The Fern Ecotel, Kochi

The dining team were attentive, courteous, and thoughtful, with service on par with The Taj Group of Hotels. Anand and Anashwara were especially excellent, and Badrinath and Joyol were also very polite and helpful. We stayed at The Fern, Kochi for two nights and three days, and the staff's hospitality made it a very good visit. Housekeeping could improve, though: the room cleaning on our second day didn't meet Marriott standards.

The breakfast spread was good, and the team serving it did a very good job even during the busy 8:30-9:30 am period. Check-in and checkout were handled efficiently by the reception staff. We stayed two days over the 2025 Christmas holiday at Fern, in a quiet location. On arrival we were welcomed with traditional juice, and there were tasty plum cakes at reception and in our room. The spacious room was clean, well maintained, had fresh towels, and the bathroom was in good condition. It suited us perfectly. A pleasant stay, thank you Fern.

The breakfast and dinner buffets were excellent, and the courteous staff seemed well meaning, but they lacked training and initiative. They followed standard procedures even when an obvious sensible adjustment was needed, and looked miserable and apologetic while seeming unable to act. The check-in and checkout processes were needlessly complicated, and they were very stingy with room keys. We had three rooms, so the problems weren't limited to one: towels smelled musty, the shower drains were clogged, pillows were too thick, and the bed sagged like a hammock. One bathroom had a terrible smell, which staff tried but failed to fix; the towels still smelled even after that effort. A standard-size comfortable pillow was available if requested. At this price, a smelly towel is gross negligence. I would keenly like to avoid another stay here.

Service was excellent, and the whole area was clean. Parking can be tight in the busy season, but the valet was lovely. The place has a boutique feel with an old-school classic style. By far one of the best hotels I've stayed in Kerala, and the poolside and outdoor restaurant setting reminded me of traditional Kerala.