Thanks RetiredFF and fabricoftruth.

Great suggestions both. I did some research on my own. Bolgatty was sold out for the nights I needed. And it seemed the same would be the case with Taj Malabar. But I called Taj Malabar again, and they offered me rooms at INR 6000 although via the web-site there were rooms for INR 5200. But I managed to contact a travel agent (who is also a travel agent) in Kerala and he was able to get rooms at the Taj Malabar for INR 4500. Being a person of Indian origin and having lived in Kerala (although not too familiar with Kochi), I think that it's an exorbitant amount by local standards..I have stayed in very nice places in Trivandrum for INR 2500.... but this is a special ocassion and so it better be good! ;-)

Also just FYI, a nice alternative, atleast looking at their web-site and their claims of being a 4 Star deluxe hotel is 'Renaissance Cochin'. The website looks pretty nice: http://www.renaissancecochin.com They were offering rooms for about INR 2200 and suites for INR 3500. I have them as a backup. Maybe will stay there on another ocassion.

FOT - your post on local grub is excellent... You should keep a blog :-) I have been to Trivandrum Chicken Corner in other towns.... a bit of a hole-in-the-wall but definitley yummy Chicken!! But I had no idea they had a TCC in Kochi. I think I may have been to Pandal before many years ago and it was pretty darn good. I will have to try your other suggestions as we seem to be on the same wave length.

Thanks again.

TL