INDIA TRAVEL NET

For what is essentially a small and intimate city resort hotel, The Brunton Boatyard possesses a remarkable sense of scale, evident the moment you turn into the tiled forecourt.
The lobby is a vault of sunlight and air, framed by arches and overhung with punkahs - enormous, old-fashioned fans of Indo-Portuguese origin.

Your bags have been whisked away to your room, but why not take a turn around the corridors before you go? A rich, and colourful history marks this spot, once the century old boatyard of Geo. Brunton and Sons. On this site we recreated the splendour of the city's illustrious past, using the materials of fin de sieclé Cochin - lime, terracotta, wood and tile.

Colonial Courtesies
The hotel's nautical past seems to follow you around. On one wall, old Dutch maps, on another, a small navigation device, in the grassy courtyard, an ancient anchor. Walk further, turn a corner, and you find yourself outside the Armory Bar. Perhaps later, you could enjoy a sundowner here, with old Portuguese armour and musketry for company.

A short saunter down the corridor brings you to a little doorway. Pass through and suddenly, the whole vista of Cochin harbour opens up beyond the pool's inviting waters. This is the spot to read a boring historical novel, work on your tan and watch the ships sail by, so close you can almost reach out and touch them. Crane your neck a bit and you can spot a serried rank of Cochin's famed fishing nets. They first made their appearance in 1350 a.d. and their much-photographed preying mantis shapes form one of the city's most enduring images.

Also near the pool is the hotel's jetty, and a word at the reception gets you a variety of cruising options to choose from. The heritage of Cochin is most evident around its enormous harbour, and this is a not-to-be-missed experience.


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