Originally Posted by ramki067

Any other hotels/lodges do you recommend

Hotel Surguru; Hotel Mass is also okay, little bit far away from the beach/city centre. You can even try at Sri Aurobindo Ashram guest house; but they have some restrictions. http://www.sriaurobindoashram.org/visitors/index.php

[creative420]

Originally Posted by ramki067

Thanks very much Ravi. That was quite an information.
Everything you have mentioned will be of much help to me.
Regarding the hotel, is there any lodge/hotel which is good and within my budget of Rs.1500(incl tax)?
Also, please inform me about the different attractions at Pondicherry and good food options to have lunch and dinner. would like to have lunch and dinner in outside hotel than the hotel/lodge as i feel will be expensive.
I've two days to stay. Will reach at 1 pm on 25th Jan at Pondi and return on 27th at around 11-12 pm.

Any idea about Hotel Mass

Thanks,
Ramki

Being a foodie, I'll only give you food options.

I like all restaurant/cafes in no particular order:

Breakfast:

http://www.tripadvisor.in/Restaurant...amil_Nadu.html

http://www.tripadvisor.in/Restaurant...ndicherry.html

Lunch/Dinner:

http://www.tripadvisor.in/Restaurant...ndicherry.html

http://www.tripadvisor.in/Restaurant...ndicherry.html

http://www.tripadvisor.in/Restaurant...ndicherry.html

http://www.tripadvisor.in/Restaurant...ndicherry.html

http://www.tripadvisor.in/Restaurant...ndicherry.html

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...amil_Nadu.html

I would suggest you stay away from having food at Hotel L'oreint (my experience)

I recommend you have a wood-fired pizza at Tanto. It's the best that I've had in Southern part of India. Also, there's a place next to it where they serve awesome sweet/savoury crepes.

Auroville bakery is good too, but go early as by evening they're out of stock.

You can go to Alliance Francaise for breakfast, but you may have to wait a lot. I couldn't have breakfast here, but another foodie friend recommended it.

Have a great trip.

[raveesh_k]

Originally Posted by creative420

http://www.tripadvisor.in/Restaurant...ndicherry.html

Must I tell you that this place should probably be last option to dine in. In my last trip to pondi (you can find my Travelogue on page 43 in this same thread) we stayed in du parc. I have written a review also on trip advisor for this place. One word - avoid. Yes to stay it's nice and comfortable but food was very unimpressive. Service in their restaurant is also very laid back. They don't even know how to make pot tea. For a boutique hotel they ought to know this. But being surrounded by so many eat outs we never struggled for food. But yes the complementary breakfast was a bummer which we could not avoid.

[ramki067]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

Hotel Surguru; Hotel Mass is also okay, little bit far away from the beach/city centre. You can even try at Sri Aurobindo Ashram guest house; but they have some restrictions. http://www.sriaurobindoashram.org/visitors/index.php

Thanks Ravi very much. I've booked the room at Surguru hotel.

Originally Posted by creative420

Being a foodie, I'll only give you food options.

I like all restaurant/cafes in no particular order:

Breakfast:

http://www.tripadvisor.in/Restaurant...amil_Nadu.html

http://www.tripadvisor.in/Restaurant...ndicherry.html

Lunch/Dinner:

http://www.tripadvisor.in/Restaurant...ndicherry.html

http://www.tripadvisor.in/Restaurant...ndicherry.html

http://www.tripadvisor.in/Restaurant...ndicherry.html

http://www.tripadvisor.in/Restaurant...ndicherry.html

http://www.tripadvisor.in/Restaurant...ndicherry.html

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...amil_Nadu.html

I would suggest you stay away from having food at Hotel L'oreint (my experience)

I recommend you have a wood-fired pizza at Tanto. It's the best that I've had in Southern part of India. Also, there's a place next to it where they serve awesome sweet/savoury crepes.

Auroville bakery is good too, but go early as by evening they're out of stock.

You can go to Alliance Francaise for breakfast, but you may have to wait a lot. I couldn't have breakfast here, but another foodie friend recommended it.

Have a great trip.

Thanks very much creative420. I've noted down the restaurants. This is of much help to me

Thanks again guys,
Ramki

[creative420]

Originally Posted by raveesh_k

Must I tell you that this place should probably be last option to dine in. In my last trip to pondi (you can find my Travelogue on page 43 in this same thread) we stayed in du parc. I have written a review also on trip advisor for this place. One word - avoid. Yes to stay it's nice and comfortable but food was very unimpressive. Service in their restaurant is also very laid back. They don't even know how to make pot tea. For a boutique hotel they ought to know this. But being surrounded by so many eat outs we never struggled for food. But yes the complementary breakfast was a bummer which we could not avoid.

Really? That would explain the number of empty tables on the weekend. The thing is, when I went there there was a guest chef from some international cruise-ship. Had the best fish, on that trip, which was on a special menu. So maybe not a good restaurant, Ramki.

[ramki067]

Originally Posted by creative420

Really? That would explain the number of empty tables on the weekend. The thing is, when I went there there was a guest chef from some international cruise-ship. Had the best fish, on that trip, which was on a special menu. So maybe not a good restaurant, Ramki.

hmm. Thanks i'm avoiding it.

Ramki

[NPV]

Originally Posted by ramki067

Thanks Ravi very much. I've booked the room at Surguru hotel.

Surguru is a good hotel, close (15 min walk or so) to the Ashram and beach as well. They also have a popular veg restaurant.
How much is the tariff ? (I thought the tariff was upwards of Rs.1500).

[vdiatech]

Originally Posted by NPV

Surguru is a good hotel, close (15 min walk or so) to the Ashram and beach as well. They also have a popular veg restaurant.
How much is the tariff ? (I thought the tariff was upwards of Rs.1500).

Hi we always stay in Surguru. For double occupancy it is 2000 upwards and is worth it with 24 hours check out
you can walk up to beach, temple, ashram, JN road and MG road for shopping etc.

The food there is very popular, esp the south indian thali.

[tachobells]

Guys, is it true that Paradise beach can only be accessed through boat?

Can we walk to the beach from Le Pondy resort?
http://goo.gl/maps/RUAVR

We're not staying in Le Pondy, but looking at google maps, it should be possible to park car near Le Pondy and take a walk.

[prashant_dv]

Originally Posted by tachobells

Guys, is it true that Paradise beach can only be accessed through boat?

Can we walk to the beach from Le Pondy resort?
http://goo.gl/maps/RUAVR

We're not staying in Le Pondy, but looking at google maps, it should be possible to park car near Le Pondy and take a walk.

Hi Tachobells,

Yes, Paradise beach can be accessed only by boat. Not sure if they would let you in through Le Pondy to reach the Beach.

You need to reach a place called chunnambar backwaters and take a ticket for INR 100/- per person and a boat would ferry you which takes approx 5-10 mins depending on type of boat.

Only a single shack providing some food is avaialable over there and outside food is not allowed.

Been there recently like around 15 days ago.

Regards,
Prashant

[floyd.bell]

I am planning a trip to Pondy in thrid week of Feb. I am planning to take the Krishnagiri-Arcot route. Now, I am broadly aware of the towns enroute i.e. Arcot-Cheyyar-Vandavasi-Tindivanam. However, I am not sure if each of these towns can be bypassed.
Can somebody please help with this info. Can each of these towns be bypassed and how easy or difficult it is to miss or spot the bypass diversion for each of these towns. I am aware of the College Road bypass for Tindivanam. Looking for remaining three towns.
Also, any good restaurants on the Arcot-Pondy route where we can halt for lunch? On return, we are planning to stop at Ambur for lunch. Any good restaurants on the highway itself where we can relish the world famous biryani

[ampere]

Originally Posted by floyd.bell

I am planning a trip to Pondy in thrid week of Feb. I am planning to take the Krishnagiri-Arcot route. Now,
I am broadly aware of the towns enroute i.e. Arcot-Cheyyar-Vandavasi-Tindivanam. However, I am not sure if each of these towns can be bypassed.
Can somebody please help with this info. Can each of these towns be bypassed and how easy or difficult it is to miss or spot the bypass diversion for
each of these towns. I am aware of the College Road bypass for Tindivanam. Looking for remaining three towns.

Tindivanam has a good bypass. Vandavasi has one, but you nee to be careful to spot it. Cheyyar has a clean bypass.
See the links below:

Cheyyar By-pass
Vandavasi Bypass
Tindivanam By-pass

Also, any good restaurants on the Arcot-Pondy route where we can halt for lunch? On return, we are planning to stop at Ambur for lunch.
Any good restaurants on the highway itself where we can relish the world famous biryani

At Tindivanam you have Aryas/Vasantha Bhavan.

Vasantha Bhavan Location

[NPV]

Originally Posted by floyd.bell

I am planning a trip to Pondy in thrid week of Feb. I am planning to take the Krishnagiri-Arcot route. Now, I am broadly aware of the towns enroute i.e. Arcot-Cheyyar-Vandavasi-Tindivanam.

In addition to the excellent details @Ampere has provided with the map links, there are several posts in earlier pages with very detailed directions for this route, here's one of them

Originally Posted by ampere

Vandavasi Bypass

That section passes through Keezh Satthamangalam, a village, the road condition of which is unknown. There is no proper Vandavasi bypass available for SH 5. One has to decide the option of driving through the busy Vandavasi market, a small stretch, on SH 5 or the unknown village road.

[tachobells]

I did Bangalore-Pondy last weekend.

Route taken was

Bangalore-Krishnagiri-Vellore-Arcot-Cheyyar-Vandavasi-Tindivanam-Pondy

1. Started from Blr at 6.30 am.
2. Breakfast at A2B Shoolagiri.
3. 4 and 6 lane roads until Arcot.
4. Took U turn after Arcot river bridge and then a left towards Cheyyar. Good 2 lane road with some rough patches (2-3 kms)
5. Took Cheyyar bypass to Vandavasi.
6. Cheyyar-Vandavasi - Good 2 lane with some bad sections (3-4 kms)
7. Took Vandavasi bypass. Vandavasi bypass will join another main road. You need to take a left at the intersection, follow the road until you see an over bridge, then before the bridge take a right to Tindivanam.
8. Vandavasi-Tindivanam - Good 2 lane with some bad sections (another 3-4 kms). Road repair in progress.
9. Took college road bypass. The signboards will show " <- Chennai "
10. Took right at the intersection of Chennai-Trichy NH.
11. Lunch at Vasanth Bhavan (about 2-3 kms from the intersection, on the right side).
12. After lunch, continued on the Trichy highway until the Pondi highway (4 lane) intersection. (Signboards are present).
13. Brilliant 4 lane roads without any traffic until Pondi border.

Thanks to Ampere and other BHP-ians for all directions and tips.