MGM Vailankanni Residency

We come each year on pilgrimage to Mother Mary's Basilica, and this is the best place for us to stay in Vailankanni. Every meal we had here, breakfast, lunch and dinner, was excellent, with plenty of tasty choices on the elaborate menu. Chef Chandran and his team do a damn good job. The service was outstanding from the security guards through the front desk, restaurant and housekeeping. Alwyn, Gerard, Vinoth, Akash and many others were very good staff. The bath linen is old and coarse and could be upgraded, but the DOVE shower gel, shampoo and hand wash were absolutely superb.

The location is the one real plus here, and the hotel seems to depend on being near the Velankanni church. The stay did not justify the price, so I would not recommend it. I had booked a pet friendly room after a long conversation with the central reservations team and paid an extra 2500 for my pet. At check-in, the Velankanni staff said they had not been told about the pet, and we waited several minutes while they contacted the central team. They also made me write a disclaimer and demanded vaccination records, which no one had mentioned when I booked, so I had not brought them. Even though we were in one of their most premium villas, there was no drinking water and the telephone did not work. Service was very average. No one gave us the WiFi password at check-in or displayed it anywhere. When I called reception, they just told me to try a couple of versions until one worked.

The rooms are new, though housekeeping needs work and the washrooms could be cleaner. For the price, the service feels lacking, and the restaurant food is expensive despite its good spread. Complimentary breakfast had quite a few items too, but they weren't tasty and need a lot of improvement. Food is a personal matter, so this is just my opinion and yours may differ. The location is great.

My dad was really worried after losing his ring at the property, but the staff found it and kindly returned it. They were polite and courteous throughout. I sincerely appreciate the service and highly recommend this place. We had a great time.