dgunbug

We will be in Pondicherry for two nights. Any hotel recommendations from those who' we been there?

lcuy

Here is the portion on our Pondicherry stay at Hotel de L'Orient from my 2009 trip report: http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...y-may-2009.cfm
Keep in mind we were there in May, and it was brutally (115`) hot and humid.

*********
...We had reservations for 3 nights at the Hotel de L’Orient. I’d read some very nice reviews about this old French school. They had some great summer package deals, so we chose one of the bigger rooms that included both breakfast and dinner for about $US 130 a night.

The hotel was very charming and clean. It is in the old French section of Pondicherry, about 1 block from the beach promenade. Our room had about 15 ft high ceilings, two double beds, several rattan lounge chairs, a couch, TV, and some beautiful old cabinets. We had a “back door’ out onto a balcony, and big window shutters.

I will have to say that a lot of my feelings for Pondicherry were tempered by the extreme heat. I’d traveled in Rajastan in August, and while that was hot, Pondicherry was just brutally hot. It was 110 to 115 degrees during the day, and it didn’t cool down much at night. It was also very humid. Many of the buildings are not air-conditioned, and there are few taxis (auto-rickshaws are the common way to travel) so it is hard to get even a short respite from the heat. Our hotel room had AC, but the lobby, stairs, and the courtyard where meals were served were all open air.

The French quarter was pleasant. It is very quiet with few cars and few people on the street, and the buildings are all from the days of the French occupancy so very charming. There are quite a few small hotels in the old buildings, and then some newer highrise hotels along the beach. At night, there are tons of Indian tourists walking the beach promenade, with lots of vendors selling snacks, light-up toys, cotton candy, etc. You can’t swim in the ocean due to really rough currents.

dgunbug

Icky - Thanks for bringing up your report. Hopefully we will have better weather than you did as we will be there in early March.

thursdaysd

Stupid iPad won't let me copy the relevant section, so I have to give you the link to the whole post:

https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...rmerly-french/

If I were going back I would look into the Promenade.

March sounds a bit late to me. I was there in December.

dgunbug

Icuy - sorry about typo - didn't mean to call you icky!
Thursday - sure hope it's not going to be too late in the season and miserably hot. We are planning on spending a day at the ruins that icuy visited and hope that her lack of enthusiasm was due to the heat rather than the ruins themselves.

dgunbug

We had intended to stay two days in Pondicherry and were not going to go into chennai at all, but rather go directly to airport. Are we better off spending only on day and using our last day to explore a bit of chennai?

thursdaysd

I didn't care that much for Chennai. There isn't much to do in Pondi itself, but you can do day trips. I stopped at some temples on the way there.

I believe julies was traveling in Feb and March.....

rje

Hi dgunbug,
Just got back from Europe, so only seeing this thread now.

I see there was a recommendation for you for the excellent Hotel de L'Orient in Pondicherry, and wanted to warn that the hotel will be undergoing a renovation, and will be closed in early 2016. We had a reservation there for this upcoming January as part of our next India trip, but have received an email form the hotel canceling our reservation due to the renovation. I am sorry, as I really like that hotel.

dgunbug

Thanks for feedback. Wondered why it was so difficult to book a room there...we ended up booking at the Promenade hotel on the ocean walk as L'Orient showed up as fully booked.
Thursday - we have two days in Pondicherry - do you remember where you went as day trips and if they were worthwhile?

thursdaysd

See second part of this:
https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...tally-temples/

Also, I didn't go this trip, but I did in 2001, Mamallapuram.

Didn't go, but you could consider the ashram - don't remember the name but it's in all the guidebooks.

rje

We really enjoyed just strolling the quiet streets (near but not on the ocean) enjoying the colonial architecture. It is quite different than the rest of India, and provides an enjoyable and relaxing counterpoint.

One place our driver took us that is not in any of the guidebooks I've ever seen is the amazing Pratyangira Devi Temple, located down a dirt road outside of Pondicherry.

I can't give you any more directions than that, as we were driven there, but it is really quite a sight, with a statue of Pratyangira Devi towering 72 feet over the temple, and if it is like it was in 2009, you will be the only non-westerners there. We plan to go back during a 6 week trip through Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan this coming January & February.

It is hard to get much information about it online, but here is a photo I found that will give you an idea of the style, even though it only shows a small part of the exterior:
http://www.indiadivine.org/wp-conten...yangira-01.jpg
Keep in mind that that section shown is actually huge!

dgunbug

Thursday and Rje - good info. I've take notes. We are planning to go to Mamallapuram on our last day on the way from Pondicherry to the chennai airport. Since our plane departs after midnight, it will be a long day.

MmePerdu

A trip to Auroville, the remakable planned community, I think the place referred to as an ashram above, could be a great experience if you could arrange to be shown around. Far more than what I think of as an ashram, it's been designed over the years by architects from all over the world including fabulous homes, community buildings, schools, eating venues, cottage industries, all owned in common. I stayed with a community member over Christmas one year and was quite amazed, people from all over the world living this great experiment. I don't there's another place quite like it. But it's large and a guide would be necessary, I think, to find one's way around and understand the place.

Have a look online to see if it interests you and if it does a friend in Pondy will likely know someone to take you.

theloststory

We stayed at the Hotel De Pondicherry. It was clean, nice, and right next to the beach road. If visiting Pondicherry, do also visit Tranquebar, a 17th Century trading port town.

rje

Hotel de L'Orient just informed me that their renovation has been completed, and they are accepting bookings again, so we've reinstated our reservation.

If you haven't already decided on where you're staying, it is really nice. But do take care to check on which room you request, as they are all different.

inquest

I've just heard some rave reviews , from friends, for a CGH Earth property in Pondicherry. Its Palais de Mahe.

http://www.cghearth.com/palaisdemahe

Though I've been to pondy on a number of occassions , I've stayed here.

Pondy didn't appeal to me, I'd prefer Mahabalipuram.

inquest

The other being Maison- Perumal.

inquest

Sorry typo, I've not stayed in either property.

dgunbug

Thanks for the info. We are on a road trip, but will check into this more in a few days. From my first glance at reviews though, I'm inclined to keep our current reservation at the Promenade.

RekhaBisht

You have some other good options also in Pondicherry like:


Heritage Villa Helena
Maison Perumal
The Promenade
Hotel De L'orient
Palais de Mahe
Du Parc Hotel
Sterling Swamimalai
Anandha Inn


You can try some of these, Personally I have stayed in Maison Perumal and it was a good experience of stay there.