Riverside Heritage Homestay

My husband and I spent close to a week at the Riverside Heritage Homestay in Kochi and our time there was spectacular! Right from the moment we arrived to the day we left, Basil Uncle and Annie Aunty were nothing but welcoming. The property was beautifully maintained, and being close to the backwaters furthered the beauty of the stay. Delicious, home-cooked breakfasts by Aunty accompanied by chats with Uncle started each of our mornings. We thoroughly enjoyed the time spent here and would highly recommend checking this place out if you're looking for a serene and tranquil stay in and around Kochi!

Friendly host, super breakfast, peaceful location (a bit far from Kochin Fort - half an hour in tuk tuk).

The location is amazing! Host is very friendly and helpful. They served local cuisine in complimentary breakfast which was yummy. We had 2 kids and they were very cooperative with anything we needed for kids. Highly recommended.

Mr. Basil and his wife are excellent hosts. They treated us as a family member. Breakfast was authentic Kerala and tasty. The location is in front of backwater.

Nice place for a short 1/2night stay. We stayed in the large rooms in the backyard, and they were nice and spacious, and relatively clean. The backyard leads to a backwater alley which was quiet and pleasant, however not a wide space for exploring. Breakfast was ok for me.

Downside of this homestay is that there were many mosquitoes so it was hard to stay long outdoors. It is also located in a very remote part of Cochin where taxis/tuktuks do not travel to. Not accessible if one does not have his own vehicle.

The place is beautiful and overlooks a pond. The surrounding is awesome and gives a peaceful vibe. The owner Basil uncle is an Excellent individual. He takes personal care during the stay.
He guided us for our site visits and made arrangements for kathakali and Marshal Arts shows which was very helpful.
Would highly recommend this place.

Basil and his wife Annie were awesome hosts and so was their hospitality. We had a wonderful stay. The breakfast was really tasty with different things on the menu each day (traditional Kerala cuisine). We had a three day stay. He even allowed us a late check-out, which helped us a lot and something that we really appreciate. The property is breathtakingly beautiful. At the back of the property they have backwaters. The house itself was traditional. So if you want to experience nature, staying in a traditional setting and great hospitality, this is the place to go.

This was our first experience of a homestay and whatever apprehensions we may have had were completely dissipated by the very warm welcome we received from Basil and his wife Annie. They warmly welcomed us on arrival and immediately made us feel comfortable and very much at home.
The property itself is beautiful, with the 80+ years old main heritage bungalow and a relatively newer annexe cottage in the backyard. We stayed in the Heritage Room, which is part of the main building and connected to the hosts' living quarters. The room had two doors - one that opens on to a small porch in the backyard and serves as the main entry-exit guest door, and the door on the other side is connected to the main house itself, opening into the living room area where breakfast is served.
The room was fairly big, with a traditional towel stand and a corner wardrobe on one side, and a corner table with tea-coffee making amenities on the other side. The attached bathroom was huge and very clean.
The double-bed in the centre was comfortable and the bed-linen was very clean.
Right behind the backyard is the riverside, with a couple of benches available for sitting and enjoying the spectacular view of the river, the Chinese fishing nets, and a beautiful sunset if you happen to be there at that time. The whole atmosphere of the place is very peaceful and serene.
Complimentary home cooked, wholesome and delicious breakfast is served by Ms Annie. On the first day the breakfast consisted of Inyappam - String Hopper - served with Coconut Milk and fresh pineapple. On the second day it was Idlis served with Coconut Chutney and Sambhar. On both days, Basil joined us for breakfast and made sure we were well looked after.
Their washing machine too was a lifesaver for us. We had been on the move for several days and had a pile of accumulated clothes for washing. They kindly allowed us to use the machine to was our clothes and we hung them out in the backyard for drying. When we returned in the evening we found that Ms Annie had already removed the dried clothes from the line and stacked them on a chair on the porch.
Overall, we had a wonderful stay with the Basils, who are the most gracious hosts and who go out of their way to make guests comfortable. If we ever visit Kochi again, this is where we would like to stay.

Bursting with nature and animals. Very pleasant and excellent stay. I was flabbergasted when I realised it was quite perculiar to an island. It was an amazing experience, top-notch views and excellent food too

Just loved the place. Had a wonderful time so pleasant and close to river way. Thanks a lot sir for treating us so great with delicious breakfast and fruits. Will visit again when in town. Great service the place has my heart ️

I can't help but give a 5-star rating of this place, even without getting to stay here.
My trip got cancelled and I lost the privilege of stay here.
I am eagerly looking forward to my next visit and meet the hosts.
Thanks and regards Basil

Awesome place to stay. The backwaters literally at their doorsteps. Very neat and clean rooms. Wonderful and very helpful hosts - very homely and serves authentic and tasty Kerala cuisine for breakfast. Basil, who manages the place, helps and guides you with all possible details to make your stay and local visits a memorable one.

Wonderful stay. Very clean and beautiful riverside cottages. Host is excellent in communicating and suggesting the local restaurants or sightseeing. He arranged for everything we needed. Peaceful riverside view and heritage stay made it an amazing experience. Cleanliness is top notch. It was home away from the home. Delicious home made breakfast. Would definitely suggest this to others

It's a beautiful place with a calm environment. Delicious homemade food and Good hygienic conditions

Riverside Heritage Homestay is a wonderful place to stay when you are in Kochi. The Hosts Mr. Basil and Ms. Annie are so kind, generous and friendly. Hosts made me feel like home, there hospitality is par excellence. The ambience is so calm and peaceful. Our cottage rooms were clean and spacious with all the basic essentials and amenities. Ms. Annie made us traditional breakfast Idiyappam served with fresh coconut milk and on top of that it was complimentary. You will find backwaters with an amazing panoramic view at just 20 steps from this property. Mr. Basil is gem of a person, he helped us and guided us how to reach the best destinations in and around Kochi. The booking procedure was easy and smooth. Parking space is there if you are travelling with your own vehicle. Riverside Heritage Homestay is all you need when you are in Kochi. You will find continuous breeze along the backwater lake, sit on the bench and enjoy the view and beauty. A comfortable, clean, spacious and beautiful stay away from the crowds with an amazing view of backwaters. Played football with the kids in the back side of our stay near backwaters. If you are travelling to Kochi, experience your stay at this property with your friends and family.

Absolutely amazing staying experience. Mr. Basil warmly welcomed to the home stay. We reached very late, but still Mr. Basil was up and waiting for us and made sure we have all initial things. Food was amazing, thanks for Mrs. Basil for that. She makes sure that the authentic delicious food is provided to guests. Speaking about the place, its very clean and maintained in a great way with amazing backwater view and access. Stay was short, but would love to visit again.

A beautiful place to spend time with your family/friends. Cottage has two A/C bedrooms. Both bedrooms are neatly maintained. You'll get a decent homemade breakfast also. Dealings by the Basil Chettan and Annie chechi is highly appreciable, they were very friendly.

Much needed time over. I am very glad i booked the exact kind of place where i can come out of the stressful life. The area near to is soo peaceful and i love it. Really a great place to suggest.

Calm and quiet place. Property has two rooms. Well maintained, neat and tidy. Host is very helpful. Breakfast was very good.

Excellent hospitality from Basil chettan and family.
The location of the property is very adjacent to a lake with continuous breeze.
The property feels very homely.

If authenticity is your cup of tea, but you're a clueless foreigner and need looking after, then Riverside Heritage Homestay is for you! Perfectly located to explore Kochi city for shopping and culture, and the quiet backwaters for nature and idling. Basil and Anni could not have been better hosts. Basil arranged a taxi to meet us at the airport and was awake at 3 am local time to greet us and help us to settle in. Every morning they prepared us a sumptuous Keralan breakfast and freshly squeezed juice, which was different every day. Honestly, they thought of everything - we certainly couldn't, for jetlag! No trip to Riverside Heritage Homestay would be complete without "Magic Johnson" the BEST tuktuk driver in Kochi, who, with his excellent command of English, gave us a well thought-out tour of the local sights and took us to an excellent restaurant where we ate the most delicious seafood; and Dileep, a very nice young man, who drove us into the centre of Kochi for shopping and to a lovely beach, and patiently answered all our questions about life in India. Throughout our stay Basil was a very generous and gracious host and we are very grateful to him and his family for making us feel so welcome and for taking such good care of us. Our children loved the hammocks, the wildlife, the budgerigars, the fish pond, finding fallen coconuts, the food, and not forgetting the kittens under the kitchen sink!

A very peaceful pace by the backwaters. Clean room with modern amenities. A where you can have please full time

Me, along with my parents and daughter were Basil uncle and Annie aunty's guests for two days. Enjoyed their hospitality and the amazing view from the cottage verandah. Spic and span rooms, well maintained. It is an ideal place to unwind, surrounded by lot of greenery and beautiful scenery all around. Uncle even took us to Heritage Maithanam for lunch where you get amazing seafood and chicken.not to forget the awesome breakfast aunty makes. It was interesting listening to the anecdotes of uncle's meeting with the Pope and his many trips abroad. The cab driver, Dileep whom uncle had arranged was an equally helpful person. To sum it up would love to visit the place again and would recommend it to all my friends.

Basil and Annie are superb hosts. The rooms were spacious and clean with all necessary amenities. Delicious breakfast every morning and lots of helpful tips on getting around.

Calm and lovely homestay with backyard and access to river. The hosts are very helpful. Recommended for all sorts of travelers!

River Side Home stay was an excellent choice for us, a group of 10. We thoroughly enjoyed the scenic views and the warm ambience. The hospitality of the host was awesome. Mr. Jolly is an awesome host who took special care in ensuring that we were at comfort. He also arranged a boat ride for us in short notice. Noteworthy is the cleanliness and the special attention to details. Our caretaker Vishnu did a great job too. Will highly recommend this place to anyone who visits Kochi

Excellent hosts. Lovely simple breakfast. Enjoyed our stay.
Post floods the Chinese net (as described on the Airbnb) is broken. As also the sediments in the lake has made all boating activities to stop at the homestay. These probably should be corrected in the advert.

Take mosquito repellent cream as outdoors, mosquitoes are there.

Great place to stay and relax. The host is a very friendly couple happy to help with everything. In kochi, but away from the crowds. The breakfast they serve is amazing - fresh and home made. The 2 rooms in the house behind the main house is private and gives groups a good place to relax and enjoy. Good restaurants close by (even swiggy, ubereats is available)
PS- Mosquito is a problem so so carry something like Odomos.

Little outside the city, away from the traffic sounds & backyard connects to river directly. Hosts are very caring and make you feel like home and provide authentic kerala style food:) They will help in arranging Kathakali tickets and boat rides near Vaikom.

My 1st ever trip to Kochi in March 2019, became more memorable because of this beautiful homestay.owners, breakfast, rooms, cleanliness, view to fishing net.all create an authentic experience. Just the route from here towards Fort Kochi (main city hub) is tedious especially after sunset but manageable If you wish to stay away from the tourist crowd for peace!

Beautiful living cottages for enjoy your holidays with homely atmosphere plus river side fresh air and lovely atmosphere

An awesome place to stay at. The river is about a min walk away from the house. The morning view with a cup of coffee is splendid.

Great place to stay in Kerala. Quiet, clean and friendly hosts who are more than happy to help you find places to visit, transport and anything else to mkem your stay enjoyable.