Suite in Historical Cuddalore Bungalow near Pondy

Just south of Pondicherry, on the edge of the Cuddalore backwaters, stands Fort St. David, a lovingly restored 150-year-old maritime home that reflects the history of this former British East India territory and its current owners. This listing is for the ground-floor suite, themed in blue, named after Thomas Parry’s first export in Cuddalore, indigo. With the curtains drawn back, you can feel your stress melt away. There are three other rooms in the house. BREAKFAST is included. The space This listing is for one suite in a 4-bedroom house. Fort St. David was originally a guesthouse owned by EID Parry’s, Chennai’s longest-running business. It is one of the oldest in the company, having been purchased by Thomas Parry, who had founded the company in the late 1700s and moved to Cuddalore when he took an interest in indigo production. Executives would visit when checking in on the nearby sugar factory. Over time, loving the location, they also made it their base to stay at when visiting Tamil Nadu’s Navagraha temples. However, when another guesthouse came up closer to the factory, this home became sparingly used. As a cherished historical house, the company’s seniors wanted to revive it. They partnered with LuxUnlock and a talented interior architect, Lakshmi Ramaswamy, to inject new life into the home and open it up to discerning travellers. When the architect visited, struck by the serenity of the house and its surroundings, she decided the home must reflect its exteriors. Blues, greens, and earthy tones became its colour palette, mimicking the shades you can see outside. The curtains were also raised to let visitors admire the full depth of the windows and the view beyond. The existing furniture has remained, though reupholstered to appease modern sensibilities. To tie the home to its owners, fabrics were sourced directly from the Parry’s handloom factory. Copies of old Parry’s advertisements in the bathrooms further instill the company’s connection with the home. Framed maps and original records — both from the ledger books and from palm-leaf ledgers that were maintained before the company started using books — line the walls of Fort St. David, harkening back to the history it has seen. The cannon in the entrance lobby was even rescued from the eponymous fort just down the road from the house. Parry’s history is intertwined with Cuddalore so tightly that the city is called India’s sugar bowl, an homage to the household brand Parry’s sugar. Fort St. David is the embodiment of this union, now once again proudly welcoming guests to discover Cuddalore’s storied past. Guest access Ground-Floor Living Room Sink into the sofas of the Living Room and strike up a conversation while you wait for your lunch to get ready. In a quiet moment, take a closer look at the ledgers framed on the wall to learn about Parry’s trading in Cuddalore at the time. First-Floor Lounge The First-Floor Lounge invites you to relax in comfort, watching the trees sway and the gentle horizon beyond. If you can pull your gaze away from the windows, take a closer look at the sprawling painting that stretches across five canvases and imagine yourself living in Cuddalore during the colonial era. Dining Room Take a seat at the dining table, set at an angle to make the most of the space, and dig into delicious local cooking. The small table by the window has been repurposed from a card table that would come out when the home’s residents were ready for a nighttime game. Garden & Sitout Stretch out in the small sit-out of the living room, relaxing as the greens of the garden mingle with the blues of the river beyond. First-Floor Sitout The loungers in this sit-out welcome you to sit for a coffee with the morning news as you watch the sun rise on the horizon. Or come outside with a drink in the evening and watch as the last rays of light escape behind the sea in the distance. Entrance Lobby A cannon recovered from the St. David Fort greets you as you walk into the entrance lobby, setting the mood for your Cuddalore holiday. The stairs that wind up to the first floor are lined with palm-leaf manuscripts from the early days of EID Parry’s, when it was still called Parry & Dare. Other things to note INCLUDED IN YOUR STAY Breakfast daily; coffee and tea available throughout the day with our compliments Air conditioners in all bedrooms and common spaces Wi-Fi available in all rooms and indoor spaces High-quality bed & bath linen Genset backup with automatic changeover TVs in all bedrooms except Coral Room Team of 3 villa staff, comprising one cook and one housekeeper Parking on-site LUX location host INSIGHTS Pets are not permitted in the villa. Mosquitoes are present outdoors once the sun sets. Please make sure all doors and windows are shut before it gets dark to keep them out. Indoor spaces are non-smoking. If you wish to smoke outdoors, please use the ashtrays provided. Electricity supply by the government is both reliable and of good quality in Cuddalore. Do expect the occasional precautionary power cut during stormy weather. The home has a genset backup with automatic changeover in case of power cuts. Please use water prudently. The area has a water shortage. Silver Beach is close by and a lovely walk in daytime, but we recommend avoiding it at night as the area is not well-lit.