in process. We arrived late after a very long drive, there was no welcome drink or even water being served. When I asked for water, 1 plastic water bottle was given for all 3 of us. Requested if I could get a room upgrade (even ready to pay) we were very rudely told no. The room they gave was very dated and old with absolutely no view. We got locked outside our room a couple of times and needed to go down to the lobby ourself both times, post which someone helped us (took 15 mins both times). Second time this happened, I politely asked as to why is this happening and a prompt reply came “what time are you checking out tomorrow, so I could get your bill ready”. The valet service is there but when I returned post some siteseeing, I found no body to assist me. Asked another guy who was standing there and he said I’ll call the person but post 10 mins, I lost patience and parked myself. Breakfast was again a horrible experience on both days… first day we went a little late so it was busy and most of the expats were sitting in the rice boat restaurant and enjoying their food and prompt service along with the view. The next day, as we were checking out, we went early (at the start of the buffet) and requested to sit in the rice boat restaurant and again very rudely were denied, saying no you can’t use that area. The menu was 90% (if not more) the same on both the days. My wife requested for fresh and hot tea, however the person served the same tea which was kept in the kettle for a long time (was served cold). I ordered a waffle for myself and it took 30 mins, by the time I was ready to leave and both my wife and daughter had left. Having said this, the expats were being served promptly even though their orders were given much later than mine.
Being a loyal Taj inner circle member, I’ll say this was the worst experience I have ever had at a Taj. This isn’t a Taj Property in my opinion. Wouldn’t ever stay here again !!
Taj is known for being a brand which is known for its hospitality and Indian Roots, it’s very disheartening to go through this experience. Completely changes my perspective about the brand.
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Sibi Mathew, General Manager at Taj Malabar Resort & Spa, Cochin
Responded 11 Jan 2023
Dear Guest Greetings from Taj Malabar Resort & Spa, Cochin! We thank you for your valuable feedback and sincerely appreciate your time for doing so. I have gone through the overall rating that you have marked in the feedback and realise that you are not fully satisfied with the recent say with us. I was greatly perturbed by that and please accept my sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused. It is our endeavor that every guest has an outstanding experience each time. On the rare occasion when this does not happen, we are extremely grateful for the chance to make up for it. We do hope we can welcome you back soon wherein we would put our best effort to leave you with fonder memories of your experience with us. Warm regards, Sibi Mathew General Manager
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The Taj has always been our go to brand, especially if we are planning a last minute stay. We were at the Taj Malabar for 3 nights and we could not have made a better choice. The route to the hotel is clear from the highway with good wide roads, it is just 15 mins drive from Fort Kochi and 20-25 mins from the highway. The route to and fro is scenic and the property itself had a splendid location at the mouth of the harbour. One can see Fort Kochi, the shipyard and the sunset every evening right in front of you. The only thing close to this property is the Port Control so the Taj Malabar really is in a league of its own. The views from the higher floors especially are stunning. The food is fabulous, special Mention for their sea food restaurant - Rice Boat. While all these are good enough reason for staying here, the most important reason for staying at the Taj is the service.. from the On Duty Managers to the valet, the staff near the pool and the servers at the Rice Boat all have just one agenda..to make sure you are as comfortable and stress free as possible while you stay with them. Once you have stayed here it won’t make sense to stay anywhere else in Kochi… the people, the space, the view and the accessibility makes the Taj Malabar just perfect.
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Date of stay: November 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Sibi Mathew, General Manager at Taj Malabar Resort & Spa, Cochin
Responded 11 Nov 2022
Dear Guest, Greetings from Taj-Malabar Resort & Spa, Cochin! At the onset I would like to thank you for being a valued patron and delighted to know that you had a happy and comfortable stay with us. We are indeed glad to note the team has left such a lasting impact on you. The team puts in a lot of effort to personalize the experience. Your feedback would encourage them further Once again we thank you for sharing your valuable feedback and look forward to welcome you back as and when you plan your next visit to our hotel. Warm regards, Sibi Mathew General Manager
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Taj Malabar has an excellent location - situated at the tip of Willingdon Island, you get rooms with great views of the harbor and Kochi backwaters. Additionally, the island is not crowded, has little of no traffic in the evenings and provides the respite from the busy city next door. The property has an amazing sea food restaurant in Rice Boat, you must try the seafood with Kerala spices - and they can tailor it to your spice tolerance level. The hospitality in the hotel was great, we enjoyed many evenings at the bar.
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Date of stay: January 2023
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Â Choose a room that overlooks the harbor and open sea.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Sibi Mathew, General Manager at Taj Malabar Resort & Spa, Cochin
Responded 21 Jan 2023
Dear Guest, Greetings from Taj-Malabar Resort & Spa, Cochin! Thank you for being a valued patron and delighted to know that you had a happy and comfortable stay with us. It is our endevor to create memorable experiences for our guests. This feedback will motivate the team as they strive to create memorable experiences for our guests Thank you for your mention - We are indeed located away from the city perched very close to the mouth of the sea hence making it a very serene option despite being close to a busy city We thank you for sharing your valuable feedback and look forward to welcome you back soon Warm regards, Sibi Mathew General Manager
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While the property was very well maintained, great location and service was just about ok. Not at all up to the standards I have experienced in other properties (and I have stayed at more than 2 dozen properties of Taj)
The staff were very transactional, specially the break fast experience was not too good at all. With such a great location, a good service would have made our stay very memorable. For eg: we were 3 of us and looking for a 4 seater table, we were given a 2 seat table and a chair was added in the walkway.. every time someone would accidentally touch / push the chair… one had to repeatedly follow up for a cup of coffee etc…..
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Date of stay: December 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Lalith Viswakumar, General Manager at Taj Malabar Resort & Spa, Cochin
Responded 16 Jan 2025
Dear Mr. Shyam, Greetings from Taj Malabar Resort & Spa, Cochin! We thank you for your valuable feedback and sincerely appreciate your time for doing so. I have gone through your comments and realise that you are not fully satisfied with the overall hospitality and I was greatly perturbed by that. Please accept my sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused. It is our endeavour that every guest of the Taj has an outstanding experience each time they visit any of our hotels. On the rare occasion when this does not happen, we are extremely grateful for the chance to make up for it. I do sincerely hope to be able to welcome you in the near future wherein we could leave you with an even more complete experience that would be memorable. Warm regards, Lalith Viswakumar Area Director - Operations & General Manager – Taj Malabar Resort & Spa
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This hotel is fantastic. Right from the time we were greeted at the reception till the day we checked out, we had the most amazing and comfortable stay here. We upgraded to the heritage room and had stunning views of the Arabian sea and dolphins in the morning.
5pm was high tea and 5:30pm a boat ride that takes you around and our dear guide Jasmine (who also greeted and briefed us on arrival) gave us a brief history of the island. 7pm there are classical dance performances. We were honoured to see Satyabhama Ma’am’s riveting performance in Kathakali and Kuchipudi.
Our serves at the Pepper restaurant (both during dinner and breakfast) were wonderful. Special mention to Alex for his prompt and friendly service. Jaimon at the Mattancherry Bar is excellent at whipping out delicious cocktails! Overall we had an excellent stay and can’t wait to visit again!
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Date of stay: February 2025Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Â Within walkable distance is the ferry ride from where You can get to Fort Kochi and Ernakulam...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Lalith Viswakumar, General Manager at Taj Malabar Resort & Spa, Cochin
Responded 1 week ago
Dear Ms. Poornima, Greetings from Taj Malabar Resort & Spa, Cochin! Thank you for your valuable rating and feedback that has been shared in TripAdvisor about your recent stay experience with us. It brings us joy to hear that our location, overall ambience, cultural shows followed by sunset cruise, and overall services has greatly impressed you. We value your warm recognition of our hospitality and team members, who we are proud of, for living the Taj Values. Also, the culinary team thrive to provide value add to the dining experience of all guests and it is truly awesome to know their efforts being acknowledged by guests. Your feedback will be shared with the team, in special to Ms. Jasmin, Mr. Alex, Mr. Jaimon and Ms. Sathyabhama, as it will certainly inspire them to constantly work towards delivering the signature Taj hospitality and exceed expectations of all our guests. We await the pleasure of welcoming you back at Taj Malabar Resort & Spa, for another wonderful and memorable experience. Warm regards, Lalith Viswakumar Area Director - Operations & General Manager – Taj Malabar Resort & Spa
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I am not sure which wing we stayed in, but it was a room over-looking the water. Sitting at the window felt as if we were in a ship. We saw dolphins so many times. It was an absolutely mesmerizing experience. I think, you should ask specifically for a room on the water-side.
There are more places to choose from in the Willingdon Island area.
PRICE RANGE
â‚ą12,326 - â‚ą18,316 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
vivanta by taj - malabar hotel kochi (cochin), taj malabar cochin kochi, taj malabar cochin hotel kochi
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Vivanta by Taj - Malabar
LOCATION
IndiaKeralaErnakulam DistrictKochi (Cochin)Willingdon Island
NUMBER OF ROOMS
95
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
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