Hotel Review – Le Petit Elephant, Kochi
November is the month when we take a few days off from our busy schedules and head out of our home city in search of new places and relaxation as a celebration of our years of togetherness. This year we zeroed in on Kochi, a seaside city in Kerala, a southern state of India. We wanted to spend some quality time relaxing in seclusion. We are quite choosy when it comes to accommodation and this time was no different. We also wanted to stay in a place that would provide the calm and seclusion that we hankered after being inhabitants of a bustling metropolis.
We zeroed in on a hotel with a strange but cute name, Le Petit Elephant. What attracted us was the fact that the hotel was located near the beach as well as the famed backwaters of Kerala. Reviews at TripAdvisor were also quite good and indicated that the hotel was away from the hub of activity and afforded some degree of exclusivity and seclusion. We also found it reasonably priced and hence decided that we would stay in Le Petit Hotel during our visit to Kochi. As always we trusted on our intuitions and hoped we were not proved wrong as online reviews can be misleading sometimes. We stayed at the hotel for nearly a week and we would like to share our experiences and thoughts about the place here. So here goes……..
Le Petit Elephant Location
Le Petit Elephant is located in Cherai which is about 25 Kilometers from Fort Kochi. Cherai has the longest beach in Kochi which stretches to about 10 Kilometers. The hotel is located away from the main beach on a secluded road that runs parallel to the beach. Though it is not located on the beach, the beach can be accessed by crossing the road. Behind the property at some distance flow the backwaters, however there is no direct access from the property to the backwaters. There is another property nearby which is run and owned by the same people which is situated right on the brink of the backwaters. This property is also cutely named as Les 3 Elephants and is a boutique eco resort which consists of bungalows built entirely with bamboos and having thatched roofs made of Coconut tree leaves. We did visit this property too when we went for a magical sunrise boat cruise on the backwaters.
Le Petit Elephant Rooms
The place has an exclusivity to it considering that it has only 10 rooms of different categories. Right from a single room for the solo traveler to a double room suite with a balcony for families, the property caters to the needs of all types of travelers. All the rooms are clean and well maintained and value for money and come with a complimentary breakfast. We found the rooms very comfortable and nothing to complain about.
Le Petit Elephant Dining Area
This we thought was one of the highlights of the place as it is on the first floor and open on three sides. Furnished in Spartan style, the place gives you an opportunity to have your morning breakfast listening the roar of the sea and seeing the waves rising across the road.
Le Petit Elephant Food
Breakfast is complimentary and there is a choice of Continental or Indian. We opted for Indian on all the days and considering that we are vegetarians we skipped the Omlette and opted for a choice of natural fruit juices, Corn Flakes, Veg Sandwiches and local Kerala dishes like Appam, Idli, Puttu, and Idiyappam. The food was tasty and healthy too.
For lunch and dinner again there is a wide range to choose from, however the options for Vegetarians is limited but sufficient. On the days we had lunch or dinner we opted for Chappatis (wheat pancakes) and different Indian Curries, White steamed rice and Spicy Dal. We found the food very delicious with the right amount of spices and to our liking. Of course we would have liked if there were more options for vegetarians.
Le Petit Elephant Pool
There is a cute little swimming pool which is very nice, clean and well maintained. A great place to take a dip or just relax by the poolside on the deck chair and get some sun.
What we liked was that because of the exclusivity of the property, chances are you may have the pool to yourself and swim in solitary splendor, which we did on a couple of days.
Le Petit Elephant Garden Sit Out
There is a cute little sit out near the pool where one can sip a cup of coffee or work on your laptops. The table tops are made of converted carom boards.
Le Petit Elephant Other Facilities
- Free Wi-Fi is available in the rooms as well as in the reception area, however sometimes the network may not be strong enough in the rooms
- Bicycles on hire, the staff would also help you rent a scooter or motorcycle
- Airport pickup and drop at a surcharge, the hotel arranged for airport pickup and drop which cost us INR 1,000 each way
- Travel assistance- the staff is happy to guide you on how to visit surrounding attractions and also arrange for a car or Auto rickshaw as required. We hired a car for day trips as well as an auto rickshaw to go to a nearby place and found the rates reasonable and the drivers helpful too
- You can also book and go for an enchanting backwater cruise through the hotel
Le Petit Elephant Service
Last but not the least is the warm and smiling service provided by the staff, right from the housekeeping personnel to the Manager, everyone is there to help and make you feel at home. They go the extra length to ensure you are comfortable.
After staying in the place for almost a week, it was time for us to head back home. As we bade farewell and took a last look at the place from the car that was ferrying us to the airport, we felt a wrench in our hearts. We are not sure whether it was the lovely location of the place, its exclusivity or the friendly staff, but we really felt that we were leaving behind a home away from home. We silently resolved that we would be back one day as we waved to the staff who stood by the gate.
We’d love if you’d comment and share this post.
Get MORE Visitors/Traffic To Your Website!
[pinit color=”red” size=”large” rectangular=”rectangular”]
Add to Flipboard Magazine.
Kochi is the ultimate place of India for enjoyment and happiness, thank you for sharing the blog.
Great post and beautiful photos!
That’s one detailed review of the hotel. If I ever come to Kochi, I am considering this one for our stay. 🙂
what an amazing stay… those huts look so beautiful..I loved the way you detailed out every point one considerd while making choice for a place to stay.
What a beautiful place! It’s a place that makes you sad when you leave!
Yeah, we like getting out of town when the days get shorter. It seems, that you found a very nice place to get your energy back.
It’s snowing at my house right now and this what I find on your blog? I’m so jealous!!!!! Beautiful pictures!
That hotel looks amazing!!! You don’t even have to leave to be entertained because it’s so beautiful.
Based on how it looks on the pictures, I take it staying here can be expensive right? If yes, I don’t see any problem with it because it looks like it’s worth the penny. I love the layout of the room, the bed looks cozy. And there’s wifi and breakfast, two of the things that I always look for in an accommodation. So why is it called the little elephant?
Looks like a beautiful place. Might have to add this one to my list of future vacations!
That pool looks amazing, I wouldn’t complain about this trip at all. Le Petit Elephant, yes please.
Lovely photos! I really can tell you have enjoyed it. The place looks cozy + the room, it looked big. The place itself can be called a beauty. Delightful at every sight!
It looks so magical. Such a beautiful place that would make a great place to celebrate something special.
What a really cute hotel room and beautiful location.
I would love to stay at this hotel. The whole concept of these hotel is so classy and beautiful.
That looks amazing, it looks very classy but also very beautiful.
Love learning about new places. This hotel seems very nice. I especially like the way the rooms look. I would stay there for sure!
Such an classy and fabulous hotel. The place is so good and the facilities are great.
It looks beautiful, elegant and peaceful – and judging by your photos, the most amazing place to catch a beautiful sunset. Wow!!
I would love to go here right about now. Looks so relaxing and rejuvenating.
Beautiful resort. Particularly love the rooms and the dining area. Such beautiful views
It’s very informative. I’ll definitely check this post again once I visit Kochi!
Le Petit Elephant looks really charming and intimate – just the sort of hotel I love to visit!
I love all the photos. Wish that I can visit this fabulous hotel someday. So beautiful and amazing.
Looks a great place to stay can just imagine eating breakfast with the sounds of the sea! Rooms looked great too. Thanks for sharing. #feetdotravel
Looks like a nice place to stay and enjoy the surroundings!
Thank you for detailed information for this hotel. It seems like nice place for stay!
What a beautiful place, it all looked amazing! So much better to stay when all the staff are lovely and I love your photos
Mmmhhh. I love apams! My favorite kind of bread ever (if it can be called bread 😉 ) Great review, great hotel. After my hectic travels around Kerala, le Petit Elephant sounds like a dream!
Le Petit Elephant looks and sounds amazing! I love everything from the rooms to the little sitting area outside!
For its size, it looks quite intimate.
Wow.. that is pretty amazing. Gorgeous views and lovely looking hotel. Wonderful review!
I would love to visit Kochi someday. The hotel is so amazing and the ambiance is very relaxing.
Wow~ Looks like you found a sliver of paradise to relax in November. I’m all about the views and of course, the free wi-fi. The pool area looks inviting, as does everything else you posted~ great review!
The location for this place looks amazing! And the bungalows are SO cute! I would love to stay there. Thanks for sharing!
You can’t go wrong with a place this beautiful! I love the romantic ambiance as well. It’s perfect for a getaway with your SO!
What a lovely little place. It seems so charming.
Would love to try that wooden chair swing! 🙂
Oh my goodness what a beautiful hotel. So relaxing, perfect for a romantic vacation or honeymoon!
The hotel looks amazing! I was in Kerala two years ago and would love to go back. I’ll have to keep this place in mind when I go back.
This hotel looks do nice and cozy. Beautiful photos!
Kochi is such a cool city, but we did not stay in any hotel as nice as this. Maybe I’ll go back!
This place is a piece of paradise without a doubt! It’s a nice escape from the busy city! I’d love to take my husband here for a vacation!
A fantastic boutique hotel. The only question mark in my mind would be its location and whether it’s a little too out of the way.
This is the fanciest place I’ve ever seen from India, haha 😛 I always stayed in barebone guesthouses to save cash, it’s lovely to see the other scale of things. Your photos are fab, I’ve never actually been to Kerala and this makes me want to go so much!
This hotel, as well as the other one they own, look incredible. I love that they are so small, those tend to be our favorite type of accommodations as you tend to get such personalized service. The view from breakfast and that pool look so inviting. We would definitely stay here if we have a chance!
This hotel looks so amazing! I’d love to stay here one day.
Wow this hotel looks incredible! Super nice and exclusive feel to it. Great blog 🙂
Le Petit Elephant looks like a really nice place to go for a holiday. Too bad there weren’t more veggie options. I really like the thatched roof combined with the modern hotel. What a nice pool as well.
Looks pretty nice – a casual resort with all the amenities. The bar seems to be lacking a few bottles of the bar though 😉 Ha! Anyway, the view is wonderful and I’m glad you made time to explore in November!
What a lovely hotel!! i really love your photos!! Thanks for sharing with us 🙂
This is my kind of vacation. It looks extremely beautiful and not to mention, elegant. I do want to go there. I typically do yearly vacation and I think this could be my next trip. Love it.
Planning on visiting India in 2017 ! Thanks for posting – I just might make a pit stop =D
Looks like a beautiful place for a getaway!
Looks like a wonderful place to visit! I really like the rooms and the sitting area outside is very nice.
What a charming little hotel! I love the patio furniture – it looks like a nice place to relax. The room is absolutely stunning and I could enjoy staying there for a while. Seems like a gem!
It looks so cool and relaxing. How did you fill your days when you were there? Any places to visit close by?
The place is awesome and we really felt relaxed. There are quite a few places to see in Kochi. Do check out our post on boat cruise in backwaters – https://imvoyager.com/backwaters-kerala-travel/. We have a few more posts coming up on the places we visited. So stay tuned. 🙂
This resort looks wonderful and very idylic. I love the thatched roofs and bamboo on the huts. I imagine this place was very relaxing and that you returned rejuvenated! Lovely post, lovely photos – thank you for sharing 🙂
Ah I would love to take a dip in that pool right now!! What an incredible place to stay!
Sounds like a beautiful Hotel, It really looks relaxing. I want to go there
This looks like such a great place to visit. I would love to visit and come back and feel like I had been in a little piece of paradise.
The backwaters of Kerala are high on my bucketlist and I’ve been wanting to plan a visit for some time now. I’ve been told by some that we should take a houseboat, but I think I like the idea of staying in a more tradtional hotel a little more – Le Petit Elephant sounds wonderful! Comfortable rooms, excellent service and a fab location – thanks for the tip!
Wow this place looks incredible! Hoping to head out to India for some yoga in the near future and would love to stay somewhere like this after the course to chill out.
The breakfast terrace is dreamy. Simple elegance that highlights the main attraction of the roaring sea. The Petit Elephant looks very cozy and inviting.
I absolutely loved Kochi. Such a nice place This hotel looks lovely. I love that you can have fresh fruit juice and cornflakes for breakfast. Sometimes I find it difficult as a vegetarian but I do find India caters well for vegetarians.
Only 10 rooms makes for an exclusive feeling! Sounds like a wonderful stay for your anniversary. Glad you found a magical place for your special day!
Wow! Very impressive! I like the grand interiors and the night and day shot of the same spot is good. 🙂
Will definitely check this out when I am there
This resort looks fantastic! I would love to stay here someday! I can’t get over the pool and the gorgeous view!
My eyes are set on the dining area. It must have been so calming sitting there and watching the spectacular view of the waves. It looks so peaceful and serene. Great, in-depth review.
What better location could one ask for? Beach and Backwaters both close by
Man, that looks absolutely great – just look at that terrace! Provided there are only 10 rooms, that makes for a perfect secluded getaway. Lucky you for staying at such a cool place!
Looks like an amazing place to stay! Lovely photographs too 😊
This places looks gorgeous. It is no wonder that you stayed on for a week and did not even get bored. I too, would not mind a week here 🙂
Oh! I love those open areas looking to nature, the hotel seems wonderful
The hotel looks so nice – I would love to spend one night here! I will definitely have to visit next time. 🙂
The place seems so relaxing and peaceful. Such a great photography.
This place looks amazing! Wow! Looks like a place where you can just live a moment in a paradise and forget everything else. The pool in the evening looks so inviting. I hope you got to try it out.
The place looks amazing. Have seen this boutique hotel and had bookmarked it for whenever we go to fort kochi, but your review really makes us want to go there right now!
This was so interesting and thanks for all the details! I’m completely amazed With the place and the thing that’s only 10 rooms make it completely luxury! I want to stay there!
Le Petit Elephant definitely looks like my kind of place to stay. The exterior looks as amazing as the interior. Nowadays, many hotels don’t provide complimentary breakfast to save on costs, but it’s so convenient for a traveler and makes the stay more pleasant. I’m glad this hotel does that!
What a cute place … I love the little pool … perfect for a dip as Kerala can be really hot. We went to Kochi two years ago and stayed in Fort Kochi… there are so many little places. Our time at the backwaters was short and only in a houseboat… wish we would have chosen a place like this… thanks for the detailed review!
Thanks for such a detailed guide – if I’m ever in India, I’ll definitely consider Le Petit Elephant! It seems like such a peaceful little place – I love the thatched roofs! And it’s good to know that they have some vegetarian options too (I only eat chicken and fish, but pretty rarely, so that’s great news)!
Le Petit elephant seems to have everything from Wi-Fi to good food. I’d have opted for the continental breakfast over Indian though. I wouldn’t mind working from reception with the stronger WiFi either it would get me out of the room. It’s perfect that they can organize tours to the backwaters or cars and drivers to explore the area at good prices.
What a beautiful, relaxing place, I think i’ll try it when I visit India and it’s awesome because they have tours or drivers to discover the place, sounds good to me and it’s easier like this I wont have to search in other places. Thanks for sharing
This looks like a fab place to stay! I just read your other post on Kochi! The pool here looks so nice + the hotel is so close to the water. Thanks for a great review would definitely love to stay here!
Kristie (you.theworld.wandering)