Luxury Garden Villa in Pondicherry French Quarter

Enjoy this stunning 120-year old luxury garden villa in the heart of Pondicherry’s French Quarter This one-of-a-kind home was built by a prosperous Franco-Tamil family who made their name in Indo-China. You too can enjoy the same exclusive experience in this beautiful home for a celebration with friends, a large family reunion, or to just get away for a long weekend. Breakfast is included and We welcome pets. The space Maison Twenty-Six is in the heart of the French Quarter of Pondicherry, less than a 5-minute walk from the promenade, popular shops, and restaurants. An innocuous set of unmarked bluish grey doors lined with greenery leads you into a magical garden courtyard. Plenty of parking space is available in the municipal car park located right opposite the house. Hidden away on a quiet street in the French Quarter of Pondicherry, Maison Twenty-Six is a gorgeous 120-year-old historic garden house that was lovingly restored by its current owner to win the prestigious Vieilles Maisons Francaises (VMF) award for preservation of French architectural heritage, a rare honour for houses outside of France. Originally constructed in the early 20th century by a rich Franco-Tamil merchant named Xavier Condappa, who made his fortune in Vietnam (there is a road in Saigon named after him!), the house was bequeathed to his sons, and subsequently found its way to the current owner who with the help of restoration architects, lovingly transformed this once neglected home into a beautiful expression of decadence, romance and rustic luxury set in a magical garden of greenery. Madras Suite This suite comprises a large bedroom, a spacious lounge, a balcony, an ensuite bathroom and a small pantry. The bedroom is luxurious with two sets of slatted double French doors that open into the lounge. A beautiful Tree-of-Life tapestry adorns the eastern wall. Sitting beside it is an exquisite period Rosewood dresser. A romantic canopy bed forms the centrepiece of the room, a charming Dutch-East Indian study desk with a restored lithograph of Fort St. George overlooking it. The AC lounge of the Madras Suite has a sitting area with a flat-screen TV and cable. An old photo print of the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai fills one wall. A painting by Rekha Rodwittiya adds mirth to the room. Bombay Suite This large suite comprises a bedroom, bathroom and air-conditioned lounge. Themed with hints of Bombay and Gujarat, the bedroom has a queen bed with a large pichwai painting as a backdrop. An Anglo-Indian carved sofa from Gujarat sits in one corner. Tall French doors lead onto a wraparound balcony overlooking the courtyard and road. A set of metal chairs and a small table make it ideal for a morning cup of coffee. The lounge has a flat-screen TV with cable. A beautiful Bourne-and-Shepherd photo of colonial Bombay with Flora Fountain harks back to an earlier era. A sofa-cum-double bed accommodates one adult or two small children. Indo-Chine Bedroom Themed in shades of Shanghai Red and decorated in all things oriental, this bedroom leads off from the northern side of the Living Room. Its high romantic four-poster king bed is accessible with stepping stools. Flanked on both sides are Chinese side consoles, topped with oriental lamps, and the walls are decorated with fragments of original headboards from a daybed of an opium parlour. There is a decadent, maroon-themed bathroom with a decorative chandelier hovering over a cement-smoothened bathtub. Bengal Bedroom Accessed from the north of the garden courtyard, this room is themed in indigo blue and filled with art and textiles of East India. A small queen four-poster bed is framed by a blue Tree-of-Life-themed Chintz tapestry. Bedside tables have Kalighat paintings above them, with Art Deco mirrors expanding the visual space. A large reprint of a Bourne and Shepherd photo of colonial Calcutta adorns one wall. The room has its own ensuite bathroom with contemporary fittings. Garden Courtyard This small, foliage-filled courtyard is enveloped on three sides by a bedroom, air-conditioned lounge, kitchen and covered verandah. The centre of the courtyard is a pillar of foliage symbolizing the Tree of Life. In the southeast is a gazebo that houses a powder room. Covered Verandah The verandah is also the alfresco dining space, flanked by giant white plastered columns on one side and the formal living room on the other side. A striking black-and-white cement-tiled floor complements a seven-seater cane and metal dining table, which can be extended to seat more people. Living Room An enormous, 18-foot-high room with raftered ceilings and flooring set in the early 20th century, uses Belgian tiles imported from Vietnam. Careful restoration of the walls has revealed the original lime-green and red plaster. Sit at a quaint 3-seater marble-topped table under a magnificent chandelier or relax in any of the multitude of corner sofa arrangements. A beautiful and original Pondicherry buffet sideboard, doubling up as a bar counter, is topped by an exquisite artwork by UK-born Indian contemporary artist, Desmond Lazaro. Indoor Lounge This small air-conditioned common space is located adjacent to the courtyard. It has comfortable seating and doubles as a cool respite from warm summers for drinks or even a meal. Laundry, Kitchen and Staff Accommodation This space is on the south side of the courtyard. The contiguous laundry room-cum-kitchen is equipped with a washing machine and ironing facilities. The large refrigerator is perfect for chilling your favourite beverages and storing perishables. The kitchen is fully equipped with gas burners, an oven and microwave and plenty of space to cook up a meal of your own. Upper Verandah The covered verandah upstairs has two comfortable seating clusters with lovely views over the railing into the courtyard. Ideal for morning get-togethers! Other things to note We are delighted to welcome your furry companions. Sharing a few guidelines to help make their stay comfortable. Do carry your own pet bedding, blankets or throws, as we do not provide doggie beds. Do not forget their towels, water bowls, treats, and favorite toys to help them feel at home. Pets are not permitted to climb onto or sleep on beds, sofas, or other furniture. This helps us maintain a clean and comfortable space for all guests. Please clean up after your pets, both inside the villa (in case of accidents) and on the villa grounds. Please wipe off muddy paws and ensure they are sufficiently dry before they enter the villa after their walk. Entry into our property is subject to: Payment of refundable security deposit prior to arrival Signed booking contract from you along with photo IDs of all guests prior to arrival REFUNDABLE SECURITY DEPOSIT Please note that a refundable security deposit of 10% of your booking amount (20% if travelling with a pet) will be collected immediately after booking confirmation. This can be paid via NEFT or UPI. The security deposit will be returned within 5 working days after checkout, minus any claims for damages, if applicable. Entry to the property will not be permitted unless the Security Deposit is paid. SIGNED BOOKING CONTRACT A booking contract form will be sent to you. Please fill-it, sign-it and send it back to us along with soft copies of photo IDs of all guests. HOME TRUTHS Breakfast is included and served at the villa. Other meals are not included. Pets are welcome. TV is available only in Bombay Suite and Madras Suite. The other two rooms doesn't have a TV Pondicherry, like elsewhere in tropical South India, does have mosquitoes. Mosquito-trap machines are placed in all rooms. Please use the repellent placed in your room during the day and especially in the evenings. Try to keep your room windows and doors closed from 4 PM onwards. Electricity supply by the government is both reliable and of good quality throughout the year in Pondicherry and in the French Quarter. Do expect the occasional precautionary power cut in stormy weather. The house has a full genset power backup. Water is a scarce commodity in Pondicherry and the house does have a municipal water connection. A pressure pump system is in place. The caretaker will ensure that water is always available. Please use water prudently. Washing and drying facility is available for a charge. The road outside the villa does not allow any vehicles to stop as per traffic law. You need to stop or park your vehicles at the large secure open-air municipal parking yard right opposite the villa gates. There is no driver/staff accommodation at the villa. But, there are many options few meters away from the villa. There is some noise that comes in from road traffic, the adjoining hotel’s pool, and the neighbour’s rooster. Please ask for earplugs. The Madras Suite window blinds are not completely blacked out. Some light will filter in. The house is over 120 years old. Careful restoration combined with constraints on what can and cannot be done, means that walls and floors are uneven in places. Original doors and windows may squeak or not shut smoothly or evenly. Given the age of the house, it's normal to see damp patches on the walls occasionally. Most ceiling lights and chandeliers have switches and rotary dimmers. Please adjust the dimmer to your convenience. Power strips are available in all rooms to use for charging your devices.