Review: Ginger House Museum Hotel, Mattancherry, Kochi, Kerala, India

“Everything in the rooms and throughout the hotel is for sale,” says manager George. Ginger House Museum Hotel. “If you like the bed, we will send it back to you.” england for you. “

For two centuries until 1990, this was the site of Mattancherry’s ginger warehouse. It has since been reborn as part of the Ginger House Museum Hotel complex. The complex also includes an 80,000 square foot antique store and restaurant.

George is exaggerating though. The 142-year-old, 100-foot-long snake boat on display at an antique store is not for sale. For Majnu, the hotel’s owner, it is a heritage museum and an important symbol of Kerala culture. The cannon sitting anxiously on the lawn facing my suite window isn’t for sale either. Selling such weapons is too bureaucratically complex.

Today, the unique Ginger House is a boutique hotel with just nine rooms. The tenth room overlooking the Vembanad Lake estuary will open in mid-December 2024. In 2025, three more waterfront rooms will be available for booking, all with views of Vembanad Lake. IndiaThe longest lake flowing towards the Arabian Sea.

welcome

From Mattancherry’s Jewish Street, our taxi turns into a cobblestone road lined with statues of the gods of Tamil Nadu. “Only minor gods,” George denies.

After an hour’s taxi ride from Cochin International Airport, I am treated to a cold mango juice as I check in.

The Lotus Suite

Beyond the thick, heavy, dark door with intricate carvings, you immediately see the view of Vembanad Lake. Traditional locks are also heavy, and door bolts are likely designed to withstand rampaging hordes.

The decoration is reminiscent of a temple, with Indian artwork and statues of dancers suspended from pedestals, and balconies overlooking the processions of horses at Hindu festivals.

Fit for a maharaja, the mattress alone on a four-poster bed costs 3 lacs and often provides guests with the best night’s sleep of their lives. A subtle combination of eclectic décor and modern convenience, the refrigerator is hidden in a dark wood office that also includes a drinks tray. There is also a flat screen TV with dozens of international channels.

Spot-on air conditioning means you don’t even have to hunt for a control panel.

bathroom

Dark double doors create a sense of scale in the bathroom and glass shower. The toiletries come in cute ceramic jugs.

Every room and every bathroom is different. Some suites feature bathrooms with stunning gold finishes.

facility

Owner Manju wants you to try the traditional Kerala breakfast at Ginger House’s waterside restaurant.

Tropical fruit platters, curried eggs, rice and coconut steam cakes, paratha “breads” and other curries are all included. Traditionally, people in Kerala start their day with a hearty breakfast, eat curry for lunch, and eat less in the evening.

Located in the heart of Mattancherry, the restaurant offers an all-day menu that is open to both residents and non-residents. Guests can enjoy a menu of chilli fish, curry, local breads and international cuisine as purple-flowered water hyacinth floats along the lake’s surface.

The most idyllic rooftop garden, set above a garden of red bougainvillea, blue Bengal clock vine and yellow wild allamanda, offers sun loungers and a small pool.

place

The Ginger House Museum Hotel in Old Cochin is located between Vembanad Lake and the artful and artful streets of Mattancherry. In Hebrew, mattan means gift and cherry means payment. In the 14th century, Jews fleeing European persecution were gifted land by the Cochin Maharja.

Take a 3-hour tuk-tuk tour through the sights of Kochi, visiting Chinese fishing nets and remnants of European colonialism.

The Church of St. Francis and the House of Vasco di Gamo, built in 1503, mark the first arrival of the Portuguese in search of the spice, textile and timber trade. They narrowly lost to the Dutch, who lost to the British Empire. While the British destroyed many other Portuguese churches, St. Francis Church was lucky to survive.

Much of the Santa Cruz Cathedral was also rebuilt after British vandalism. We will also visit a Hindu temple and an Orthodox church where three elephants will be featured as part of the festival.

What is unusual is the hand washing facilities in Cochin. Here, since the 1780s, laundry has been hung on ropes made from coconut fiber and pressed with an iron heated by hot coconut shells.

Situated around a waterway, visiting Cochin requires a cruise or water metro, which offers 15 routes and 75 km to explore. It will stop at Mattancherry.

Look for cranes, herons, herons, and larks as you cruise past fishing boats, docks, Coast Guard vessels, and waterfront hotels.

The man-made Willingdon Island was controversially built in 1936 as a deep dock, but it proved invaluable in resupplying India during World War II, and was used in large numbers in preparation for the expected invasion of Japan. landing craft were built.

Other nice touches

George, stationed at the front desk, is the ultimate concierge, instantly arranging tuk-tuk tours, backwater cruises, guided walking tours of Mattancherry to visit palaces and synagogues, and trips to the Hill Palace Museum and the Kerala Folklore Museum.

The staff are warm and welcoming and keen to promote Kerala cuisine and culture, but also accept when you want to retreat to the comfort of English breakfast tea and toast.

Relax with great-value massages such as Ayurveda and Marma, and join a hatha yoga class where all levels are welcome.

Golden ginger-coated ice cream and sharp ginger lemonade pay homage to the house’s history.

cost

Room rates start from around £230 including a hearty Indian breakfast.

the best part

We inhabit a living, ever-evolving museum. The owner, Mr. Majnu, employs antique scouts across India who are always sending him finds. He frequently appears during mealtimes to assist with service and to make sure guests are having a comfortable stay.

final verdict

A completely unique boutique hotel that combines old world charm with modern luxury.

Located in Old Cochin, The Ginger House Museum Hotel is within easy tuk-tuk access of all the city’s major attractions, while also offering the opportunity to venture into Mattancherry’s walkable streets. There is also a pedestrian area with cafes, craft shops and textile dealers just a few yards away. The perfect base to start exploring God’s own land, Kerala.

Disclosure: Our stay was sponsored by: Ginger House Museum Hotel.

michael edwards

Michael Edwards is a travel writer from Oxfordshire, England. Michael published his first travel article nearly 40 years ago, and he still finds new luxury destinations to visit and write about.