Brunton Boatyard, Cochin India, Kerala

Brunton Boatyard used to be a Victorian shipbuilding yard, and the period building was recreated with painstaking detail and much love in 1999. The result is a great hotel on Cochin Harbour, full of artefacts and special touches that pay tribute to the melting pot of English, Dutch, and Portugese influences.

Cochin Harbour is the beating heart of the town, where fishermen haul in their daily catches and long boats sail past. Around the harbour, the town is oozing with Jewish flair, full of characterful antique shops, and you can see the crumbling remains of the once-glorious fort and amble along the historic jetty. Cochin is the northernmost point of the world-renowned Kerala Backwaters, which extend down to Alleppey in the south. On-site at the hotel, you can make friends at the Armoury bar and cafe, enjoy an Ayurvedic treatment, take a sunset cruise, or savour the great cuisine at the History Restaurant. Be sure to make time for fabulous fresh seafood at the Terrace Grill.

The rooms are spacious and comfortable with high ceilings and elegant colonial-style furnishings. They all have views of the water, and special touches such as fresh flowers from the garden reflect the care and detail that has gone into creating such an ambience.

If you want peace and quiet, the boat traffic might disturb you (the hotel is, after all, on a shipping lane). Brunton Boatyard is not a slick five star experience; instead, it’s a great value, down to earth accommodation choice on the waterfront in characterful Cochin.