La Maison Pondichéry

Overpriced, noisy hotel with incompetent management and staff. I recently endured a four-night stay at this hotel to celebrate a birthday, and it was an absolute nightmare from start to finish. The incessant honking from the street persisted day and night, making any hope of rest impossible. To make matters worse, a nearby chicken vendor blasted loud music until midnight, adding to the relentless noise pollution. The hotel’s management was equally appalling. Manager Dinesh proved to be utterly incompetent, unable to address even the simplest of concerns. Communication with the kitchen staff was a significant challenge, as they spoke neither English nor Hindi, leading to numerous misunderstandings and frustrations. We ended up taking breakfast way from the hotel. Basic amenities were sorely lacking. There were mornings without any water supply, making showers an impossibility. When we asked for clean towels, we were told to wait two days, which is utterly unacceptable. The list of negatives is exhaustive, far beyond what can be detailed here. Suffice it to say, this establishment fails on every conceivable level. Do yourself a favor and avoid this hotel at all costs!

Positive points: very friendly staff, most welcoming and helpful. The location is perfect as well: within a short walking distance to the beachfront and shops all around the area, including the excellent, albeit pricey, French Bakery. Lots of restaurant choices on the way to the seafront as well. Our room's air conditioning worked very well and the property is clean and well maintained. Breakfast was plentiful and varied and the breakfast lady was very friendly and explained what to eat with the Iddli and what to eat with the Appam. Negative points: Our room overlooked the street, which was entertaining watching all the comings and goings and people going about their business, but - inevitably - loud. The horns die down at night so the proximity to the street did not affect our sleep. A room on the back-side of the hotel might have been a better choice. On day 3, though, I had to wait 25 minutes for my omelette, though there were only two other parties in the breakfast room. Toast & egg preparation needs improvement: it would be better to serve them quickly and to serve them together hot.

Very nice and clean hotel, wonderful house and breakfast. Maybe there could be more variety of fruit in the morning. Only after reservation I had gotten many mails where I was asked to pay beforehand, which was very disturbing because my reservation on booking was confirmed. Service and personnel very gentle and generous, i would defknitly recommend it