I truly think that the Taj staff attached a sensor to me that allowed all the staff to know exactly who I was, which room I was staying in, and my preferences. The service is some of the best I've had and I've stayed at a lot of 5 star hotels. They upgraded me to a lovely corner room overlooking the water. The rooms are lovely and it's fun taking a shower and being able to see what is going on in the harbor. The grounds are gorgeous and they offer free afternoon tea, an hour long sunset boat trip (definitely do it), and a 30 minute dance concert (kind of boring). They also invite all new guests to a cocktail party which is lots of fun. I was traveling alone and met a bunch of people that I ended up hanging out with while I was there. The swimming pool is lovely, but was closed for renovation....a real disappointment. I had two spa treatments, both very good. I had an amazing dinner in their fish restaurant, definitely worth the extra cost for ambiance, service, and food.....all outstanding. The second night I had dinner in the chinese restaurant....ok, but not nearly as good as the first night. Breakfasts were a bit disappointing. I would have expected a bit more variety. The major drawback to the hotel is the location. It's at the end of an industrial island and you need a car to get anywhere you want to go. They do provide a ride to the ferry which goes to Fort Cochin, but it might be nice to actually provide a free shuttle. All in all a really good stay. Whoever did the peacock made of towels and decorated with rose petals on my bed deserves a gold star. I would definitely go back.

When one visits a Taj property, expectations are always high and I continue to be pleasantly surprised on how these seem always to be exceeded - our marvellous stay in Taj Vivanta Cochin did not disappoint! Located right next to the bay and sea, away but not to far from the city centre on the man made Willingdon Island, the old Rotary club property from the British Raj is full of colonial charm. All the rooms were tastefully decorated with high quality fixtures and fittings throughout. The common areas from the grounds to the lobby to the pool were spotless clean and of very high standards. We thoroughly enjoyed our meals in the Coffee Shop and Pavillion restaurants where the Thai food is to die for. Don't miss out on the high tea and magical sunset cruise generously offered complimentarily by the hotel. Above all else though, its the incredibly attentive team cultivated by General Manager Suman Sharma that sets this hotel apart and lived up to, no, exceeded our every expectation.

We were given a very warm welcome by the staff at Taj especially Mr. Suman GM and Mr Sunil GRM. It was such a memorable experience special care was taken right from the time we checked in to the time we checked out. The breakfast was brilliant.The pool location breath taking. The lobby was majestic. Overall A Terrific & Tasteful Taj Experience. See you soon guys.