Villa De 1945

We stayed in room 101, a suite, and I don’t know if the same thing happens in other rooms. There was an electricity problem and no backup. When the power went out at night, we were left in darkness. Whenever we went out with the key card and came back, the whole fuse had tripped, so we had to turn it on ourselves every time we entered the room in complete darkness. Even in the middle of the night, when the power went out, we had to wake up and switch it back on. I’d paid and confirmed for a suite with a balcony and garden view, as shown in the picture, but was given a ground-floor room facing a compound wall. When I asked, they said the other rooms were full. I’d booked a month in advance and still didn’t get that room. The service was poor. I don’t recommend this property to visitors.

This heritage house has just 14 rooms, so it doesn’t feel like a full-scale commercial hotel. The reception and housekeeping staff were effy helpful, though the restaurant wasn’t fully operating on lean off-season days. The breakfast buffet isn’t for vegetarians. They cater according to the number of guests, which is why I took off one star. Then they let me do watercolour sketching inside the premises, so I added that star back. For me, it was a 5 star experience. The building is a fantastic heritage property, a real gem of old last century Kerala architecture. Wooden stairs, an old chandelier, and an awesome Indian ceremonial lamp bring back the bygone era, while the rooms are modern and well maintained inside, with all the facilities you’d expect. Prices are very reasonable if you get the right timing and offers.

The breakfast was great, and the staff and rooms were brilliant. It’s a tastefully renovated Heritage Bungalow and good value for money. No need to look anywhere else!

Mahe is a lovely little town, with a nice beach and around 65 bars and restaurants. We’d love to come back to Villa De 1945 after spending 3 days there. The heritage rooms were luxurious, with sitouts, and the service was excellent. Breakfast was good too. Dilna and Rajeev made our stay extremely comfortable. Thanks to Rajeev, Dilna, and the team for making the vacation so memorable. GOD bless you all...