An absolute gem of a place and a wonderful finish to an extended tour of India. The Old Harbour has managed the perfect blend of small-scale intimacy with the kind of attentive yet never intrusive service normally only seen in top-end luxury mega hotels. Perfectly placed by the Chinese fishing nets just a step outside the front door, but insulated from the hustle and bustle outside. The outdoor dining area must be one of the best settings in Kochi and the meals cooked by Shafi are a delight, accompanied by live sitar and tabla music floating across the pool.
The hotel itself has been designed to incorporate the best of the old world, where there are no jarring notes or any feeling of anything out of place. But don't be fooled by the apparent antiquity of the fittings: everything works perfectly. Attention by Rahim and the rest of the staff is second to none, even for 5 AM departures.

My husband and I spent last weekend in Fort Cochin and stayed at the Old Harbour Hotel--- we LOVED our experience.
The location is perfect: it is a couple of minutes walk from the fishing nets and Fort Cochin in itself is charming with small streets and shops. It is walking (a slightly long walk) from the synagogue and palace.
We had booked a garden view room and were on the ground floor towards the back. From the moment we stepped into our room, we felt relaxed and on vacation. The room itself was really nicely done up with a lovely view of the garden. Since our room was towards the back of the hotel, it was also very quiet.
The hotel itself is very charming. They have a wonderful garden where one can have their lunch and dinner. The swimming pool is big (especially for a boutique hotel)-- so one can lounge around the pool and even do laps if one feels like it. Apart from breakfast, we also had a lunch and dinner at the hotel and really enjoyed both meals- the food was excellent. The chef personally does his rounds to ensure all the guests are enjoying their meal.
What sets the hotel apart from some of the other boutique hotels is the service. The staff were always smiling and despite being fully occupied, each staff member went out of their way to make us feel special. They were extremely accommodating and friendly.
We would def. go back to the hotel and have already recommended it to some of our friends.

The positive reviews are correct. This is a wonderful hotel. The staff are helpful and caring. The hotel is beautiful-a wonderful conversion/renovation. The rooms are well appointed. Many of the ground floor rooms look onto a courtyard, so do keep this in mind.
If you can, book one of the suites on the second floor. They are truly spectacular, and worth every penny. The Princess Suite is, indeed, fit for a princess. But, you will be comfortable in any of the rooms.
The restaurant offers a great breakfast, and the servers really do care if you are enjoying your food.
I also appreciated their approach to tipping-individual tipping is discouraged, rather there is a box in the central area (there really is no lobby, per se-this works very well) where you can leave a group tip on departure.
I would love to return to Cochi, and would not consider staying anywhere else.

The Old Harbour Hotel in Cochin, Kerala, is a wonderful place, home away from home, to spend a couple of days. You sleep like a baby in wonderful surroundings (we had the Palace Suite). Pool is surrounded by lovely tropical plants and flowers. Restaurant is excellent and Chef's fresh fruit juices and especially his chocolate ice cream were fantastic!
Service and friendliness of staff was outstanding: everything came with a smile!
Old Harbour Hotel tops now our 'favorite hotels' list.
If you do visit, make sure you spend a night on a house boat in backwaters! Worth absolutely the short trip.
PS. Kids might find it a bit quiet..