My time in Fort Cochin (Kochi) was much too short, roughly 18 hours, but my stay at The Cochin Heritage was memorable. My trav bud and I stayed as guests of the owner Ajit Joseph and his wife. Ajit’s property is a homey respite nestled between palm trees, colorful landscaping and lush green grass behind a gated rock wall. All the main sightseeing opportunities are within easy walk, or, grab a tuk tuk if needed.

Owner Ajit Joseph and FSI Author

With only 4 rooms, Ajit’s mission is to provide excellent individualized service to each of his clients. His passion for the property was obvious to me after a few minutes of conversation over breakfast, yet his entry into the hospitality industry was somewhat by chance. Fifteen years ago he noticed an advert for Kerala Tourism offering study through night classes. With his interest peaked, Ajit completed the course. But it wasn’t until just 3 years ago that The Cochin Heritage opened.

Although the guest house looks like a well maintained original or renovated structure, it is in fact, built new from the ground up. It took 10-20 workers at a time two years to complete the project. More than 2000 eggs were used, mixed with oxide and cement, to achieve the gorgeous red finish of the floors and wall caps. Ajit, a lawyer for the Kerala High Court, contracted with one of only a few local builders skilled in traditional Keralite architecture. The end result is the only true Kerala building in the seaside city of Kochi.

Guest rooms are accessed by slim french doors made of beautiful, rich, dark teak wood finished with the common brass pad lock. Walk inside to find a very spacious interior complete with minimal furnishings; A sturdy bed, desk and armoire are all one needs. The heat and humidity of Fort Cochin leaves you wanting little clothing, few sheets at night and no need for overly stuffed quarters. To protect against mosquitoes, the staff informs guests up-front to keep your doors closed at all times. This is a hard practice to get used to for me. It’s so customary to crack your door at a B & B to alert the staff you’re up and ready to take breakfast and/or reachable during the day. To compensate, a wall A/C unit moves cool air about tricking you into thinking the outside isn’t roasting. Attached bathrooms offer the basics: Hot water tank, full time running water, Western toilet and shower.

As comfortable as the room was, and the location perfectly situated to what I wanted to see, the true highlight of my stay was the caretaker Aneesh. He instantly made me feel at home. He ran through the functions of the room upon arrival and explained some of the local sights. When my trav bud and I returned from our dance show and dinner, he gave us a tour of the property including a walk up to the rooftop where we had a nice view of the quiet neighborhood. With a gentle demeanor and soft spoken delivery, his sentences would often end with a sheepish smile. He appeared more than happy to offer an Indian breakfast instead of the usual continental food most guests probably request.

The next morning after a long stroll through town, Aneesh greeted us in a black suit with white shirt, no shoes. This was a far departure from the western look of jeans and t-shirt worn just the night before. I asked why the fancy duds to which he replied, “boss is coming today”. Of course, why not?

What we thought we ordered for breakfast was somehow not what we received. Aneesh began bringing enough food for 6 people to our table large enough to comfortably seat three. Idli, dosa, masala omelet, fresh fruit, juice, chai and steamed bananas. We couldn’t possibly eat everything and I was so grateful Ajit arrived when he did. Our conversation was an excuse to keep the fork out of my mouth but only because I was full. The food was delicious and perfectly presented.

Thanks to Ajit for the comfortable accommodations. And thanks to Aneesh for his hospitality and good nature. I exchanged email addresses with him but by the bounced responses we’re lost in translation. Someday I hope to return to Fort Cochin and pick the minds of both men on a variety of topics. My time here was just too too short.