The Gateway Hotel Pasumalai
Madurai

Faultlessly located on the fringes of Madurai, The Gateway Hotel Pasumalai sits on top of Pasumalai Hill offering a picture-perfect panoramic view of the pastel coloured Temple City below, and the surrounding rolling green Kodai Hills. As the century old celebrated property is amusingly patrolled by wandering peacocks, it proudly sprawls its status over 62 acres of landscaped gardens and is by far the best relaxing escape after day of exploring Madurai’s colourful and vibrant streets.

With three room categories; Standard, Superior and Executive and three ravishing Suites to choose from, the 63 rooms in total, sprinkled across the grounds, all offer different views across the gardens and city. All rooms are elegantly appointed with a charming colonial feel and touch of modern amenities to them. The Henry Block in particular, offers balcony views of the city from your beside – making it an Ampersand favourite! For travelling families, interconnecting rooms are available.

If you follow your senses and steppingstone pathways and you’ll reach The Gateway’s signature all day dining restaurant Vista, a relaxed multi-cuisine restaurant serving delicious local dishes and international favourites. For a relaxed evening take to The Gateway’s rooftop restaurant for a romantic dinner under the stars and watch the ‘City that Never Sleeps’ twinkle throughout the night; there’s no wonder local’s call Madurai India’s own New York.

For energetic guests, The Gateway provides an onsite fitness centre but for those who wish to unwind after a day of exploring the city, a spa has been carefully designed offering a wide selection of Indian therapies and treatments to help rejuvenate and relax temple-weary guests. However, a highlight of the heritage hilltop property is it’s generous and refreshing pool – neatly perched on a prime look out spot, tucked away within the tree-shaded grounds; the perfect spot to read a book in the cool air and watch the clouds roll over Madurai’s rich landscape.

Once in the hustle and bustle of Madurai, you’ll find there is plenty to explore. To fully immerse yourself in the chaos, we recommend taking a rickshaw ride through the colourful streets, stopping off at the banana market and inhaling the smells of Madurai’s famous onion selling roads. As the city awakens, the gates open to Madurai’s tailor street, and even if you haven’t got a suit that needs creating within the promised hour, walking past tailors, and seeing this profession in action is an experience in itself. Take a guided tour at Tirumala Palace, indulge in a street food tour and finally reach the impressive Meenakshi Temple, a glorious sight to behold during the magic of golden hour.

To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.
Bill Bryson