Pondicherry Hotels : Les Hibiscus
We set out for Puducherry without looking up any hotels in advance. We just knew 
that we wanted to stay in its downtown area (French Quarters) so that we could walk around and enjoy the town at our own pace. We checked a couple of sea-facing properties but one had no availability while the other seemed over-priced. Les Hibiscus was the first hotel that caught our eye when the driver turned into Rue Sufren at its southern end. Even though, Mr. Bascarane (the owner) wasn’t around at the time, Madhu was able to speak to him over the phone and book our stay immediately.
To say that this 2-storied home is one of the most well- 
appointed places I’ve been to, would be an under-statement! It is Mr. Bascarane’s wife’s ancestral property, which has now been converted into a heritage hotel with just about 4 rooms (2 on each floor) given out on rent. Mr. Bascarane has done most of the renovation of the house while his wife has done an amazing job of decorating it. Right from the wall-paint to the towels in our room, everything has been carefully handpicked, color-coordinated and placed perfectly – we were completely overawed!
Our double-room, which was on the upper floor, was large by any standard but what made it seem much more spacious was its soaring ceiling; it had lovely, wooden cross-beams. The room had everything we needed for a luxurious stay – the most comfortable bed and comforters, LCD TV, writing desk and chair, a chaise to lounge in and a large armoire for storage. 
Every single piece of furniture was wooden with a dark-brown stain while the furnishings were of a lighter color-palette and of the highest quality. The bathroom was spacious as well with nice faucets and fixtures.
Breakfast was a delicious and generous spread of fruits, fruit juices, coffee/tea, toast with butter/jam, baked stuff like croissants and muffins, and eggs made to order. It was served in the hall in front of our room, which is a delightful place to lounge in with a book in hand.
The family doesn’t live here anymore but Mr. Bascarane comes over every day to meet the guests and ensure that everything is going well. His staff seems handpicked as well, as they were all as warm as him and very efficient in their work. He, himself, is a friendly person with a warm smile and a happy-to-be-of-help attitude. He gave us shopping advice when we asked, helped arrange a two-wheeler for our Auroville visit and a car for the drop to our next destination.
Overall, our stay in Les Hibiscus was simply fabulous; it made our Puducherry visit very special!
Rating: 10 out of 10
No comments yet.