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Pondicherry is known for its french culture, cuisines, and heritage hotels. Do you wish to stay in a place where times have gone by? The heritage hotels in Pondicherry are the best place for you, these Heritage hotels will impress you with their architectural marvels. I have listed the top ten best heritage hotels in Pondicherry that you should experience during your stay at Pondicherry.
Hotel Maison Perumal – Price
Maison Perumal is a heritage property located in the Tamil quarters of the boulevard. It is a 130-year-old Chettiar mansion acquired by the CGH Earth group of hotels and resorts.
Franco Tamil Architecture of this building was restored meticulously by INTACH for more than one year and converted into a boutique hotel. Since it is in the white town, you can easily reach the rock beach and famous cafes like Coromandel café or café de arts. They provide activities like rickshaw rides, E-bike tours, Heritage walks, etc. Hotel Maison Perumal Price starts from Rs.8399* Plus taxes. *Prices vary with the season.
Palais De Mahe Hotel
Palais De Mahe is one of the heritage hotels in Pondicherry, coming under the CGH Earth group of hotels and resorts located a few meters from the promenade beach. This heritage property has typical French-styled yellow ochre wall flourishes, airy high ceilings, arched doorways, and six-foot-tall windows that take you back to the French colonial period.
Since it is located in the white town and very close to the rock beach, you can easily reach famous cafes like Coromandel café or café de arts. Like Maison Perumal, they provide experiences like rickshaw rides, E-bike tours, Heritage walks, etc.
Hotel De Lorient
Hotel De L’orient was built in 1760 when Pondicherry was rebuilt. The inscription at the hotel read like H.Ruder 1809, which was discovered there, and it shows that a French family occupied this mansion. Sinnas family bought this mansion in 1952, and the French department of education occupied it. In 1988, Francis wacziarg, officially acquired and restored the building to keep the old architecture intact. They have retained old Chettinad plaster and epoxy paint wherever possible.
This building won the Unesco Asia-Pacific Heritage Award for Culture Heritage Conservation in 2000. Dune wellness group of hotels acquired this hotel recently, and it has 14 grand rooms and was named after old French settlements in India like Gingy, Balasore, etc. The hotel has the restaurant “Chez Francis”, which offers authentic French cuisine and Indian heritage Cuisine. They provide a special private dinner on your request on the hotel’s rooftop.
Villa Helena heritage guest house & restaurant
The Villa Helena Heritage guest house, located in a white town, is the best hotel to discover the fascinating past of old French buildings. Villa Helena has a lovely garden with a restaurant, large rooms, a bar, a shop, and a gallery. It is located at a prime spot, and the beach is just a walk away from the hotel.
Gratitude Heritage Hotel – Price
The Gratitude Heritage hotel is a category II heritage building located in Roman Rolland street in White town, Pondicherry. Gratitude heritage is a 200 old property; owners love to call it a homestay or retreat instead of a hotel. You can read about the history of the hotel here. This house is restored with the help of INTACH Pondicherry, using every traditional method possible to retain the heritage look and feel.
They have nine rooms in Gratitude Heritage, and each room is different in size, furniture, etc. They do provide experiences for additional charges like Cooking Classes, full body massage, etc. Kariappa house has a swimming pool which is their sister property, where you can reserve the swimming pool for yourself for an hour. Gratitude Heritage is located in a prime location to reach the beaches and famous cafes by walking. Gratitude Heritage Hotel Price starts from Rs.6999* Plus taxes. *Prices varies with season.
Grand Hotel D’Europe
Grand Hotel D’Europe is an 18th Century hotel located in the white town, Pondicherry. It had hosted big names like Mother Teresa, former Cm of Tamilnadu Mr. M.G. Ramachandiran in their property. The hotel was restored recently to keep the French architecture in mind with Chettinad touch. They have a lovely restaurant, which serves continental and Indian cuisines, a swimming pool and a small bar. Grand Hotel D’Europe is located in Rue Suffren street, a walk away from the rock beach and other famous cafes.
Hotel De Petit Pondicherry (Petit Palais)
Hotel De Petit is a unit of Dravidian hotels group located in a white town, Pondicherry. It is a heritage property that dates back to 1900. Like most of the properties, this is also renovated recently. Highlights of this property are the rooftop pool and the restaurant, in addition to their luxurious rooms.
Anantha Heritage
Anantha Heritage hotel in Pondicherry is an 18th Century hotel located in Perumal Koil Street, the Tamil quarter of the boulevard. It is located next to the Perumal temple, and you can have a beautiful view of the temple pond from the hotel itself. Anantha Heritage hotel is a unit of the Dravidian Hotels group, and the hotel is a classic franco-Tamil architecture. They have standard and deluxe rooms with a restaurant, which serves delicious south Indian cuisines.
Hotel Le Dupleix and Restaurant
Le Dupleix is one of the best heritage hotels in Pondicherry. It took them four years to restore the old French architecture, and INTACH helped them regain its former glory. Joseph Francois Dupleix was the last Governor of Pondicherry, and the woodworks of this hotel are from his old house, which was located in Nehru Street (formerly known as Rue Dupleix). Le Dupleix was the home of the mayor of Pondicherry during the French period. They have a courtyard restaurant and Governor’s lounge bar on their property.
19 villa Mira
19 Villa Mira is a luxurious heritage hotel in Pondicherry located in White Town. This property has suite rooms, deluxe rooms, and Deluxe rooms with a balcony view. The highlight of the property is their antique furniture. It is located very close to the promenade beach and other tourists places.
Heritage Hotels in Pondicherry (Tamil quarter)
Anantha Heritage
Anantha Heritage hotel in Pondicherry is an 18th Century hotel located in Perumal Koil Street, the Tamil quarter of the boulevard. It is located next to the Perumal temple, and you can have a beautiful view of the temple pond from the hotel itself. Anantha Heritage hotel is a unit of the Dravidian Hotels group, and the hotel is a classic franco-Tamil architecture. They have standard and deluxe rooms with a restaurant, which serves delicious south Indian cuisines.
