Review of Courtyard by Marriott Kochi Airport
I stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott Kochi Airport this past March after completing the Kerala Blog Express. The hotel reached out to me as a blogger and offered a complimentary night with no expectation or agreement as to the content of my review. My room and taxes were covered, while I paid out of pocket for room service. The words in this review are my own.
Overview
The Courtyard by Marriott Kochi Airport is located right across the street from Kerala’s busiest international airport. Unlike the other hotels in the area which are more local, the Marriott feels like a modern chain hotel in almost every way. This is definitely the place go for the less adventurous type. For people with an early flight, the hotel’s location is ideal as the free shuttle ride takes less than 5 minutes.
Location
The Courtyard by Marriott Kochi is located next to a cluster of hotels and small shops directly across the street from Cochin International Airport. (They seem to use the names Kochi and Cochin interchangably in Kerala.) Almost all of the airport hotels are within the same distance of the terminal, so the Marriott’s location is neither better nor worse than any other.
With traffic in Kochi ranging from bad to terrible, I highly recommend staying near the airport if you have an early morning flight out or a late night flight into the city. Be prepared that this area is sparsely populated meaning your options for food/drink will be limited once you arrive.
Room
I was given a standard room with one king size bed which felt a little cramped. The room was very modern looking and is decorated in the same way as any Courtyard property. In other words it doesn’t feel like India in any way. For some this is a good thing and for others not so good.
The room had a flat screen television with a number of English channels and a decently comfortable bed. My view out of the back of the hotel was of an empty field. It was honestly one of the least attractive views I had during my three weeks touring Kerala.
There were also a few oddities with the room. First off the partition between the room and bathroom was completely clear. There is an automated shade that can be drawn, but I have never been a fan of this feature. Also, the toilet is located in a glass shower like stall which is just strange. I don’t understand the thinking behind this, however it really isn’t make or break in my opinion.
Facilities
The hotel has a very spacious and comfortable lobby with ample space for doing work or just lounging around. Located directly to the back is a beautiful pool area which was nicer than I had expected. No one seemed to be utilizing the pool, but it was very hot & humid during my stay.
Off of the pool area is a modern and well equipped gym. In it you will find a selection of cardio machines along with a decent amount of weights. Nothing to complain about here.
Food
The hotel does have one restaurant located off of the lobby which serves a mixture of American, Asian & Indian cuisine. I had been traveling in India for three weeks with limited Western food, so I opted to order a Courtyard Club sandwich via room service. For about $10 it wasn’t the best deal, but it definitely was very good and hit the spot for me.
Price
The Courtyard by Marriott Kochi is a great option for those seeking a western style hotel near the airport, but it isn’t cheap. The hotel was going for around $100 on the night I stayed, which was about double what other properties in the area were charging. I had the opportunity to stay at the Abad Hotel next door earlier in the trip and it wasn’t nearly as modern or nice. With that said, Abad was perfectly decent for someone wanting a no frills stay and it was significantly cheaper.
Conclusion
I really liked the Courtyard by Marriott Kochi Airport. Having stayed in mostly local high-end hotels during the rest of my time in Kerala, I did think it felt a little cookie cutter, but that is only a minor complaint. For those who like to stay in chain hotels, this is definitely the best option at the airport. My only issue with the hotel comes with the overall cost, however nothing else in the area compares when it comes to quality.
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Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.
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