India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) - Keith Bain [286]
As a day visitor you will need to stop at the Tourist Information Centre ( 0413/262-2239;www.auroville.org), where you can pick up brochures, shop, snack, and watch a video presentation—a prerequisite before moving on to visit the Matrimandir (Mon–Sat 9:30am–12:30pm and 2–4pm; Sun 9:30am–12:30pm) and surrounding gardens. It is a 10-minute walk to the Matrimandir; a shuttle vehicle is available (ask where to wait when you get your ticket). Note that the cafeteria kitchen prepares delicious, wholesome, extraordinarily cheap vegetarian fare—time your visit for lunch. Given that the Auroville community is predominantly (and predictably) craftsmen and artists, the retail area adjacent to the cafeteria are also worth a look-in (Kalki particularly, though there is more for sale in their Pondicherry outlet on Mission St.). If you’re interested in overnighting in Auroville, visit Guest Service, located upstairs at the Solar Kitchen building, or visit www.aurovilleguesthouses.org (see recommendations below).
WHERE TO STAY
In Pondicherry
Pondicherry is made for pedestrians, and there seems little point in basing yourself in a hotel in modern Pondi, no matter how popular (thinking of Hotel Atithi here), if it necessitates then having to drive into the French heart of Pondi. As such you’ll probably want to base yourself in the more peaceful and very charming French Quarter, from where you can walk anywhere; as such all the recommended options are in the French Quarter, with the exception of the charming Maison Perumal (reviewed below), which is located in a beautifully restored Tamil home just below Mission Street (the main shopping drag). Despite having no sea views, this is currently our top pick in Pondi itself (Dune being the best out-of-Pondi choice), primarily because of the exceptional service levels: Part of the highly respected CHGroup, who specialize in unpretentious elegance, Maison Perumal is the latest in a line of boutique properties the group is opening in Tamil Nadu, a move that is helping to put Tamil Nadu as firmly on the map as their properties did for Kerala.
Other than those reviewed below, it’s also worth looking into the relatively new Richmond Hotel , which opened in late 2008 in the French Quarter at 12 Labourdannais St., 4 blocks back from the seafront ( 0413-2346363;www.theresidency.com; Rs 3,500–Rs 4,000 double). A narrow colonial-era building, the Richmond is a small property, with just 14 compact rooms boasting all modern conveniences; we certainly wouldn’t mind ending up here if our recommendations reviewed below were full. However, some rooms are a little on the dark side; request a room that overlooks the street or the back of the building, that is, a room with plenty of windows to let in natural light, such as 1210, 1212 or 1202. The hotel has no outside gardens, and the bland mod interiors don’t reflect any sense of place. If this is important you may want to take a look at nearby Hotel de Pondichéry on 38 Rue Dumas ( 0413-2227409;www.hoteldepondichery.org; Rs 2,000–Rs 3,200 double). This heritage hotel, a block back from the seaside, in a gorgeous colonial villa with gardens that run into the Le Club group of restaurants (comprising Bistro, Indochine, and Le Club), was undergoing a much-needed renovation at research time—given that this was once one of our favorites before it became increasingly dog-eared, damp and run-down, we are much heartened that steps have been taken to remedy the situation. However, as it was very much in progress, we cannot vouch for the end product