Athul LalPuducherry: Three years ago, when I met Jose Dominic, the brand guardian of CGH Earth Experience Hotels, for the first time for an interview in Kochi, he spoke passionately about the significance of ‘being local.’ What he meant was not only about supporting the local community but understanding the essence of the local ethos of a place and emulating it comprehensively.
Fast forward to 2018. It was my first visit to Puducherry to feature the erstwhile French colony on the cover of Destination Reporter. From Puducherry city centre, I took a taxi and was completely surprised when the vehicle stopped in front of a mansion, which looked hardly different from the buildings lining the street, with off white and yellow shades.
At the very first glance, it looked like a decades-old building converted into a heritage hotel. There was no compound wall and the huge wooden front door opened to the road. A relatively small metal board, much like an antique piece, hung on one side with the name Palais de Mahe etched on it.
As soon as I stepped inside, I felt the warmth of French hospitality customised by CGH. The room keys, the door locks, the furniture, the ambience, high ceilings and arched doorways, everything reeked of a French touch. That majestic colonial setting left me spellbound for some time. Suddenly, Dominic’s idea of ‘being local’ streamed through the back of mind.
But more surprises sprung my way. I was proved wrong when Dinu Ramakrishnan, the General Manager, told me that the building was a green field project, constructed with the help of INTACH, a heritage conservation forum based in Puducherry. Clad in casuals, Dinu looked just like another guest to me. “We believe that if Monsieur Dupleix were to visit us he would feel quite at home at Palais de Mahe,” he chuckles.
A homegrown hospitality brand from Kerala, CGH Earth is truly transforming the tourism culture of Puducherry with its two iconic hotels Palais de Mahe and Maison Perumal
“Until a few years ago, Puducherry was never in the itinerary of tourists as a stand alone destination,” Dinu said as we sat down for breakfast at Les Alizes’, the rooftop restaurant featuring colonial architecture and offering a panoramic view of the French Quarter.
“Puducherry was a temporary stopover for lunch and refreshment en route Tanjore from Mahabalipuram. Now, it is gradually becoming an upmarket destination. We are proud in a way that we are the pioneers in this transformative process,” adds Dinu, who has been with CGH Earth for the last 27 years. “I joined the company as Front Office Executive at Spice Village, Thekkady way back in 1991. It’s been nine years at Puducherry now,” he says.
In the next two years, Palais de Mahe would become a 40-room property. “Now we have 18 rooms, a swimming pool, a cocktail bar and earth cafe besides Les Alizes’. From December to March, we have predominantly foreign tourists as guests while the domestic tourists largely stay with us during weekends and holidays throughout the year. Currently, we are on expansion mode. We are adding 22 rooms along with a swimming pool, a multi-cuisine restaurant and a meeting hall to facilitate MICE tourism,” Dinu says.
Dinu is also one among the best guides you can meet at Puducherry. He knows every nook and corner of the town and the adjoining Auroville, too. After a drive around the town, he took me to Maison Perumal at Perumal Koil Street, CGH Earth’s first property at Puducherry, which is located at the Tamil Quarter.
The moment I stepped out of the car, it was completely a different world altogether. A nostalgic feeling of homecoming. Sporting a white Dhoti and a white shirt, Sam John, the General Manager of the property, was waiting at the verandah to receive me. After the customary garlanding and welcome drink, we sat down for lunch at The Courtyard Restaurant.
Truly incredible – be it the architecture, the attire of the caretakers, the aroma or the furniture. Housed in a 130-year-old Chettiar mansion, the hotel encapsulates a time when the prosperous Tamil communities thrived in Puducherry. The rooms here are fitted with the famous ‘Dindigul’ locks and keys, reputed for their antique and intricate designs. Stained glass offsets the familiar local white plaster in a telling example of creating a distinct identity.
The architectural character integrates the vernacular with the colonial in a novel and striking manner. The structure has been meticulously restored to its original glory by INTACH and it took over a year to finish the work. “The highlight is the true portrayal of the ‘less-is-more’ philosophy. This is reflected in Maison Perumal’s minimalistic interiors that are adorned with a spare style, yet pay much attention to detail,” says Sam, who is with CGH Earth since 1993.
The walls of Maison Perumal form a rotated gallery space with a selection of canvases that showcase the paintings of local artists. “As an ‘Art Boutique Heritage Hotel’, we provide a permanent platform for local artists to showcase their work. Like architecture, traditional Tamil cuisine is also something which one cannot afford to miss,” he adds.
In the evening, Sam took me for a rickshaw ride through the by-lanes of the historic town. He was the brain behind the ‘Life of Pondy on Wheels’, a unique ride showcasing shooting locations of the Academy® Award winning ‘Life of Pi’.
“With a treasure trove of stories, the rickshaw-wallahs (pullers) are the best guides one can get,” Sam says, as we traverse through the local Goubert Market – a historical landmark of Puducherry. “For our guests, we arrange a tour to the market with the chef to get some of the day’s fresh seafood, herbs and aromatic spices for their meals. We also organise live cooking demonstrations,” he adds.
A homegrown hospitality brand from Kerala, CGH Earth is truly transforming the tourism culture of Puducherry. And, full marks to Dinu and Sam, the veteran hospitality professionals who are passionate to work and truly embodies the core values of brand CGH.
For reservations, contact, ph: +91 484 3011711 / 712 or log on to: www.cghearth.com
