The Chettinad Heritage — Hotel in Tamil Nadu

THE CHETTINAD HERITAGE

A good place to hideout from the bustles of the city. One can embrace the village lifestyle, flavor and heritage of #chettinad.

Located off the NH 536, the hotel "Chettinad Heritage" is situated in the village of Nemathanpatti, near Karaikudi. A short walk from the highway through the well maintained village road takes you to the hotel. Its remote location gives one the luxury of calm and peaceful stay throughout the period. In the morning, we wake up listening to the chirping birds and music from the nearby temples. The villagers seems to be living happily and are tourist friendly.

The village of Nemathanpatti is well connected to the towns of Karaikudi and Pudukottai by road. Trichy is the nearest airport and Karaikudi is the nearest railway station. The single lane national highway and railway line separates the village from the well known destination of #kanadukathan #chettinad.  One can take a cycle to explore the nearby villages.

Rooms

The mansion is spacious and kids will enjoy running around the pillars and twin courtyards. Apart from the regular lobby, there is a space to rest and enjoy the chit chats. There is a small display of collections from heritage homes kept in the mid hall.

The hotel has limited number of rooms (14) spread in two floors and are kept tidy. 👌 The door locks are of the ancient type and rooms are artistically painted 🎨.  The windows are fitted with mosquito nets and brings in good ventilation.  A table and wardrobe was available along with a dedicated space for dressing.

Toilets are clean 👌 and basic toiletries were provided. Water is hard and sometimes smells bad. Thanks to the exhaust fan which minimizes the effect.

As we visited during December,  there was no need of air conditioning. A variety of bird species can be found in the locality and serves as your morning alarm.

Restaurant

Food! Food! Food! The restaurant provides mouth watering dishes for its residents as well as outside guests (pre orders required) at reasonable rates. One should not miss any of their dishes as the taste is exceptional 😋 and will be a brilliant treat for your tummy. They have a limited menu which stands out in taste. The real #chettinad cuisine.

Breakfast is complementary. Chutneys make the meal satisfying along with idly, dosa and paniyarams. Lunch and dinner should be notified early as they cook for limited numbers.

The chettinad chicken stands out with its special flavor 😋 and goes well with idlis. The seva (idiyappam) was great 👍 and so the paniyarams 😋😋 The perfectly blended salt is the specialty for all the dishes.

Service

The room service is available at a phone call. Tea/Coffee with snacks were available at the doorstep. Friendly staffs make your stay a pleasant one. They were helpful in planning our daytime sightseeing.

Parking

As the structure is erected in the old chettinad style, covered parking is not available. The streets were empty and parking was arranged near a temple towards the end of the street.

Things to do

Some of the nearby tourist attractions include:

Tirumayam fort Kanadukathan village Athangudi village Kunnakudi temple Pillaiyarpatti temple Chettinad Vintage Car & Camera museum Karaikudi town

Pros: Delicious food. Peaceful location. Friendly staff.

Cons: Unavailability of lift. Not wheel chair friendly. Street parking.

All the above observations are based on my personal experience and does not guarantee a repetition for any...

If one wants to experience the architecture, cuisine and larger than life images of Chettiar communities, Chettinad/Karaikudi is the place. 90 minutes from Tiruchy and 120 minutes from Madurai and beautiful roads travel is such a breeze. Stay at this property will provide a glimpse to the rich heritage of this soft spoken hospitable yet business families and magnates. Food tasty, filling and healthy. The property is 18 kms away from the main town and not easily commutable unless you have your own transport.

Besides other places, if luck smiles, you can visit inside of the Palace. Beautiful carvings, pure teak wood, belgium glasses, they loved and lived King sized lives. Any major events, including puberty and marriages were held indoors that can house hundreds of guests. Massive kitchens, huge verandhas with natural light, crockeries, dining tables.... Huge keys with a double lock system fitted to a sturdy/burly teak structure 100% security. Inside the cosy confines one does not feel warm while the outside temperature hovers around 36 degrees. Marriage garlands and attires worn 100 years ago is still preserved, except for the flowers, others remain intact. Houses constructed 10 feet above the ground stretches from one street to the other. If the main entrance opens one side of the street the entry for vendors/maids opens from the other street side. What a view, entrance to entrance!...

I stayed here two nights and I am very pleased! This beautifully renovated mansion is clean and well-maintained. The towels are fluffy and the beds are nice. I had a great room with an attached shared balcony. The staff members aim to please—especially for dining—the food is excellent, and they went out of the way to give me authentic Chettinadu food. They arranged a rental bicycle and I did a couple excellent rides into the surrounding area. Guests should know that because of the nature of the building it echos, as if no one is home, and the outdoor dogs can get loud at night and in the morning, not to mention the early morning music in the neighborhood. The bathroom is a “wet” style with no separate shower. Also the beds do not have mattress pads (between the mattress and bedsheet) or top sheets but rather a thick cover instead. Something I always notice when staying in nicer hotels. I wouldn’t hesitate to stay here again, however. Excellent location in a village with some great old Chettiar homes. Thanks to the entire staff for making my...