Just back from a four-day trip to Tranquebar. We stayed at Bungalow on the Beach (BoB) for 3 nights and at the Gate house on the 4th night (as BoB was booked).
The Bungalow is spectacular and understated at the same time. The generous balcony is enough of a vacation in itself. I spent hours with a good book on the sea-facing balcony and got the quiet vacation I went for. I loved the high ceilings, simple antiques, and the soothing colors of the upstairs rooms. The beach view room was small, but since the balcony is huge, you don't feel cooped up. The Princess Louise, which is a garden-view room is huge and was great for the entire family to hang out together in the evenings. The waiters and housekeeping staff are really nice, although the office staff seem to need more training in managing the place better and communicating with guests clearly. This place can be amazing, but there are a lot of glitches...
While I like the "non-hotel" bit in the Neemrana tagline, I do not think it is an excuse for poor maintenance. The property needs a good overhaul - there are leaks; the blinds don't go up on some of the doors/windows; there is water damage on the walls, and both BoB and the Gate House need a good coat of paint (seriously!), as the paint is dingy. The garden is threadbare in parts, and could do with some replanting and sprucing up. The Prince Christian room in which we stayed leaked during heavy rain - I woke to the pitter patter of raindrops right inside the room. The hot water, which comes from a small geyser, is not enough for a shower, and when the kids tried to run a bath, it turned cold before it filled a fourth of the bath tub.
The wifi does not work anywhere but the lobby which is silly in this age! Several guests were were clustered around the lobby - standing or sitting on the steps, as there are no chairs to sit and work. I don't think this has anything to do with being a "non-hotel" - some simple changes could result in a signal that reaches rooms or even just the upstairs sitting area.
The TV didn't work either - but that made me really happy as I escaped the children's cartoons for a few days ;)
The food! After trying some of their "Continental" dishes, we settled for dal, rice, roti and vegetables, which they made well. The kitchen staff and waiters were very sweet and also made some homestyle chicken curry for the kids. The desserts were average. This is definitely not a destination for gourmets - as this is the only restaurant within walking distance, and it is not as good as what we are used to in the metros.
The hotel is well located for temple trips and the Danish fort and churches are worth a look. The beach is black with silt and debris. There is a stretch where the children could splash aroundin, but Tranquebar is not a beach resort by any stretch of the imagination.
Like many towns in South India, there is a fair bit of trash and mess around. King's Street is kept clean, but other streets are not.
I did love the BoB despite all its quirks! So let me end on a happy note - we spent New Year's eve at the hotel and loved the gala dinner, the poolside set up, and the music (a mix of oldies and rock and pop). The staff threw themselves into making this a festive night. For us city-breds a mellow night lit by a multitude of stars and a half-moon, with great food and a lovely setting was a welcome change! Brunch was generous and served late the next morning, which was thoughtful!
There is construction going on to create a tree-lined central plaza and a beautiful museum. Will make the town more attractive in a year or two.
- Hotel On The Beach
