Where to Stay
Every captivating tailor-made itinerary needs a perfect base. Our team has handpicked this collection of properties to give you luxury options in styles to suit any adventure.
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu, with its once referred to ‘Coromandel Coast’ boasts some of the most remarkable temple architecture in India.
Together with temple towns like Kanchipuram, Tanjore and Madurai and the former French territory of Pondicherry with its own distinctive colonial inheritance, Tamil Nadu is a rewarding state to visit.
Tamil Nadu also combines beautifully with a drive over the lush, green hills of the Western Ghats into Kerala for a relaxing end to your holiday.
Festivals in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is a land of festivals, great fervour, rangoli, bright silks, flowers, temples and lots of food. No fortnight ever passes without a festival and a temple visit.
Pongal is the most important. A harvest festival celebrated by the people of Tamil Nadu. It is celebrated every January and normally lasts for days. It celebrates the sun god for giving energy.
The temples are home to many local festivals, such as the Nathanjali Dance Festival in Chidambaram. Amongst others, the Thiruvaiyara Festival is a well renowned classical music festival in Tanjore, held every January on the banks of the River Cauvery.
Karthigal Deepam, the festival of lights, lasts for 10 days. This festival marks the end of the monsoon season. Witness rows of earthen lamps lit in front of houses in the evening, bonfires being lit outside temple entrances and a buzz in the air, as friends and family indulge in present giving.
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Experiences
It’s all here. Things to see and do, places to explore and moments to discover.
Idea
India
A Family Holiday to South India
Watch the whole family grow and evolve amidst India’s kaleidoscope of flavours, sights and colours. Journey from the progressive city of Bangalore to the forested hills of the Western Ghats, through the scattered UNESCO ruins of Hampi, the wildlife and backwaters of…
Idea
India
A Family Holiday to South India
Watch the whole family grow and evolve amidst India’s kaleidoscope of flavours, sights and colours. Journey from the progressive city of Bangalore to the forested hills of the Western Ghats, through the scattered UNESCO ruins of Hampi, the wildlife and…
India
Svatma
Svatma is a luxury, boutique heritage hotel located in a peaceful enclave of the city of Tanjore in Tamil Nadu, southern India. Surrounded by beautiful gardens, Svatma has been lovingly restored by its current owner into…
India
Palais De Mahe
Palais de Mahe is an elegant, chic hotel a short distance from the waterfront of Pondicherry.
India
Maison Perumal
Hotel Maison Perumal is a boutique hotel located in Pondicherry’s Tamil Quarter. The heritage building features a Franco-Tamil design renowned for its use of space, ventilated colonnades, and doorways and windows adorned with stained glass.
India
De L’Orient
Pondicherry boasts stunning buildings reflecting its French colonial past, and Hotel De L’Orient offers a selection of suites in one of the old mansion houses.
Meet our experts
A passion for travel runs right through every one of our experts - meaning they're always ready with first-hand insight about their specialist countries.
Kate Hitchen
After more than 20 years in travel, I still find joy in creating journeys that can’t be replicated. My clients return time and time again for trips that are original, imaginative and deeply personal, shaped by my first-hand knowledge and the close partnerships I’ve built around the world. I understand that each holiday is special to them and feel privileged to help create something that will stay in their memories forever.
Talk with our experts
- 01285 880 980
Charlotte Lawton
Charlotte is the Conde Nast Traveller chosen Specialist for Asia.
Growing up in Hong Kong and Nepal gave me an early connection to Asia, which deepened after university when I spent two years managing a safari camp in Central India and travelling widely across the subcontinent. Drawing on this first-hand knowledge and trusted local contacts, I create journeys that connect you deeply with the people and places you visit.
Talk with our experts
- 01285 880 980
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Explore other regions in India
Delhi
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Rajasthan
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Kashmir and Ladakh
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Kolkata and Eastern India
Explore thriving tea estates, mingle with tribes and discover the colonial past of Kolkata.
Central India
Central India boasts some of the country's cultural highlights and best tiger parks.
Himalayan Foothills
The unique hill culture of the various regions has been fostered and protected for generations.
Karnataka
Karnataka offers the visitor a mix of interests, in particular, the distinctive architectural styles found in Hampi.
Kerala
Kerala holidays are perfect for a first-time visitor to India and an excellent holiday option for families.
Goa
Overlooking the Arabian Sea, this tiny state is home to miles of beautiful beaches.
Mumbai
Formerly known as Bombay, Mumbai is a city teeming with culture, architecture and people.
Bandhavgarh National Park
Bandhavgarh is a relatively small area with a strong tiger population.
Kanha National Park
A diverse habitat to support many mammal and bird species.
Kaziranga National Park
A stunning park with a great conservation success story for the Indian one-horned rhinoceros.
Panna National Park
From safaris to boat rides from spotting birdlife to tigers and sloth bears, Panna offers many exciting opportunities to the wildlife lover.
Pench National Park
Pench, on the border of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, has been known through the ages for its rich flora and fauna.
Ranthambore National Park
Famous for its tigers and is one of the most accessible parks on the tourist trail
Tadoba National Park
One of India’s most exciting and best-protected tiger reserves, with excellent tiger sightings, reported regularly.
Satpura National Park
Satpura is uncharted and unspoilt and represents wilderness at its very best.
Sasan Gir
The Gir Forest National Park is one of the oldest sanctuaries in India and is home to the last remaining Asiatic lion.
Dudhwa National Park
Home to tigers, leopards, Asiatic black bears, sloth bears, swamp deer, rhinoceros, elephants, chitals, hog deer, barking deer, sambars, wild pigs and…
Why Choose Steppes?
Our knowledge, curiosity and expertise set us apart, driving us to create remarkable holidays and Beautiful Adventures tailored perfectly to you, carefully curated to help protect and conserve our planet.
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