For Malabar Jews from across the world, the Koder House—an early 19th century Portuguese mansion on Tower Road, Fort Kochi—is where they get together for Hanukkah, the eight-day-long festival of lights. They should be thankful to hotelier Vicky Raj for making their reunions a pleasurable experience.
Vicky took a year to restore this 15,000-sq-ft building, a treasure house of antiques, to its original grandeur. Like Vicky, many hoteliers have descended on Fort Kochi, drawn by its colonial past and many crumbling mansions, converting them into heritage hotels.
“Many high-profile Jews keep visiting Koder House. It’s the only hotel that celebrates Jewish festivals and organises Jewish food festivals all year round,” says Vicky.
History has it that the Koders emigrated to Kochi from Iraq a few centuries ago. Samuel Koder, who ran the Cochin Electric Company lived with his wife in this mansion and was renowned to have hosted many an opulent get-together here.
With their passing, an era ended.
Koder House is said to have been fabricated in Europe and shipped to Kochi. Its windows still retain their antique Belgian glass.
Vicky’s other hotel, on Ridsdale Road, is Victory Dawn, a former tea company bungalow. Here English, Portuguese and Dutch influences abound. It has six luxury rooms and lounges on both floors, perfect for a dreamy holiday.
Another treasure once owned by Samuel Koder, the Grand Residencia on Princess Street, is now a heritage hotel run by the Abad Group.
Koder built the house in 1868 using Portuguese and local influences, with open courtyard, long verandas, and slatted doors and windows. It has nine heritage rooms, 11 boutique rooms and a suite.
Yet another eye-catching property is the Malabar House, originally a Dutch residence dating back to 1755. It was owned by tea traders and bankers till it was sold to its current German owner, Joerg Drechsel and his Basque wife Txuku. “It was empty and dilapidated when we took over nearly 15 years ago. We increased the number of rooms from 12 to 17,” says Txuku, who, filled it with antiques.
With so much restoration all around, could the Neemrana Group be far behind? Here, they run Le Colonial and the Tower House. Built in 1506, Le Colonial, near Vasco da Gama Square, is probably Asia’s oldest colonial house, says manager Smita Daruvala. It is said to have housed Vasco da Gama and St. Francis, after which it was home to the Portuguese governor for 150 years. It survived the Dutch takeover of Fort Cochin, housing their governors for another 150 years, till it was sold to the British in 1795. Loaded with antiques, it is a veritable museum.
The stately Tower House or Pierce Leslie Bungalow is located at the original site of a 17th century light house. Purchased from the Dutch in 1928 by the Pierce Leslie Company, London, it was used as their officer’s bungalow. With high ceilings, sprawling halls, wood panelled floors and massive pillars, the Tower House evokes opulence.