In the know

Our favourite rooms: Each room has its own look, but the five Roof Garden Suites on the first floor, and the two-floored Malabar Suite are the most spacious and special. Rooms 10 and 11 have their own roof gardens and double-poster beds made from reclaimed pillars.
Packing tips: Mosquito repellent and wrist- and ankle-covering layers – particularly if you plan to sit by the swimming pool in the terrace restaurant.
Also: The hotel prides itself on its art collection which showcases Kerala's cosmopolitan influences and sculptures and paintings are scattered throughout the Malabar House.

Malabar House – Kerala – India, need to know

Current offers

Smith card offer: A complimentary bottle of wine

Malabar House – Kerala – India, food and drink

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The Malabar House

Kerala, India[view map]

Style: East meets west
Setting: Fort Cochin cricket ground

The Malabar House’s location away from the hustle and bustle lends this original east-meets-west boutique hotel a relaxed feel – no matter how hot or hectic it may be elsewhere in Kerala. Comprised of two 18th-century colonial-style villas built around a courtyard, (where you’ll find the acclaimed Mediterranean-accented restaurant, the Malabar Junction), the hotel is full of eye-catching artworks and exotic fabrics – perfect for a stop-over when touring southern India, especially when teamed with stays at the Malabar Escapes retreats in the Keralan backwaters.

Need to know

Rooms: 17, including six suites.
Rates: Low season €120–€200; high season, €195–€330, including a choice of Continental or South Indian breakfast. Taxes are 15 per cent extra.
Check-out: Midday.
Facilities: Ayurvedic spa treatments, free WiFi throughout, bicycles to borrow. In rooms: air-con, flatscreen TV and DVD players, luxe rain-style showers and inspired own-range toiletries, including rosewater.
Poolside: The small pool right by the reception is suitable for a quick plunge, but this isn't really sunbathing territory, although there are a few loungers for bolder bronzers.
Also: Smoking rooms are available on request.

Food & drink

Hotel restaurant: The Malabar Junction, the restaurant in the hotel’s courtyard that comes to life by night, is well known for delivering Mediterranean cuisine by way of South India – a rare treat in this land. In rainy weather, there are tables indoors.
Dress code: Go local but glam; we love the pretty cotton clothing from around the corner at FabIndia.
Top table: Grab a table by the live musicians for maximum tabla-and-sitar sounds, or pick a romantic spot next to the pool.
Last orders: The Malabar Junction isn't strict about meal times, but dinner is generally available until around midnight.
Room service: Really, only breakfast can be rustled up for you to enjoy in private until 11am (a Continental-style spread or South Indian favourites, such as a banana and coconut dosa), and supper until 11pm (orders before 10.30pm).
Hotel bar: There isn’t a bar as such, but the candlelit tables in the courtyard or on one of the terraces are the ideal spot for a colonial-style G&T. You can enjoy wine and beer in the lounge just above the restaurant.

Also worth knowing

Children: All ages are welcome. Extra beds are €25 a night. Babysitting can be arranged with notice.

Smith Members offer

A complimentary bottle of wine

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Smith travel team

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