Porch
Check availability

Reviews of Sonnetta Residency

3 out of 5
Sonnetta Residency
1/387, Princess street, Fort Cochin, Kochi, Kerala

Reviews

8.6

Excellent

Rating 10 - Excellent. 31 out of 68 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 29 out of 68 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 5 out of 68 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 2 out of 68 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 68 reviews" "

8.8/10

Cleanliness

9.2/10

Staff & service

7.4/10

Amenities

8.2/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

8/10 Good

David

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Made to feel very welcome here
Sonnetta Residency is a homestay located in the heart of Fort Kochi district in Princess St. It is in easy walking distance to the foreshore and Chinese nets as well as the ferry service. Breakfast is included in the price but other meals are unavailable, however there are many very good and reasonably priced restaurants in walking distance in Princess St, Rose St and others. It was nice to be able to try so many. I suggest A/C room as it can get quite hot. The owner and staff are very friendly and helpful. They can arrange tours, taxis, etc if needed. Kochi felt very relaxing and I would be happy to stay at Sonnetta Residency again.
Stayed 18 nights in Nov 2019
Response from sonnetta residency on Dec 19, 2019
thanks David

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great place! Highly recommended!! Friendly and most helpful staff.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2018
Response from Xavier on Jan 1, 2019
thanks a lot for the helpful review

10/10 Excellent

Reuben

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Home Sweet Home
I felt at home. Excellent employees, good breakfast and a great location.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2018
Response from N.A on Sep 26, 2018
thanks Mr. reuben Regards Naijeen Austin

10/10 Excellent

Reuben

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Sweet Home
Truly amazing. They make you feel at home. A very informal and professional attitude from all the employees.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2018
Response from Naijeen Austin on Sep 19, 2018
thank you sir. have a safe journey Regards Naijeen Austin

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great location, very helpful staff.
Reliable hot water (unusual in India), comfortable bed, great location. Staff super helpful (many thanks for sorting out an airport taxi for us at a very short notice after we were stood up by our driver).
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2018
Response from sonnetta on Mar 5, 2018
Dear Guest. Thank you for taking the time to review your stay with us. I am very pleased to hear that our staff made your stay pleasant. Thank you so much With Regards Sonnetta Residency

8/10 Good

George

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Pleasant hotel in Fort Cochin
A pleasant hotel in the centre of Fort Cochin within easy walking distance of restaurants, sights and transport. I would recommend it for anyone looking for a convenient, budget alternative to big chain hotels. The staff were very pleasant and helpful.
Response from Xavier on Feb 28, 2018
Dear Sir . Thank you for your review and for choosing our hotel. I’m happy that you enjoyed your stay and I’m looking forward to having you again as a guest in our hotel.

10/10 Excellent

Susana, USA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Homelike, sweet, close to water
The owner, staff, and other guests are very friendly. Sonnetta can help you arrange day trips and more in the area. The place is very clean: people are asked to leave shoes in a rack downstairs. Breakfast is small and cooked on-the-spot-- a good opportunity to meet other travelers, since we sit together. My room was for four people and worked well. I see that there are many equally well located places to stay in Fort Kochi, but I would stay at Sonnetta again because of the owner and people who work there.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2018
Response from sonnetta on Feb 20, 2018
Dear Madam Thank you for your review and for choosing our hotel. I’m happy that you enjoyed your stay and I’m looking forward to having you again as a guest in our hotel. Thanking You, P.x Xavier

8/10 Good

lucerne, uk.

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Good location in the main Street in Fort Cochin.
This home stay provided me with almost three weeks accommodation at an excellent room rate. I was staying longer than most since Fort Cochin is a very popular destination for backpackers and turnover at the home stay was high. It wouldn't be fair to rate this accommodation in the same way as a hotel. Nevertheless, the room was comfortable and the staff friendly and helpful in every respect.
Stayed 22 nights in Jan 2018
Response from sonnetta on Feb 7, 2018
Dear Sir/Madam, Thank you for taking the time to review your stay with us. I am very pleased to hear that our staff made your stay pleasant.Looking forward to seeing you again Regards Xavier

10/10 Excellent

james

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
So nice we stayed twice.
Close to everything but the airport. Good WiFi new flat screen. Lots of hot water. Nice family atmosphere, well maintained. Next time I'll stay here again.I
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2018
Response from sonnetta on Jan 26, 2018
Dear Sir, . Dear Sir. Thank you for your positive comments. I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay with us! I With Regards Xavier

10/10 Excellent

Lb, New Zealand

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Terrific stay in a great location.
The staff here are amazing. They are welcoming and willing to help in any way they can to make your stay memorable and help you feel at home. They organized our tour experiences and transfers at a moments notice. The facilities and room amenities are basic and a little old, but the room was incredibly clean and very comfortable. Bottled water is always provided. Great value for money. Cafes, restaurants, shopping, beach and bars are just a few minutes walk in this beautiful area. I would stay here again in a heartbeat and recommend to all travelers and backpackers.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2017
Response from sonnetta on Jan 25, 2018
Dear Sir/Madam, Thank you for your review and for choosing our hotel. I’m happy that you enjoyed your stay and I’m looking forward to having you again as a guest in our hotel. With Regards Xavier

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Staff & service
Good value for money
For within this budget the accommodation is good. Nice location, all facilities fine and the family were friendly.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2018
Response from sonnetta on Jan 23, 2018
Dear Sir/Madam Thanks for staying with us. We appreciate your feedback!

10/10 Excellent

Murdo, Liverpool, UK

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Memorable stay
This was my first visit to Cochin and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. The hosts were wonderful, the hotel is situated in a great location in Fort Cochi. I look forward to returning.
Stayed 8 nights in Jan 2018
Response from sonnetta on Jan 20, 2018
Dear Madam, Thank you for your nice reply ....

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The place was excellent, location great. Breakfast was home made every day. Highly recommend.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2017
Response from Sonnetta Residency on Jan 5, 2018
Dear Sir, Thank you very much for your valuable feedback. we look forward to see you again soon. Thanks Team Sonnetta

8/10 Good

Ian

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2017
Response from sonnetta on Jan 10, 2018
thank you

10/10 Excellent

kathy, england

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Excellent hotel for cleanliness made very welcome Location good very central to the bus and ferry No beaches only fishing beach but great to watch Only negative was continental breakfast only had toast maybe a little more selection
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2017
Response from xavier on Dec 6, 2017
Thank you for sharing your feedback regarding your stay! . Also, thank you for the kind words regarding the breakfast We are continually trying to improve the variety and quality of food items that we offer. Thank you we hope that you will consider us for your next business trip!

10/10 Excellent

Mohini, Birmingham, UK

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Wonderful clean hotel with warm friendly staff.
We were warmly welcomed by the owner Xavier and staff on our arrival. The airport pick up had been arranged efficiently prior to this. We were early to check in and so they kindly made another room available for us to rest and refresh while they prepared our room. All the rooms and hotel throughout are very clean with everything in good working order. We were able to get sound advice and arrange excursions as well very efficiently. Xavier is a well-established member of the community and as such, was able to advise and guide us well. Also the staff are willing to chat and we made friends with everyone there! Breakfast is simple and freshly prepared and delicious. We will return and thoroughly recommend Sonnetta's to anyone looking for a homely, quiet and cultured visit. Kerala Kathakali Centre is 5 mins walk and Xavier arranged the tickets for performances there too.
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2017
Response from Sonnetta Residency on Nov 7, 2017
thank you madam for your feedback Regards Sonnetta Residency

10/10 Excellent

Edmund, New Zealand

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing location, highly recommend
Lovely staff and location. Perfect place to stay to see all Kochi and surrounding areas. Lovely room and bathroom. Really enjoyed the staff and amazing breakfast.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2017
Response from Sonnetta Residency on Nov 30, 2017
Dear Sir, Thank you for your feedback, we appreciate your time for writing about us. Looking forward to serve you again. Regards, Sonnetta Residency

10/10 Excellent

Kumari. , Colombo. Sri Lanka

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very happy. Value for money. Super location.
Super location. Near Chinese fishing where I could eat fresh sea food. Kerala style. Superb. Very safe as I was a female teavelling alone. No doubt in recommending to any one.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2017
Response from xavier on Aug 29, 2017
thank you for your kind words

10/10 Excellent

Mike, UK

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Friendly and Comfortable
Very friendly people and a great location in Fort Kochi. Great value for money with air con, cable TV and fridge.
Response from Sonnetta Residency on Nov 30, 2017
Dear Sir, Thank you for your feedback and kind words, we appreciate your time for writing about us. Looking forward to serve you again. Regards, Sonnetta Residency

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Cute Cochin (Kochi)
Xavier is the Christian owner, named after St. Francis, and will likely greet you. If he gives you advice you should follow it. On display is his picture with Mother Theresa. Xavier will explain all the switches and adjustment for the shower. It was first shower that had water hot enough to scorch you—be careful. You can request AC if you are overwhelmed by the heat, but the fan is the better choice. Marble floors throughout and good wi-fi. The included breakfast is either a toast and beverage style or an Indian choice. It is a mistake to not choose the Indian breakfast. The room door has a curtain, which is customary, and a formidable latch and pad lock-which I never felt necessary so I didn't even use it. Princess street is best described as the cutest street in Kochi and just off the peripheral walkway.

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Right in the heart of Fort Kochi
Aging, but well maintained and well appointed, quaint place right in the center of tourist interests in Fort Kochi.
Response from Sonnetta Residency on Nov 30, 2017
Dear Sir, Thank you for your feedback and kind words, we appreciate your time for writing about us. Looking forward to serve you again. Regards, Sonnetta Residency

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Nice hotel Staff
I went to the hotel in the afternoon and the staff there help me booked a backwater cruise for tomorrow. The hotel is very close the the Chinese net and have a few nice restaurant nearby.
Response from Sonnetta Residency on Nov 30, 2017
Dear Sir, Thank you for your feedback and kind words, we appreciate your time for writing about us. Looking forward to serve you again. Regards, Sonnetta Residency

8/10 Good

Robert, Montreal

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
On Princess street, great location
Originally was going to stay only 1 night but decided to extend to 2. I usually only book my first night in a hotel until I can see the condition before deciding to stay any longer, but if you are like me and are considering staying a few days in Cochi, there's no need to hesitate to book multiple nights at the Sonnetta Residency. For me, the important things in accommodations are: a clean bed, good wifi, a good location, and if possible breakfast included and Sonnetta had all these things. Breakfast was a little simple, coffee, a few toad with jam and a banana, but that's pretty much what I eat on any weekday when I'm at home. Across the street from Sonnetta is a pretty good restaurant as well, with chairs laid out on a terrace. The manager, I didn't get his name, but he genuinely seemed concerned about my comfort/happiness more than turnover and the business aspect as is usually the case in India. A tip for getting there from Ernakulam junction station. Take the ferry to Fort Cochi. Ferry pier is about 15 minute walk from train station, or 40 rupee tuk-tuk, then a 6 rupee ferry ride to Fort Cochi, then another 15 minute walk from the jetty to the hotel. Just ask around for "princess" street, everyone knows where it is. I would not hesitate to stay at Sonnetta Residency again.

8/10 Good

Robert, Montreal

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Come for 1 day, stay 3
At first I only booked one night in Cochi but I enjoyed the environment so much I stayed a little longer. I usually only book my first night in a hotel until I can see what it's like before deciding to stay longer but I can assure you, if you are like me and planning to stay 2 or 3 night, don't hesitate to book them all at once if you're staying at The Sonnetta Residency. Also, the gentleman at the reception, I didn't get his name but he seems to run the place, is genuinely friendly and helpful. The breakfast was simple, milk coffee, a few toast with jam and a fruit, in my case a banana. For me it was enough, that's usually all that I eat on weekdays when I'm at home. There's also a pretty good restaurant across the street with chairs outside. Good food, good portions, reasonable price. A tip for getting to Kochi, take the ferry. The ferry pier is about a 15 minute walk from Ernakulam junction. Then a 6-rupee ferry ride to Fort Kochi jetty. Then another 15 minute walk from the jetty to the hotel. After the ferry ride, when you get to fort Kochi jetty, just ask around for "Princess street", everyone knows where that is.

10/10 Excellent

M H, Bangalore

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Glad I chose to stay here !!
We went to Kochi on vacation and stayed at Sonnetta for 3 days. It is located just a couple minutes walk from the sea side (not a beach where you can get into water and play or swim). It is located on a charming street with old Portuguese style buildings. Sonnetta is also a heritage building, although the recent renovations have robbed it of the heritage feel inside. The rooms are clean and the service is very friendly. All tourist attractions in Fort Kochi are within walking distance (2-3 Kilometers). Breakfast was complimentary and was quite good. Eating joints nearby are plenty.

10/10 Excellent

Joe, Vancouver, Canada

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very central in Fort Kochi.
The proprietor and staff were very friendly and helpful. I am a return customer.
Response from Sonnetta Residency on Nov 30, 2017
Dear Sir, Thank you for your feedback and kind words, we appreciate your time for writing about us. As you mentioned we always try our best to make our guest feel at home. For Breakfast, we try to keep it simple like homely food, however we will definitely provide you few more variety on your next visit. Looking forward to serve you again. Regards, Sonnetta Residency

8/10 Good

robbie, sunny coast Australia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very friendly people & like family after a daystay
Good part of town close to beach ferry & restaurants.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
well positioned hotel
needed air conditioning in late feb. only continental breakfast but more like homestay than hotel

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Very well located for a couple of days in FC.
Very helpful owner, comfortable accommodation , good value.

10/10 Excellent

Cristina, Melbourne, Australia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very friendly staff, clean room!
Showed up for late check-in (12am) they had a very nice young man waiting for me, so thoughtful. Room was clean and had everything we needed (mini fridge, safe) Very close walking distance to Chinese fish nets and shops.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
sweet little homestay in the centre
great people and can't best the price for clean and cheerful.

10/10 Excellent

suru, Bangalore

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Truly home-stay
Sonetta is a very warm homestay situated at the prime-est location you need while staying at Kochi. We were there for the beinnale fest and this place is bang at the centre. Chinese Nets are just stone throw away, to get a glimpse of morning fishing acts. Also every other place you heard of near Fort Kochi it is a stone throw away... The staff is cordial and helpful in every sense. Great facilities, a home like atmosphere.

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

8/10 Good

amoka, New York, NY

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
convenient location
The room we had was a good size and clean. Bed for me was a little too hard so I had a little back discomfort in the mornings but besides that the owner and the staff was extremely helpful with recommendation os restaurants and stuff. There isn't much in Fort Kochi so one night is more then enough to do an half day of sightseeing and try 2-3 restaurants. The Sonnetta Residency is at a great location for walking around.

6/10 Okay

Magda, Canada

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Disliked: Staff & service
Useless staff
The place is very clean, very nice and right in the heart of Fort Cochin. However, we had a rather stressful experience due to hotel staff. When we arrived (midday) we were told we could not go up to our room until we walked one block down the street to an internet cafe and brought back a printout of our hotel confirmation. We had the email confirmation open for them on our phone but that would not suffice. We noticed a printer right on the front desk and asked if they or we could just print it from that but were told it was "for official hotel use only". We thought this was really ridiculous , but eventually (due to lack of communication, not empathy) we were allowed to our room without the print out. We spoke to the manager about it when he arrived and there was another communication gap. I think he apologized at one point, but mostly the focus of the conversation turned to him complaining about previous guests stays, and the travel agency they worked with not paying him. This had nothing to do with us (as he himself stated) but he probably talked about it for 20 minutes straight instead of dealing with our complaint. The whole scene just left us frustrated for the rest of the day unfortunately. Also, wifi is non-existent in the rooms and sketchy in the front lobby, so do not believe their claim to wifi. Also, they don't actually care that it doesn't work and look at you blankly when you ask. They have a nice hotel but the service has turned sour unfortunately.

10/10 Excellent

Melissa

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Perfect location and friendly staff
I highly recommend the Sonnetta Residency. The location is great; it is in a safe location near to many restaurants. The rooms are spacious and clean. Very good value for the price. The owner and staff are helpful and friendly and can book trips/tours from the hotel.

6/10 Okay

Margaret, Victoria, BC, Canada

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
It's adequate
It's in a good location and it's reasonably priced. The room had a bit of a musty smell but that's probably due to the high humidity levels in Southern India. They also require you to remove your shoes when entering the building. It seems making it easier for the floor cleaners is more important than protecting my feet from other people's diseases! The wifi service isn't always available, even when there is power, but at least the service is free. They tried to charge me for AC even though I'd paid for an air conditioned room so it's a good idea to have a copy of your invoice because their record keeping isn't the greatest.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

10/10 Excellent

Jacqueline

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice place to stay in Fort Kochi!
Overall, nice budget accommodations! Our room had strong wifi, clean sheets, and hot water, which is really all it takes to make us happy. As a bonus, it had a fridg, TV, and AC. We couldn't get our AC to work, but we didn't try too hard since the weather was nice, and we suspect it was due to user error. The owner helped us book an overnight houseboat too, at a reasonable price for a reasonable experience.

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great hotel.
There was an older guy that ran the place. Was very knowledgable and helpful.

4/10 Poor

Roger

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Basic hotel should probably try slightly harder
I stayed in room 205, an A/C room. The A/C was a good idea in late September. The room is basic, with a TV, small fridge (did not use), and bathroom with no separate shower (its like the sink and toilet are in one giant shower). The staff (it seems like a father, his sons and younger daughter) are generally helpful, honest and pleasant. I did not book anything from them, but they did provide info about transportation. The location is great, on quaint Princess St. The BAD: The bed was gross—if you removed the top sheet there were obvious stains and hairs. There was also a smell of oldness and slight mildew to all of the fabrics in the room. I don't know if I'd pay more to stay elsewhere because I am not too demanding, but they should clean their beds better and my wife (who wasn't with me) would not have liked it.

8/10 Good

lajo

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
great value!
very homely, comfortable and clean. very close to the chinese fishing nets. the staff were very helpful and friendly, we checked in very early (before 6 am) and not a grumble! the owner had very good tips for us, the boat tour he recommended was perfect. only flaw was that they didnt have a heater in the shower (wasnt freezing cold, but warm water would have been nice on a rainy morning). but i'm sure they did have provisions for running hot water or would have switched on the heater wherever it was if i had asked, but i had already showered then.

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2020

2/10 Terrible

Emmanuel

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Hôtel qui ne correspond pas au descriptif Très vieillissant
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2020

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Bella posizione, personale gentile, le camere pulite
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2019
Response from SONNETTA RESIDENCY on Apr 3, 2019
Thanks a lot for your valuable feedback.

8/10 Good

Véronique

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Bon hôtel
Très bien situé ce petit hôtel est propre et confortable . Le jeune garçon à l’acueil est très gentil et très serviable tout comme les deux femmes qui préparent le petit déjeuner . Par contre le patriarche qui vous reçoit n’est pas vraiment agréable. Je vous le recommande cependant.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2019

8/10 Good

Lars, Centralt Bangkok, Silom

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Centralt litet hotell i Fort Cochin
Sonetta ligger väldigt centralt i Fort Cochin. Nära till det mesta och alltid en ricksha inom räckhåll. Familjen / personalen på hotellet väldigt trevlig och hjälpsam. Frukostmatsalen var liten, förmodligen deras eget kök... Duschen fungerade men det blev vått i hela toaletten när man duschade. Hotellägare delade gärna med sig av en massa bra tips
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2019
Response from sonnetta on Mar 1, 2019
Thank you Sir for your valuable feedback.

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
localisation dans la ville propreté accueil du personnel
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2019
Response from Manager on Jan 22, 2019
thanks for the review

10/10 Excellent

Carlo mika

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
je recommende
Vraiment chouette, très bien placé, personnelle super agréable et sympathique
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2018
Response from sonnetta on Feb 5, 2018
Dear Sir, Thank you for your review and for choosing our hotel. we happy that you enjoyed your stay and I’m looking forward to having you again as a guest in our hotel.