A Royal Pursuit

Once a rest house for the Nagapattinam Jesuit priests, The Tamara Kodai has been refurbished as a luxury retreat in the hills of Kodaikanal, finds Bhaichand Patel

- Bhaichand Patel

There are scores of palaces of former Maharajas that have been converted into hotels where commoners like you and I can rentrooms and spend few nights living like royalty. The Tamara Kodai is as posh as any of them but with a distinctly different lineage. La Providence, its central property, was built in 1847 and started life as the residence of a British district judge. It was one of the first buildings to come up in Kodaikanal at a time when it was populated largely by nomadic tribes.

The Jesuits took over the place a few years later and converted it into retreat for their priests to escape the heat and dust of Nagapattinam. They were missionary teachers at St. Joseph’s College. More recently, the property was bought by the Tamara hospitality chain and carefully restored keeping in mind its monastic heritage.

The Tamara Kodai, a five-star resort, opened for business in May this year and it has set a new benchmark for luxury for hotels in our hill stations. Tucked away among the pine and eucalyptus trees, it is at some distance from the hustle and bustle of Kodaikanal Lake and the crowded bazaar in the centre of town.