If you're a regular reader of my blog, you know that I'm a sucker for heritage hotels or those which have a historical ambiance! The number of times I've been to Puducherry or Pondicherry is oh so many! For anyone who has lived in Chennai for sometime, would know what is Pondy to Chennai-ites!! This time I got to stay at Red Lotus Hotel - a heritage building built about 80 years ago! Recently, this was converted into a hotel and 2 yrs back it was taken over by Treebo - one of India's budget hotel chain.
It was originally built to be a dormitory and was used as one for long! It was originally built in a Vietnamese style with bright red doors & windows! A few years ago it was taken over by the French couple Chris & Daniella who made this hotel what it is now! The dorm was segregated into rooms with en-suite bathrooms & toilets to give it a more hotel feel! The 2 floored dorm became a hotel with 10 rooms ( 5 in each 1st & 2nd floor). The exterior's Vietnamese style is left untouched but the interiors is a different feel altogether!
Each of the rooms have been decorated with a very different aesthetic! My favourite was the Royal Enfield room! The bedside lamp is the RE's sidepanel re-imagined! The decor includes its rear light, number plate, tool kit, speedometer etc as well as various photographs of the bike.
Another room has a beach feel with decor made of shells and yet another has a retro bollywood feel with posters of old movies and old pictures of actors and actresses. Specific rooms could be requested while booking and if its available, it would be allotted for you. That said, all the rooms belong to the same category and the facilities & service is the same for all rooms.
Another room has a spiritual vibe to it with reds and yellows while another room is pristine white with silver decor in it! Another room has a green decor inspired by bamboo and yet another has red decor inspired by maple tree in autumn! Since its a heritage property, there is no elevator here, so for senior citizens and differently-abled, it could be a trouble.
All the rooms have multiple power slots which is awesome coz today we need so many for the multiple gadgets we carry all the time! Rooms are airconditioned, and there is a TV and wifi with a good speed. The bathrooms are equipped with geyser and shower. The toiletries supply are shampoo, moisturizer and 2 soaps only! Sadly somehow, on day 2, suddenly the water supply in the bathroom stopped much to my dismay! It resumed after I informed the reception about it!
The location is on the main market - Jawaharlal Nehru Street! This is where are the major shops are and also just at a minute's walk from Red Lotus are both Adyar Ananda Bhavan and Saravana Bhavan, the giants of South Indian Food Restaurants! Also in the vicinity are McD, KFC, Dominos, Wangs and several restaurants that cater to varied cuisines! At a 2 minute distance is the police station as well! However being in such an area with all facilities, comes with its disadvantage as well - there is noise! The street's traffic brings in noise! Also there is no dedicated parking space for the hotel! It was such a blessing that by chance, we arrived at the hotel at midnight and found a nice parking spot on the main street! Bike parking shouldn't be an issue but finding a slot for car is not very easy!
It is a wee-bit difficult to actually find the hotel. The entrance is in the narrow passage off the main street. For the first time ever I experienced a hotel's door closing by night. It closes by 11:30PM for safety purposes and only guests are let in after that.
Though its a heritage property, as it was originally a dorm, effectively its filled with concrete. There's no greenery or ground within the building. Since today the location is the main market area of Pondy, there is no greenery outside as well! There are some plants in the rooftop terrace restaurant, that's it! Breakfast is complimentary and is a choice of basic fast food (toast, omelet, sandwich etc) and south Indian food. Though the rooms have a kettle and supply of diary creamer, coffee, tea and sugar, there is no mini bar! Being in Pondicherry which is where whole of Chennai travels for weekend fun incl booze, a room without fridge is a minus!
With the noise level and no fridge, if you're looking for a resort kinda, peaceful experience, this is not the place for you. But at this price point, its more a budget hotel and being located in a prime location from where all must-visit places, shopping, food and beach are at a walkable distance, its perfect for a tourist!
Check out my earlier post on the Top 10 must-visit places & must-do things in Pondicherry!
Also check out my Outfit post clicked here in this hotel!
To get there:
On Google Maps: Treebo Red Lotus
From Puducherry Railway Station: 2km
From Puducherry Bus Stand: 2.5km
From Aurobindo Ashram: 1km
Room tariff begins at Rs.2400/- for single occupancy
To Book: Treebo Red Lotus
P.S: I was invited by Treebo Hotels to stay and experience Red Lotus, Pondicherry for review purpose, however the opinions are my own and this post does not to advertise the product/service.