A genuine backpacker place, efficiently run John's is your best budget bet for an overnight stop in Ernakulam, especially if John himself is in residence. It's 600m east of the boat jetty. Rooms are small (deluxes are bigger) but clean and decorated with flashes of colour and, for some, balconies, providing a welcoming feel for this price bracket.
John’s Residency
Kochi (Cochin)