Bolgatty Palace

Bolgatty Palace is over on Mulavucadu island in Kochi. It’s a bit of a different spot because you’re surrounded by water and big old trees. The building itself is very old and has a lot of history behind it. This means it requires a lot of looking after. We’ve been managing the property and the gardens here for quite a while now. It’s a big area to cover. You’ll often see us out on the lawns or checking on the different parts of the structure. The palace has high ceilings and large windows that let in the breeze from the backwaters. It’s not a modern, sleek hotel. It feels more like stepping back into an older version of Kerala. We have some creaky floorboards and walls that have seen many decades. The staff is mostly local people from Mulavucadu who know the island well. We spend a lot of time dealing with the greenery because things grow very fast in the humidity here. You can sit outside and watch the ferries and fishing boats go by on the water throughout the day. It’s a quiet place for the most part, away from the traffic of the main city. We don't use any fancy talk. We’re just here every day, keeping the gates open and making sure the place stays in good shape for whoever visits. It’s a lot of responsibility to look after a place like this.