Tamil Nadu
A different Chettiar charm inhabits this gorgeously renovated, French-run mansion from 1910, 6km east of Kanadukathan. Rooms combine the traditional and…
Must-see hotels in Tamil Nadu
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Puducherry (Pondicherry)
Occupying a 100-year-old building revamped by two French architects, Villa Shanti puts an exquisitely contemporary twist on the French Quarter heritage…
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Tamil Nadu
Chettinadu's original heritage hotel, this lovingly revamped, efficiently managed whitewashed ‘bungalow’ isn't a typical mansion but has all the requisite…
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Chennai (Madras)
Chennai's most talked-about hotel is this ultraluxurious, 600-room, temple-inspired beauty in the city's southwest. A maze of sumptuous iPad-operated…
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Tamil Nadu
Most Tranquebar accommodation is run by the sea-front Bungalow on the Beach, in the exquisitely restored 17th-century former residence of the British…
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Tamil Nadu
Lost in the riverside jungle, 10km northeast of Kumbakonam, this is a wonderful retreat from temple-town chaos. Comfy modern-rustic, Chettiar-style…
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Puducherry (Pondicherry)
Queen of local boutique hotels is this intimate, six-room 19th-century beauty, sleekly updated by one of Pondy's top French-architect teams. From curved…
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Tamil Nadu
Stunningly restored and professionally run by a Malayali hotel chain, Visalam is a relatively young Chettiar mansion, done in a fashionable 1930s art deco…
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Puducherry (Pondicherry)
Mango-yellow Les Hibiscus has just a handful of fabulous high-ceilinged rooms with antique beds, coffee makers and a mix of quaint Indian art and old…
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Thanjavur (Tanjore)
This gorgeous boutique-heritage hotel has an elegant, uncluttered look inspired by and incorporating traditional local arts and crafts. Of the 38 rooms,…
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Chennai (Madras)
At this ‘eco-sensitive’ business-style hotel, floors are bamboo or rubber, water and electricity conservation hold pride of place, and AC-generated heat…
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Kodaikanal (Kodai)
The cream of Kodai’s hotels is a magnificent five-star colonial-era mansion overlooking the lake. Rooms are spacious with extra-comfy beds and, for some,…
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The Western Ghats
Exquisitely located on a rambling tea estate, Sinna Dorai has just six huge rooms bursting with local early-20th-century history. A cosy library,…
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Tamil Nadu
In an unbelievably beautiful beachfront location, this stylish, mellow, surf-mad guesthouse is home to Kovalam's original surf school, Covelong Point. It…
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The Western Ghats
Flower-draped, French-owned La Maison is a beautifully renovated 1890s Scottish bungalow superbly situated on a hilltop surrounded by tea plantations, 5km…
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Madurai
This leafy haven, 4km northwest of central Madurai, originally housed the old Madurai Club. It's been impeccably tarted up, with intricate Kerala-style…
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Chennai (Madras)
A new iteration of a favourite old B&B, Ikhaya brilliantly brings together the best of heritage ambience and contemporary amenities. Rooms have carved…
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The Western Ghats
Along with ecofriendly touches (solar power, rainwater harvesting), Jungle Hut has probably the best food in Bokkapuram (if you’re visiting from another…
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The Western Ghats
Arguably Mudumalai's most stylish resort, with accommodation in lovingly built stone cottages, two tree houses and a dorm (minimum four people), all…
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Chennai (Madras)
A beautifully comfortable, relaxed base on a quiet street in a leafy south Chennai neighbourhood. Three immaculate private rooms with king-size or wide…
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Kodaikanal (Kodai)
This multilevel hillside guesthouse will blow your mind with jaw-dropping views that are far better than those offered by any hotels in Kodaikanal proper…
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Coonoor
A classic 1900s British bungalow at the top of town has been transformed into something special. The six handsome, airy rooms sport antique furniture,…
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Puducherry (Pondicherry)
Secluded rooms with colourful flourishes, antique beds and photos of the original owners surround two pillared patios at this renovated 130-year-old home,…
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Chennai (Madras)
Luxurious without being overly ostentatious, the glittering Coromandel offers a sensibly central top-end retreat from the city. Rooms flaunt a smart…
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Kodaikanal (Kodai)
Deep in the valley 22km northeast of Kodaikanal, off the Kodaikanal–Palani Rd, this ecofriendly French-run retreat sprawls across 48 hectares of mountain…
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Coonoor
This beautifully positioned farm on Coonoor's southeast edge is sustainably run with solar heating, rainwater harvesting and fresh cheeses from the milk…
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Chennai (Madras)
Smart, swish and bang up to date, this towering, triangular hotel is the most central of Chennai's newer top-end offerings. Contemporary art surrounds the…
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Chennai (Madras)
Perfectly located on a quiet street just a block away from an international mix of restaurants, cafes and upscale shops. The 13 unpretentious rooms come…
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Tamil Nadu
Part of the wonderful Quest Academy water-sports centre, these four fan-cooled, beach-chic concrete huts with thatched roofs and open-air bathrooms huddle…
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Tamil Nadu
Friendly, well run and packed with character, this colourful century-old mansion is still owned (and lived in) by the original family. Of its 126 rooms,…
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Chennai (Madras)
The gleaming, ultramodern Park Hyatt has swanky, straight-lined rooms kitted out with pod-coffee machines, smartphone docks and king-size beds; a divine…
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Radisson Blu Resort Temple Bay
Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram)
The Radisson's luxurious chalets, villas and bungalows are strewn across manicured gardens stretching 500m to the beach. Somewhere in the middle is India…
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Puducherry (Pondicherry)
A hot-orange (unsigned) heritage home has been lovingly transformed into a unique, relaxed, colour-bursting retreat in the northern French Quarter. Each…
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Coonoor
A colonial-era priory turned gorgeous heritage hotel, the Taj-group Gateway has homey cream-coloured rooms immersed in greenery, most graced by working…
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Puducherry (Pondicherry)
The old Tamil Quarter has almost as many mansions as the French Quarter but is off most tourists' radars. Reincarnated under environmentally friendly…
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Chennai (Madras)
The top-end Taj Group has five hotels in and around Chennai, but this is the only one with historical ambience, built in the 1850s as the British governor…
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Ooty (Udhagamandalam)
The Savoy is one of Ooty’s oldest hotels, with parts dating back to 1829. Cottages and swing-chairs are set around a charming lawn and garden. Colonial…
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Puducherry (Pondicherry)
This grand restored 18th-century mansion has breezy verandas, keen staff and antique-filled old-world rooms in all shapes and sizes: some are cosy attics,…
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Tamil Nadu
In calm palm-shaded grounds, Quest Academy offers three fuss-free thatched huts with shared bathrooms, along with a clutch of tents (single/double ₹1250…
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Tamil Nadu
Mirrored cupboards, in-room tea/coffee sets and splashes of colour make the GRT's smart modern rooms pretty characterful for Vellore. The free wi-fi,…
