Kerala
Bolgatty Palace A short ride across the serene Vembanad Lake will bring you to this emerald isle of fairy tale delights. Here, 250 year old tradition of royal splendour and gracious hospitality awaits at Blgatty. Tucked away in brilliant green tropical foliage, you’ll be pampered like a prince! The Bolgatty Palace is located off Kochi — the heritage city of Kerala, a cauldron of world cultures. A versatile land where visitors from abroad, right from the Pheonicians and Arabs to the Chinese, Italians, Portugese, Dutch and British have left indelible marks. A port for traders, it is better described as The Queen of the Arabian Sea Bolgatty Palace is one of the oldest existing Dutch Palace outside Holland. A Dutch trader built this quaint mansion way back in 1744. In 1909 the Palace was leased to the British and it served as their residency till 1947 when the British Raj came to an end in India.
Bolgatty Palace is one of the oldest existing Dutch Palace outside Holland. This quiant mansion was built way back in 1744 by a Dutch trader. At that time Kochi was the hub of Kerala’s trade and commerce. Relations with Holland were strong, and the Maharaja of Kochi himself leased the land to the Dutch to set up their commercial base here.
Since then, the Palace has changed many hands before it become the luxury it is today. In 1909 the Palace was leased to the British and it served as the Residency till 1947, when the British Raj came to an end in India. Later, KTDC took over in 1976 and converted it into a heritage resort. Interestingly, Bolgatty Palace, lazing on the backwaters of Kochi, is one of India’s oldest heritage properties.
This resort is located in an island near the commercial area of Ernakulam. The distances are:
Cochin International Airport – 30 km
Ernakulam Railway Station – 2 km
Ernakulam Bus Statnd – 2 km
Housed in a heritage building right in the historical center of Fort Cochin, it faces St. Francis Church, the oldest European church in India. It is the first Heritage Hotel in South India to be classified as a Heritage Classic Hotel by the Government of India.
Whether you come back from a tour to the close-by backwaters or from shopping in Jew town, you will certainly enjoy returning to The Malabar House. Our service is very personalized, our staff is young, eager and friendly.
The Malabar Junction, offers fresh seafood with a personal blend of regional and Mediterranean flavours.
We offer Kalari massage, one of the oldest schools of Ayurveda as relaxation and rejuvenation therapy.
Since the great flood of 1341, when Cochin became a natural harbour, it has been the center stage of early international trade between the West and the Far East.
In the 13th century Chinese and Arabs were already trading at Cochin. In 1500 AD the Portuguese led by Vasco da Gama arrived, marking the beginning of European colonialism. Subsequently Cochin has been dominated by the Dutch and the British. A large number of trading communities settled and 14 different languages were spoken at a time.
James Fordes, an English traveler, wrote in 1772: “It was a great emporium of trade, a harbour filled with ships, streets crowded with merchants and warehouses stored with goods from every part of Asia and Europe”.
In a major step to preserve Fort Cochin as part of the Indian heritage it has been declared a Heritage Zone.The Malabar House is situated in the center of the Heritage Zone on the old Parade Ground, facing the Vasco da Gama church and 2 minutes walk from the sea front with the Chinese fishing nets.
The Malabar House is situated in the center of the Heritage Zone on the old Parade Ground, facing the Vasco da Gama church and 2 minutes walk from the sea front with the Chinese fishing nets.
Malabar House is part of Fort Cochin’s history. The oldest of the existing ancient deeds documents that Jan Herman Clausing, a Dutch, bought the house on 27th May, 1755 from Mathew Henrich Beyls for $756 at 32 Cochin panams each. In 1795 the British conquered Fort Cochin and the ownership changed into British hands. Malabar House became eventually the residence of Wrinkler family.
The great fire of 1889 gutted almost all warehouses along the port. The devastation was so terrible, that the Port Captain, Mr. Wrinkler erected a monument, which is still to be found on the nearby beach: “The great fire of Cochin 4th January 1889, erected by Mr. Wrinkler”. His daughter sold Malabar House to Harrisons and Crossfield, one of the major trading houses in South India. They sold it to the National Bank, which renovated it as residence of its directors.
In 1995 Malabar House was acquired by Cochin Residency Ltd. and converted into a Heritage hotel.
The Malabar House is situated in the center of the Heritage Zone of Fort Cochin on the old Parade Ground surrounded by its historical buildings, facing the St. Francis Church and 2 minutes walk from the sea front with Chinese fishing nets.
