Chettinad, Tamil Nadu · luxury

Visalam, a CGH Earth hotel, Chettinad

★★★★☆

Visalam is a 1930s Chettiar mansion in Kanadukathan village, built by the MSMM family for a daughter, Visalakshi, and named after her. It is a long Art Deco house around a pillared courtyard, with fifteen large rooms, terrazzo floors and period furniture. CGH Earth runs it lightly: a pool in the garden, bicycles for the village lanes, and cooking sessions in the open kitchen. Meals are Chettinad home food, served on the veranda. The staff walk guests through the neighbouring mansions and the Athangudi tile workshops. A night here is the best way to understand Chettinad.