• A boutique hotel with just 19 rooms
• Each room has a private balcony
• Meals are a delicious fusion of Indo-Asian
• Superb central location
• Easy access to the local sights
• Complimentary bicycles available for exploring the city

The Eighth Bastion is a modern hotel in the heart of the Dutch influenced corner of Fort Cochin. It's a unique blend of contemporary and colonial styles with a nod to the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and the rich colonial past of the area. Whilst the architecture combines modern, clean cubic lines with chic, retro touches such as the railings and roof tiles, the link with the Dutch is evident throughout the hotel.  There is even VOC-branded furniture scattered about, exact replicas of the chairs once found on Dutch schooners that sailed these waters, and there's a scale model of the Batavia in reception, a beautiful trading ship that eventually sank off the waters of Australia. 

There are just 19 rooms at The Eighth Bastion, giving the hotel an intimate feel. The rooms are all of the same standard though each is slightly different from the others. Some of the en-suite bathrooms have baths, some can accommodate an extra bed. Most of the rooms have their own balcony or patio, these too vary in size.  The rooms are all comfortably furnished in a modern, simple style and are light, airy and air-conditoned.

The East India Restaurant offers fine dining with an Indo-Asian flair. Amongst the favourites on the menu are chicken sate, a traditional Kerala fish curry with a modern twist, and the house speciality of open cheese tarts - something for everyone. You could opt for a tasting menu, a great way to tantalise your tastebuds with a variety of flavours, created with care using the freshest local ingredients.

The hotel offers complimentary bicycles for those wanting to explore under their own steam. There's a selection of bikes to choose from, then hop on and off you go, it's a great way to see the local sights. Organised tours are available too, either walking, or you may want to take a spin in the Cochin Ferrari, the hotel's auto-rickshaw, it makes for the perfect morning excursion.