There is little respite from the May heat. When the ocean bows gracefully to low tide, Puducherry comes alive: travellers and residents alike flock to the promenade, gelato in hand.
For those in the know, there is the serenity of Eden beach, tucked between the lush Ariyankuppam lagoons, flanked by rows and rows of coconut trees. Set in Chinna Veerampattinam, this serene beach was recently bestowed with a Blue Flag certification, making it the only one in the Union Territory with the label, which certifies cleanliness.
A narrow tiled road leads one to Eden Beach, which houses bamboo benches and thatched umbrellas. Access to this Blue Flag beach, open to the public from 6am to 6pm is perhaps the biggest selling point for recently-launched Radisson Resort Pondicherry Bay by GRT hotels, the newest four-star property in Puducherry. Though the resort faces the lagoon, a back entrance leads to the picturesque tiled road to Eden Beach.
For four-legged guests
The pet-friendly resort is the 18th hotel under the GRT Hotels banner. Stating that Puducherry is a favorite leisure destination, Vikram Cotah, CEO of GRT Hotels says, “We hope this luxury resort has placed Pondy among the popular international holiday destinations.” Boasting a salt water pool, it offers activities like water polo, zorbing, stand up paddle, zumba, and a boat ride in Ariyankuppam.
Radisson Resort Pondicherry Bay houses 46 chalets and five pool villas. Their lounge, inspired by Franco-Tamil architecture, is named after the archaeological site Arikamedu, which lies about two kilometres from the property and four kilometres from Puducherry.
As you check in make sure you grab a pizza: the lobby flaunts an aqua-tiled woodfired pizza oven created by Antonio Scirocco, the Italian behind some of Auroville’s busiest pizza ovens. “When you get the scent of baked food as you enter a lobby, it gives a feeling of warmth,” says Aditya Natarajan, manager - front office.
At Bay Bistro, the resort’s all-day dining restaurant (and the only one at that), coconut rasam served with a side of rice crackers seems to be the star. The soup, which is every bit rasam, except for the mild and comforting flavour of coconut milk, is ideal to kick off a meal punctuated by traditional Indian dishes woven with French flavours. (Read: a traditional paneer tikka wafting the fragrance of rosemary and thyme).
Chef Sivakumar says, “The idea is inspired from the style of cooking that French families followed in Pondicherry. Using ingredients that are locally available, they revised the cuisine to match their palette.” They plan to introduce weekend culinary pop ups soon. Says Aditya, “While curating the menu, we collaborated with the old, local families in Pondicherry who have been here since the French.”
