Must-see hotels in 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…

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

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

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

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

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…

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…

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

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…

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…

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,…

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…

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…

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

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…

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,…

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…

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…

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…

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…