Brunton Boatyard Fort Kochi

One of the most iconic hotels in Fort Kochi sits majestically on the water’s edge and offers vintage luxury in the most charming setting. Originally built as a boat building facility by George Brunton over 100 years ago, the hotel’s period building still maintains the original architectural significance. The hotel mirrors Kochi’s unique architectural and cultural context, a blend English, Portuguese and Dutch influences as seen in the high ceilings, period fixtures and artifices from a bygone era. Most rooms, including the bathrooms look out to the sea. The hotel offers an eclectic menu inspired by a melting pot of cultures of the early settlers of Fort Kochi. The restaurants trace the food heritage of Fort Kochi across numerous communities to offer a melange of cuisines in a befitting setting. There’s plenty to explore in Fort Kochi and Mattancherry area: the Chinese fishing nets, Jew town, Mattancherry Palace and market, and the St. Francis Church. The pool overlooking the harbour is a great spot to unwind and after a long day pottering around Fort Kochi, a relaxing Ayurvedic massage or a healing therapy helps revive sore muscles.

Location

The Brunton Boatyard is located in the historical town of Fort Kochi, a neighbourhood of Cochin city in Kerala. Fort Kochi can be accessed from Ernakulam, the hectic transport and cosmopolitan hub of Kochi through roadways and waterways.

Things to know

  • The nearest airport is the Cochin International Airport (1 hour 30 minutes); the nearest railhead is Ernakulam junction.
  • The waterfront property enjoys tropical weather all year round hence it is advisable to carry cotton clothing, a sun hat and sunblock.
  • Fort Kochi is best explored at your own pace while on foot or on a bicycle (available for hire); carry comfortable shoes to explore the town’s heritage gems and quaint cafés.
  • The waterfront rooms can be noisy for some, due to the high traffic on the aquatic highway at one of India’s busiest ports. However, the thoughtful management provides earplugs in each room to block out the sound of the foghorns!

Rooms & Suites

The Brunton Boatyard recreates 19th-century Malabar in its high ceilings, terracotta floors, tiled roof, and antique teak furniture. The rooms feature antique fittings and period furniture to pay homage to the spirit of Old Fort Kochi. The hanging fans in the reception and vintage photographs add to the heritage charm of this waterfront hotel. The sea-facing rooms offer fantastic views of historic Cochin Harbour where you can watch the ferries, boats and large naval vessels go by. The Sea-facing Deluxe Suites also offer sweeping harbour views and come with a living room, a dining area, a powder room, a foyer, and a private balcony. The Non-Sea-facing Rooms comprise a bedroom, bathroom, foyer, and patio.

Restaurants & Bars

The open courtyard at Brunton Boatyard is the perfect place to relax in the evenings; enjoy the cool ocean breeze and sip on some hot freshly ground coffee. You can also order a specially curated breakfast, which will be served to you in the courtyard, but save that for a special occasion. age-old rain trees brought in by the Europeans are reminiscent of the charm of erstwhile Kochi. The Armoury Café provides a taste of history with its replicas of weapons used battels for Cochin and the culinary journey featuring Portuguese, Dutch and British influences. The History is a fine dining restaurant with a menu that’s an amalgam of recipes from the communities that have settled in Cochin over the centuries. These recipes have been carefully collected after the chefs at Brunton visited old families in an attempt to preserve the culinary heritage of Cochin.

Spa & Wellness

The pool overlooking the harbour is a great spot to unwind and after a long day pottering around Fort Kochi, a relaxing massage or healing therapy at the Ayurvedic Centre immensely helps revive sore muscles after a long day outdoors. Fitness machines in the fitness centre and yoga sessions are also on offer.

Experiences

The evening cruise on the Brunton Boatyard’s private boat is a fascinating cruise around Cochin Harbour. Guests can catch spectacular sunsets and whiff of the salty sea air while on the cruise or snuggle over a cup of coffee at the pier overlooking Kochi’s historic harbour. There’s plenty to explore in Fort Kochi and Mattancherry area: the Chinese fishing nets, Jew town, Mattacherry Palace and market, and the St. Francis Church. Guests can also opt for in-house cooking demonstrations to take back the secrets of traditional Kerala cooking.

 

Sustainability and Responsible Tourism

CGH Earth pursues to offer ‘clean, green and healthy’ experiences and Brunton Boatyard cares for the environment through its efforts in rainwater harvesting, reducing its carbon footprint and saving energy by use of solar energy and by treating the harvested rainwater for drinking which is packaged in reusable glass bottles.