La Villa

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 wooden bedheads to cocoonlike swing-chairs and abstract artwork, rooms blend white-on-white luxury with bold, contemporary design. It's impeccably styled, there's an upmarket patio restaurant, and you can breakfast overlooking the turquoise rooftop pool.