This lakeside property, run by Shalini and Biswajit Puliyadi, has been their family’s vacation home for generations. Now open to guests, the colonial-era bungalow is packed with space for garden picnics, hammocks under the shade of eucalyptus, and cycles for a ride around town. The house is divided into north and south wings, which are connected only by a common dining room and can be booked separately or together. A wood-fired pizza oven, meticulously built from scratch with solid granite, lined with fire bricks, stone chips, and a wrought iron door—inspired by an old fireplace—sits next to a community-style table set al fresco, adjacent to a bar crafted from old logs. Expect sunlit rooms and fireplaces, along with modcons such as coffee machines, electronic safes and daily newspapers. For meals, there’s everything from fresh breads to South Indian thalis, and the in-house chef is always available to cook you something special on request. Entire bungalow from Rs86,000* including breakfast. Website.
The Xanadu Meghadootam
Xanadu
The brainchild of ex-hotelier Aparna Bharathan and Harvard Business School alumnus Arjun Bharathan, The Xanadu first came up in Coonoor. Now, the duo also has two properties in Kodaikanal that sit adjacent to each other. Between Birkenhead (single villa) and Meghadootam (two villas), you can book a single room or all eight rooms across the three villas. For those with mobility concerns, there’s a separate entrance and a team devoted to helping guests smoothly navigate the few stairs to reach the villas. Sitting high in the hills, the properties are reached via a steep road, but the drive is worth it for the panoramic views alone. The fully-serviced homes have a games room, a library, yoga mats, and a common pear orchard extending behind them for a quick trek. The team is also happy to arrange longer hikes around the hill station on request. There’s a no-stag policy at the property. Doubles from Rs7,799* including breakfast.
English