Chettinad, South India, India

Some of the more dilapidated mansions of the Chettinad region in Tamil Nadu were crying out to be turned into heritage hotels, and CGH Earth has done a splendid job on this place.

Distinguished by its showy Art Deco façade, Visalam dates from the 1930s, when it was used for family weddings. The interiors preserve the feel of the period, with high-gloss wood furniture and walls painted in traditional limewash.

You also sample Chettinad’s distinctive regional cuisine in the cosy restaurant, which makes great use of raw mango and pepper to create flavour-packed local specialities. A relaxing pool (and discrete air-conditioning!) are among the modern comforts added to make this a perfect base for explorations of one of the South’s most fascinating districts.

Our opinion

Stylish and modern, Visalam’s characterful rooms are a good base to explore this charming area of merchants homes and traditional crafts like tile-making.