Bolgatty Palace And Island Resort

We loved our three weeks here. Such a welcoming helpful staff, enjoyed the food and the pool. The Kathakali evening shouldn't be missed. We felt thoroughly spoiled. Thank-you for making this such a wonderful stopover on our voyage across the Indian Ocean.

Nearly 20 of middle-aged but fun-loving college friends (and one 81 year old mum!) reunited after several years (some from nearly 40 years ago) at KTDC Bolgatty Palacy and Resort - where we had come to for the first time - and were pleasantly surprised to find spacious rooms (where all of us crammed in for our music sessions!), obliging room service (who brought up everything from limes to chairs!), great food at the restaurant (who obliged with a slightly late celebration of an 81st birthday!), and a lovely venue to wander around and to take a boat cruise from the jetty. All this - and the reasonable price tag - made the guests vote it the most likely venue for future reunions, so, well done, Manoj the Manager and your staff at KTDC Bolgatty, thanks for everything, you were great ... keep it up, and we'll be back!

We had a family get together at Bolgatty Palace and Island Resorts. We were a big group of about 30 people and we spent 3 nights at the resort. Initially the guests were unsure of whether we would have enough to do at the resort for that many days but it turned out to be absolutely great! The resort is on an island in the middle of Kerala’s renowned backwaters and it serves as a perfect locale to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the backwaters while at the same time providing easy access to the vibrant Kochi city. The resort has well laid out lawns, swimming pool with a view and the historic Dutch-built Bolgatty palace serves as the backdrop for all the fun. We had great fun dancing on New Year’s Eve, going for boat rides from the resort’s pier, playing water polo at the swimming pool, engaging in a game of cricket and watching Kerala’s art form, Kathakali, that was organized by the resort. The rooms are big and very spacious and room service was super responsive, attentive to all our needs. Food was very good and the chef was very willing to accommodate our special requests. Their caramel custard is a must try! ?? Overall, the guests had a great time and we all returned with troves of great memories!

We did not enjoy our stay here. It was very far away from everything (which makes it nice and peaceful) but also inconvenient. Have to get a taxi anywhere you go. Staff were not very nice. The WiFi didn’t work in our room, so they moved us to a different room and kept telling us “we have moved you to very expensive room”, which we did not need or want, we just wanted our WiFi to work, which also didn’t work in the new room. Breakfast is very basic. One day they had a buffet, and one we had to just order off a menu. They kept changing the price of breakfast everytime we asked, and charged us different amounts for both days. For the price, it was not what we expected. You could get somewhere much nicer in Kochi for less money - avoid Bolgatty Palace.

This was our second visit to bolgatty and this time it was with my daughter parents and brother we booked 3 rooms for 2 nights.1st night was in the palace in a delux room which was awesome the food that they serve is also good quality and quantity. One of the high lights about this place is the breakfast spread that they keep which has a good amount of variety to suit everyone's tastebuds. the staff is quick to respond and always ready to serve and help the guest..... The 2nd night was in the lake view cottages which has an awesome view... This place is a well maintained place and has good rooms. the Staff is polite and the people at reception is also quiet good. I would blindly recommend bolgatty palace and island resort to any one who is in kochin. The only thing that we didnt like was the buffet that was kept every night and they do not have a la carte option during dinner. But as always a 5 * to bolgatty and its hospitality.

Bolgatty Palace Resort is a nice property with large greens and gardens. Though on an island it is well connected by roads and located near the city .Nice place for taking relaxed walks and for photography.It would be great if they could use the backwaters to offer boating and some water sports .Overall a good place for a relaxed stay with family.the palace luxurious cottage was spacious ad beautiful. Comfortable rooms with a view of the backwaters and gave me a unique and memorable experience .

Beautiful regal exteriors , but interiors need better maintenance. We stayed in a cottage which was away from the main building. Linen did not look clean, had to call housekeeping for a change of sheets . Bathrooms looked like they were recently renovated and were clean with basic amenities. There was no WiFi in the room.

Couple of good things first. This is a sprawling property on the rather quiet Bolghatty island with full grown trees and the gorgeous Dutch bungalow and other heritage structures. The good part ends just there. The property is managed by KTDC and it reeks of govt. apathy in every nook and corner. From terribly kept smelly rooms with stained bed linen, to the only restaurant with stained table cloth and napkins, there're a lot of things that need complete overhaul !! The pool was emptied when we arrived at the resort and a board declared that it was 'under maintenance',but even after 3 days [we stayed for 4 days] this was not filled and when they finally filled it, the pool looked like a greenish fish pond. Their reason was that it'll 'settle down in 24 hours' and nobody from the manager [we met him twice] did anything about it. Added to this was the constant burning [of fallen leaves and other garden waste we were told] in a corner that filled the air with smoke and after some shouting from us and other guests, they doused it only to be replaced with smell of enamel paint being sprayed, which was also stopped after some shouting at. This is one property that's clearly in wrong hands and from what we understood, will remain in these hands because there's nothing that's gonna change about these government owned and run properties. Wanna point out another terrible experience with the 'Santhigiri' [the Ayurvedic Centre] run as a joint venture with KTDC. This place sticks, stinks, has blackish oil and dirt accumulated all over the massage place and their bathroom......Just peeped in and ran away, but it has left me scarred with memories that will haunt me for long !! The callous and unprofessional attitude, pathetic hygiene, the terrible upkeep and the sadly untrained staff [the boys are eager to help but untrained, most told us that they were trainees just interning here], will continue as it is now until nothing short of an 'awakening' would happen.....but as we know that this is far from happening with most things governmental, you'd better avoid this resort [oh, by the way, they aren't cheap either] , so look for other options and don't end up here and then vent your frustration by writing reviews like us !!

What a beautiful resort from the minute we checked in until the day we left super. Everyone who works at the resort went out of their way to make sure we were comfortable and anything we need given to us.the room was on the marina top floor and lt was spotless, the bed was so comfortable and the bathroom was clean and you received alll the soaps you needed. Waking u to a fabulous sun rise every morning it was so romantic. The sun sets were amazing as well. They also served wonderful breakfasts.lunch and dinners. There is a very nice swimming pool as well. I was trying to book there this spring but they were booked solid. If you get a chance please do stay at this great resort.. I had many photos but since I changed phones I seem to have lost them all.

We were quite confused to choose our stay in Cochin with so many options and on one of our friends suggestions we booked the Bolgatty Island Resort. This was one of the best choices on our trip to India. This is island is very close to the city connected by a bridge and there is absolute peace in there. We stayed in the palace and the room was well maintained and clean. From the deluxe room we changed to the newly built Marina room for the view of the sea and the backwaters. If you are on honeymoon and wish to stay in Cochin there is no other place that would come close in terms of the location, view and the pricing.

I had booked a Marina Facing room for 10 days and the room was ok. When it comes to service, it’s almost down to zero. They don’t provide any help at all when it comes to where to book tours, taxis ect. You are on your own and if you travel alone or don’t know anybody in town who can assist you, then it seems like you have chosen the wrong place to stay. Unfortunately I had prepaid my stay and couldn’t leave, unless I wanted to loose my money, I just had to stay. One thing’s for sure. I can’t recommend this place to anybody and will never return here.

We four members of my family along with a child stayed at the water front Villa of the Resort on 7 April.Beautiful location. We enjoyed our stay with Boating. Hotel is poorly maintained.Qyality of food is poor. Swimming pool is badly maintained. We dared not to use swimming pool. Lot of mosquitoes in room. TV not working. No wifi.Gardens are poorly maintained.We noticed kitchen waste being deposited in lake brought in trollies. what a pitty. Stray dogs are moving in the campus.KTDC management need to look into the functioning and mainintaenace of this beautiful resort.

We were looking forward to staying at a heritage place instaed we saw a huge almost empty building which could have been converted in a beautiful experience for tourists. The reception area smelt of dampness and looked cold and unwelcoming. Staff are not trained well and looked unsure of what to do when I got a wrong bill. The room alloted to us had a problem with AC, had no regulator for the fan and exhaust in bathroom was not working. We waited for 45 minutes for them to allocate us another room. Food in the restaurant is very ordinary and pool did not look clean. There were two saving graces however - one was the view of marina at the back of our building where we spent time in the evening. The other was the Kathakali performance arranged in the premises - it was enchanting to see the dancer prepare himself for the event...an absolute delight!

Awesome Island!!!!This Dutch palace is situated on Bolghatty Island.This is also connected by Goshree Briidge.The palace has been converted to a beautiful hotel.You can enjoy a golf course and panoramic views of the port and the harbour. Superb spot for get together.The service is also nice.

Best place to celebrate family as well as corporate functions..service are all improved a lot. Rooms in the main building is good . Even though new building is facing back waters and marine drive, I was not impressed with that building.they could have done it well. Authentic Kerala food is available. In the bar only beer and wine is available. No hot drinks.good pool. Having 2 boat jetty. Good Kerala ayurvedic spa is also there. Amazing location .one side is back waters and the other side is Arabian sea. 10 mnts to city.

Lucky enough to stay at our second home - Bolgatty Palace twice on our latest visit to Kerala and share the experience with family and friends. Delux rooms 110 and 111 were lovely with relaxing balconies overlooking gardens, our favourite location at Bolgatty we also stayed in Suites overlooking the water. These are large and well equipped but lack the charm of the Deluxe rooms in the main building. The restaurant has improved immensely from this our last visit and offers a buffet with wide choice of delicious foods. Thank you again to Jayesh and the team. We will be back As soon we can.

We stayed in the deluxe rooms which are in the old block and gave a heritage villa experience. The view is ok, they have to maintain the lawns, but not an easy job for such a big area. The food was ok, but the service is a bit slow. The kathakali performance was great and value for money. The view points are great and we were lucky to watch some music shooting at the venue. All in all a good experience.

I recently stayed one night at this hotel. Nice location surrounded by the Kochi Bay. Large property full of trees and plants. However the hotel is poorly managed. I don't think it is the fault of the staff. It's obvious they have not been professionally trained. Front desk seems to have an old computer and outdated check in and check out process. It takes forever to check in and check out each guest. The hallway leading to the guest sleeping room had piles of old mattresses stored and garbage bags everywhere. The food at the restaurant was average at best. Sleeping room and bathroom did not meet the standard you would expect from a similarly priced hotel in Kochi.

We went here for afternoon tea based on a recommendation we had seen in a guide book. When we got there the staff had no idea what "afternoon tea" was - we were asked if we wanted black tea! The reception area is dull and faded looking with a sad looking apology of a Christmas tree in a corner. The dining room and bar were much the same and the sofas in the bar area were faded and threadbare. What a sad looking place this is, we were just grateful weren't staying there. Even the gardens had a sad and neglected look about them. Being accessible only by ferry from Fort Kochi, it's not easy to get to.

The hotel juts into the lagoon overlooking the entrance to Kochi harbour. Hardly any distance by road from Marine Drive and all shopping centres. Great view. Courteous and helpful staff. The property can be better maintained; the Government ownership is too obvious. There is a new multi storied block with good rooms giving a great view of Marine Drive. Has a tiny golf course around the hotel. Too many weddings happen in the hotel and can unnerve those seeking a peace and quiet break.

A nice place with view of kochi good to visit enjoyed...... must go place in your list. a very important port city to the southwest of this country, and a very important spice trading center of this country. Kochi is well connected through Rail, air, and road.Kochi has its own airport and the nearest railway station is called Ernakulam junction almost all important stops there, and NH 55 and NH 49 connects Kochi through road and you have the state plying on this route.

had a chance to visit this place to attend a family wedding and was really mesmerized by the location. Very close to the Cochin city and a really beautiful location with lot of greeneries within the property

The hotel located in island. Near by Lulu convention centre and grand hyatt hotel. If u r gng to attanded conference then this hotel is very good for stay. Cheapest and best hotel. They have nice bar, while swimming u can enjoy backwater view. Room is big big big and specious. Wooden finish structure give premium look to hotel. Over all very good hotel

We had a very nice experience staying here. We chose their budget rooms - Golf view rooms. Although their golf view rooms very pretty basic, the food provided and the property was too good. And unfortunately their recreation room was under maintanence.

It was a Dutch Residency, now converted into KTDC hotel. Well maintained, Feeling Royal stay. Marina facing rooms are excellent. Golf course facing rooms are also pleasant to stay. A cruise ride in the evening must be availed from the hotel. Bar cum restaurant is also available.

Located in such a lovely surrounding that ur expectations are bound to get higher.. The higher u start expecting the higher ur emotions will start glooming.. Rooms smell like an old unused place.. One of the 3 rooms we took had bathroom shower nobb broken, in another room entire shower room with glass enclosure has no glass at all.. After reporting the shower nobb was repaired.. Restaurant has very limited foods available.. Otherwise one has to opt for buffet package which are relatively higher.. Overall very much unsatisfied among all the KTDC hotels we chose at different locations of Kerala during our 12 days tour of Kerala.

Run by govt owned KTDC Bolghatty Palace is located in the Bolghatty island.This small palace originally belonged to the Maharaja who once in a while visits the place for a short stay. But now in the hands of govt.it is not fully developed. Had it been handed over to a Private hotlier like Tatas, ITC , oberoi, etc.this would have been the best property in India

A heritage palace that has been converted into a hotel run by KTDC. Surrounded on three sides by river. Huge gardens and well spread out. It has rooms in the main wing that are huge. A new wing has been constructed but the rooms are very small which is a pity. Food quality is average. The staff is friendly but needs more training. No shops or restaurant within 3 km range.

Excellent stay at the Bolgatty Palace & Resort, good view to the water, excellent service , good food, nice boating , we had a lovely time in the hotel . Very near to the City and shopping. As a family we had great time spending at the facilities

Slow slow slow. There seemed to be renovations going on? Kitchen equipment everywhere. Ordered coffee which arrived 40 minutes later. Asked to see menu but no food on offer? Very odd. That said it is a beautiful place and I would return when fully functioning

I stayed there for a couple of days in December 2014 for my own marriage. Good place with nice spacious suites. They took real good care of the entire function and stay, though our respective families also pitched in making the arrangements and doing the regular chores. Had a comfortable stay and a memorable wedding. Thanks to the team at Bolgatty.

Royal Resort (a Palace turned into resort together with gardens), but disappointed with the facilities (minimal repair and maintenance) and staff are mostly untrained to meet guest needs. It is a fine place, as long as you plan to eat out and use external faculties to hire car and go for nearby places.

Wonderful location. Excellent heritage property but not properly maintained by KTDC. Restaurant and conference hall are OK but rooms in so called new building just average and basic. Ant are moving in floor and on bad too. Ageing can be seen in every part of buildings. Not commanded for stay. Restaurant or for visiting its OK.

Extraordinary indoors and natural outdoors, except we need to walk out a little to experience Ernakulam Town Areas. Excellent place for boat trips to nearby areas. Lovely surrounds for film and videos. Really a memorable experience amidst nature for our lifetime.

The beer parlour at Bolgatty Palace is a nice way to wind up your day. I went there on idyllic Sunday afternoon, in wonderful Kochi weather. The place was neat and clean. The order was taken promptly, no wastage of time. The view from the large windows is charming. There's a kids' pool outside. And sea is visible at some distance. Good destination in Kochi.

This property situated in the heart of Cochin town is a beautiful one. Lots of open space and the beautiful backwaters to completely relax and enjoy yourself. The Restaurant offers a reasonable spread at terrible reasonable rates. Being a government undertaking, service may not be as good as in private hotels. The security staff also may not be the most pleasing or courteous.

We as a group had lunch and a conference room. Maintained neatly to a great extent surprisingly the property is run by KTDC under Kerala's Tourim Dept. Lunch was sumptuous with different varities of veg and non-veg dishes.

I visited this place for Sunburn Festival... Very Nice place... Usually, big DJ parties in Kochi Happens here. It's hotel of Kerala Tourism Development Corporation... The place is well maintained and they big ground for parties and exhibitions

I can sum up my entire review in one statement - Fabulous location but services really bad. I had taken my mom just for some mother daughter quality time, but alas it was a very bad experience. The hotel is around 35 kms from the airport and the taxi fare is around 900 INR Its an erstwhile Dutch palace, so you can really see the splendour in the furniture, buildings, the wooden staircases, windows...really old trees and of course the view of the sea. There is a large swimming pool and it overlooks the sea. You have ferry services which will take you around. Don't go in the months of March, April and May because its sweltering hot and balmy. One main problem I faced were the mosquitoes, they come out of the woodworks in the evening, you need two of those electrical mosquito machines. Room corners were dusty and mirrors were not cleaned. It looked just like an Indian government rest house (in terms of house keeping),being run by KTDC its not surprising , and was not worth the cost of the stay. The food was also not great, they did not serve a buffet because of low occupancy. Even though the wadas came piping hot, it came without salt. The pakodas were limp and oily. The only item I liked was the thattu dosa. Even though the bathrooms fittings were not upto standard, there is plenty of hot water. The central air conditioner did not cool well, but individual a/c's are provided in the deluxe rooms

Bolgatty Palace Hotel, stayed for a couple of nights in this historic hotel. Good locating for a base for exploring the area. Great, cheap and regular ferry service to access Fort Koch, Old harbour area, and very old churches, including where Portuguese Explorer Vasco de Gamma was originally buried. Rooms was clean, bathroom was spotless. Best shower pressure and hot water we've had on our trip so far! Fixtures and fittings were a bit dated but fitted with the age of hotel. The beer parlour provided very cold beer, a limited range but that was fine always served some snacks with each round:-D. The restaurant was ok, service slow but friendly, apparently run partly by the government so possibly not the best standard but perfectly acceptable for our groups needs. Food was good when it arrived and plenty of variety. Laundry service was used and we found it very good. Grounds were manicured and peaceful. Hotel itself was a reminder of a different time, exactly how it is promoted, don't expect too many modern conveniences but go there as a base for exploring or to relax. Lovely.