Travel Review

Trip to Swamimalai

23rd July 2005 /
Last week at Vishwak we had our manager’s retreat in Sterling Swamimalai. This is a beautiful heritage hotel owned by Sterling Resorts, situated in a peaceful locality with no city-life disturbances. For those like me who have been born and brought-up in City, this gives a good glimpse into the life of a South Indian household of those days. The hotel has been constructed on and around a 110 years old Villa earlier owned by a Brahmin family.  It has few Suites and about 25 Double-Room Cottages and serves only Vegetarian food.
The lobby area in Sterling Swamimalai
The lobby area in Sterling Swamimalai

Six of us, we left around 1:30 PM from Chennai by Road in a Tempo-Traveller and reached Kumbakonam in about five-and-half hours. We stopped near mid-way in outskirts of Neyveli in a Hotel called “Archana” and had some snacks and coffee. On Day 1, when we reached our rooms it was about 7:30 PM. We were welcomed by melodious Carnatic music, coming from the veranda near-by. A music troupe of high-school going students were playing Violin and accompanists. Since we were the only audiences, we requested them to switch off the amplifiers and speakers and listened to the music in a natural way. It was a very memorable experience.

The famous Lord Siva - where the TeleSerial ஆடுகிறான் கண்ணன் was filmed
The famous Lord Siva – where the TeleSerial ஆடுகிறான் கண்ணன் was filmed

Sterling can certainly improve the taste of the food served and improve the service to 5-star levels. Considering the authenticity and the interior details and the price it is worth visiting. If you are Sterling member remember to register for a voucher with Sterling-Chennai, you will get nearly 30-40% on the normal room rents (like Rs.750 against Rs.1400) and in Ayurvedic Massages.

Swamimalai-Office-Tour2

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2 Comments

  • venkatarangan tnc

    18th September 2009 at 10:03 am

    Vaishnevi of IndecoHotels,
    Thanks for your appreciation of the post. I don’t think is appropriate to change an old post unless there is a grave mistake that I made in the original. So I will not be editing this post made by me in 2005, b’cos on that date it was correct. Anyways, your comment with the correct URLs are available in the page for people interested to get updated website links. I have included the new links you mentioned in my recent post at http://venkatarangan.com/blog/2009/08/29/The+British+Leftbehind+Show.aspx

  • vaishnevi

    18th September 2009 at 9:40 am

    Hi
    I liked the blog and I appreciate your effort in creating this page for our Museum Show The British Left Behind. However, we would like you to incorporate some of the changes. It is no more Sterling Swamimalai, because in 2003, we have renamed our Hotel, INDeco Hotels Swamimalai. Also to remind you that you need not link the blog to the sterling website (Sterlingswamimalai.net)that does no exist anymore instead you can link our updated website http://www.indecohotels.com.
    Incidentally, we have come up with a blog at http://www.indecohotelsmuseum.blogspot.com, you can you can link this up to your blog. We have more pictures in the blog with recent articles on INDeco Leisure Hotels. However, I thank you for this admiration of yours for all creations.
    For any assistance, you can can contact me.
    Vaishnevi
    +9444444387