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Romance by the seaside

THE GATE HOUSE

USP: Isolation that’s rejuvenating

A great location like Tranquebar, with the blue waters of the Bay of Bengal as a backdrop and a charming 300-year-old Danish settlement to wander around in, can’t but work its magic on you. As you enter this exotic little beach town is the old ‘Gate’, and on its right is the property aptly called ‘The Gate House’. An authentic and meticulously restored 100-year-old building, it now belongs to the Delhi-based Neemrana Group of Hotels.

Photos: Soma Basu

A slice of Danish history At the Gate House, Tranquebar

“Staying here is an evocative experience,” beams manager Arun Kiran Elangovan, as he calls out to the security guard — a tsunami survivor — to open all the six rooms. Being off-season, an intensive pest control exercise is on. The experience here extends beyond the physical structure; there is an enchanting feel, a romantic ambience attached to the hotel started a year ago. “This is the first season (October to March) that we are fully booked,” says Ilangovan. The isolation here is rejuvenating. It is a place without frills and yet so complete and satisfying to the mind and eye. Actually, the hotel’s simplicity enhances its elegance and sophistication.

From doors to pillars, chairs and tables to cots and almirahs, every item is an authentic period piece. The courtyard, corridor, stairway and rooms lend a feeling of space, privacy and pampered luxury. The gentle breeze of the sea — barely a 10-minute walk away — and the intoxicating smell and sight of vintage teak wood furniture, sepia-toned photographs, paintings and artefacts, make the ‘Gate House’ a perfect example of conservation. You feel like a house guest in a stately home here, what with the personalised round-the-clock service.

The food is superb, especially if you are a non-vegetarian. Lunch or dinner, they always cook and serve a fresh catch from the sea.

The rooms have an antique look, but the bathrooms have been done up with luxurious modern fittings. Don’t forget to check out the “love chair” — a face-to-face double seater with joined arms, ancient treasure chests, a multi-layered study table with intricate work and folds, and the wooden walkers for kids.

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