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Heritage gets a makeover
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While many old structures are being razed to make way for apartment blocks, Villa Pottipati retains its old-world charm even as it has been converted into a hotel with all the modcons in place
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Rooms full of character at Villa Pottipati — Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P.
AS YOU enter the stately Villa Pottipati, you begin to understand why the heritage-hotel experts, Francis Wacziarg and Aman Nath, are consistently complimented for their talent in location building. Patiently seeking out period buildings and historic monuments, and then setting about meticulously restoring and refurbishing them, the duo have created an award-winning chain of hotels — the Neemrana group.
This garden home in Malleswaram is one of their latest success stories in restoration. In the hands of the Neemrana duo, this 120-year-old suburban home has been transformed into an elegant eight-bedroom heritage hotel.
You almost miss it, shaded as it is by giant screens along the main wall to keep out the sunlight and, of course, ensure privacy. Walking around the property, you notice the giant Shivalinga tree with its fascinatingly-shaped flowers, the jackfruit trees, gulmohars, garden beds, and profusion of potted plants, all of which contribute to the pastoral charm of Villa Pottipati.
Family history
Dig into a bit of history and you learn that it belongs to the family of Rama Reddy, whose photograph hangs in the granite-pillared reception. The rather unusual name of the villa comes from the village in Cuddapah district where he was born. More sepia tone pictures of the original owners adorn the walls here, contributing to the old-world charm. The simple dining table is surrounded by framed pictures of the Reddy family and batik-work done by members of the family.
The courtyard to one side of the bungalow functions as a dining space not only for in-house guests, but also for walk-in ones. A covered area, obviously once a garage, carefully restored, functions as the covered area with a few more tables. The menu features a mix of Indian and Continental food, besides a few local delicacies.
The rooms have no numbers, in keeping with the Neemrana tradition. Instead, they are named after the exquisite traditional saris of India! Each of the eight rooms is different, with varying tariffs. Gadwal is a suite consisting of the bedroom on the mezzanine with a charming dormer window and sitting area below. Venkatagiri has an antique four-poster bed in teak and rosewood cupboards. Another suite has a single-room attached and private sit-out too, while some have half-double doors leading to bathrooms, a Dutch legacy.
Old furniture
The villa, on the whole, has the period look intact. This effect is achieved partly because the villa still houses 70 per cent of the original furniture, including the four-poster beds, dressers, writing tables, and easy chairs — in either teak or rosewood. And the reception even has an interesting display of the finely polished antique brass vessels of those times.
Yet, since it is a hotel, the mandatory modcons are there: each room has air-conditioning and TV, besides plug-points for Internet and laptop connections.
Several period structures in the city have been demolished to make way for apartment blocks, thanks to owners who can't resist the lucrative offers of the builders. Mercifully, Villa Pottipati has survived this onslaught, even while becoming a commercial venture. This is thanks to Vidyalatha Reddy, who cringed at the idea of her family home being turned into a developer's delight.
Villa Pottipati is at 142, 8th Cross, 4th Main Road, Malleswaram. Phone: 23360777, 51280832, 51280834. Website: www.neemranahotels.com.
ARUNA CHANDARAJU
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