Must-see hotels in Chennai (Madras)

  • ITC Grand Chola

    Chennai (Madras)

    Chennai's most talked-about hotel is this ultraluxurious, 600-room, temple-inspired beauty in the city's southwest. A maze of sumptuous iPad-operated…

  • Raintree

    Chennai (Madras)

    At this ‘eco-sensitive’ business-style hotel, floors are bamboo or rubber, water and electricity conservation hold pride of place, and AC-generated heat…

  • Ikhaya

    Chennai (Madras)

    A new iteration of a favourite old B&B, Ikhaya brilliantly brings together the best of heritage ambience and contemporary amenities. Rooms have carved…

  • Footprint B&B

    Chennai (Madras)

    A beautifully comfortable, relaxed base on a quiet street in a leafy south Chennai neighbourhood. Three immaculate private rooms with king-size or wide…

  • Taj Coromandel

    Chennai (Madras)

    Luxurious without being overly ostentatious, the glittering Coromandel offers a sensibly central top-end retreat from the city. Rooms flaunt a smart…

  • Hyatt Regency

    Chennai (Madras)

    Smart, swish and bang up to date, this towering, triangular hotel is the most central of Chennai's newer top-end offerings. Contemporary art surrounds the…

  • Hanu Reddy Residences

    Chennai (Madras)

    Perfectly located on a quiet street just a block away from an international mix of restaurants, cafes and upscale shops. The 13 unpretentious rooms come…

  • Park Hyatt

    Chennai (Madras)

    The gleaming, ultramodern Park Hyatt has swanky, straight-lined rooms kitted out with pod-coffee machines, smartphone docks and king-size beds; a divine…

  • Vivanta by Taj – Connemara

    Chennai (Madras)

    The top-end Taj Group has five hotels in and around Chennai, but this is the only one with historical ambience, built in the 1850s as the British governor…

  • Red Lollipop Hostel

    Chennai (Madras)

    A boon for Chennai's budget travellers, Red Lollipop is a genuine, sociable hostel, 700m south of Mylapore's temple. Boldly colourful walls are scrawled…

  • YWCA International Guest House

    Chennai (Madras)

    Chennai's YWCA guesthouse, set in shady grounds just north of Egmore station, offers a meticulously run property in a calm atmosphere. It has good-sized,…

  • Hanu Reddy Residences

    Chennai (Madras)

    Run by a helpful, on-the-ball team, these comfy, low-key 'serviced apartments' enjoy an attractive flower-filled setting amid Poes Garden's well-heeled…

  • Park

    Chennai (Madras)

    Previously the site of Gemini Studios, the Park flaunts design everywhere you look, from the towering lobby's bamboo, steel and gold cushions to posters…

  • La Woods

    Chennai (Madras)

    Wonderfully erratic colour schemes throw fresh whites against lime greens and bright turquoises at this friendly, well-managed modern hotel. The shiny,…

  • Fortel

    Chennai (Madras)

    Conveniently close to Egmore train station, the Fortel is just about stylish, with well-kept rooms in ivory, brown and copper tones, and cushion-laden…

  • Hotel Chandra Park

    Chennai (Madras)

    Chandra Park’s prices remain mysteriously lower than those at most similar establishments. 'Standard' rooms are smallish and a bit dated but have air-con,…

  • Zostel

    Chennai (Madras)

    Fresh on the Chennai scene, this branch of India's popular hostel chain is a success, with eight-bed dorms, a straightforward private room, a couple of…

  • Avenue 11

    Chennai (Madras)

    Hidden in a shaded, affluent embassy area, efficiently run Avenue 11 has a range of unfussy gold-toned rooms framing a palm-dotted courtyard. All are…

  • Paradise Guest House

    Chennai (Madras)

    Welcoming Paradise offers some of Triplicane's best-value digs: simple rooms with clean tiles, a breezy rooftop, friendly staff and hot water by the…

  • New Lakshmi Lodge

    Chennai (Madras)

    With small, bare and spotless, pastel-walled rooms spread over four floors around a parking courtyard, this huge block is not a bad budget choice. Book…

  • Hotel Victoria

    Chennai (Madras)

    Easily your smartest choice on hectic Kennet Lane. Rooms are clean and inviting, with kettles and flat-screen TVs, though not as exciting as the shiny…

  • Broad Lands Lodge

    Chennai (Madras)

    In business since 1951, Broad Lands was a hippie-era stalwart. This rundown colonial-era mansion, with leafy courtyards and rooms up rambling staircases,…

  • Raj Residency

    Chennai (Madras)

    Sketchy-looking hallways open into spacious rooms that are basic and have scuffed walls, but are clean and totally doable if you're counting your rupees…