Zostel Kochi (Ernakulam)

One hell of a experience

I stayed one night in the 10-bed dorm, and the best part of my stay was the people. The hostel organised a group trip to Kadamakkudy, about 20 km away, to see the Kerala backwaters. It was an amazing experience, and a great way to meet fellow travellers and spend time together. What I liked: • Genuine, courteous staff and a friendly front desk • Quick, easy check-in (allowed 1 hour early) • Good parking • Clean shared bathrooms (2 for 10 beds) with good water supply - dorm is spacious with designated lockers • Laundry is reasonably priced at ₹150 for 6 kg, with a drying area to hang clothes • The common/living area is comfortable, and you can wait there for an hour or two after checkout without anyone asking you to leave What could be better: • Checkout is strictly between 10 a.m. - 11 am. That's clearly stated, so it's on me for missing it. Staff do come to your bed at 10-11 to change the sheets and covers, cleaning, though, so night owls should set an alarm. • Outside food isn't allowed, and you can't order in or eat it on the premises because they have their own restaurant. This was the most frustrating part for me. Outside food isn't allowed while their restaurant is open, which is until around 10 or 11 p.m. The cutoff seemed to change depending on who you asked. As a strict vegetarian I couldn't eat at a kitchen that also cooks non-veg, so for most of the evening I had no real food option on-site. I can't comment on the restaurant itself since I didn't try it, but vegetarian and other dietary-restricted travellers should keep this in mind. • The workspace has a music speaker right next to the desk that plays all day, so it's hard to focus or take calls. • There's no lift, so be prepared to carry your luggage up the stairs. • At ₹780–800+ for a 10-bed dorm, it's expensive compared with other hostels in the area. No lockers or luggage room. If you want to leave bags after checkout for a day, a few days or a week, there's no paid storage option, so your luggage just sits in an open area. That's a real drawback for travellers doing side trips. Verdict: If you're travelling solo and want to socialise and join group outings, the extra 200–300 is worth it. If you need to work or just want a budget bed, there are better-value options nearby.

A great place to meet and socialising with other people.

The place was ok.