Need a good guest house to stay for three months in Chennai

I am planning a visit to Chennai from September 1 to November 31 and would be doing some volunteer service at a Orphanage in Nandanam. Being new to Chennai I am not very familiar with the city and if someone can recommend a good decent guest house to stay for three months. I must mention here, that I am on a tight budget since I am there just volunteering teaching English to the needy and poor. Any suggestions or help will be much appreciated.

A good guest house is Broadlands in Triplicane--- very reasonable price wise and you can meet lots of interesting people--- sept to nov not that busy so a good room is easy-----

Non Indian people to be precise. The Guest house has a No Indians policy.

More here: chennai hotel, not broadlands

narendra, I am not sure that that is still true.
...That was posted in 2003.

I know one fellow IMer who stayed there two or three years ago. A Londoner, but looking very much Indian[-subcontinent] (Actually Pakistan) origin. She didn't have any trouble with them.

Apparently the discrimination is (or was, but haven't heard anything lately to change that) limited to Indians resident in India. NRI's or people of Indian origin seem to be considered decent enough to be allowed.

Up-to-date information needed!

I would recommend Ram Guest House, where I have spent a couple of months in 2004 and 2005, although I do not know what it is like after seven years. I believe it it is still fine. It is in the Indiamike hotel listings --- but it may be a little too costly for secretdaughter. Budget?

I also wonder what climate secretdaughter is used to? September to November is not too bad in Chennai terms, and will probably include rain, even heavy rain with possibility of floods. It will, though, be dreadfully humid even if the temperature is not too high. The humidity may make AC an attractive option.

Hi guys, thank you for all your contributions. I still do not have any luck finding a place. I have a low budget and am just willing to pay about INR500 per day because I am hoping to stay there for three months. I want to help the needy and the poor children so I would rather save my money to give them instead. I am trying to keep my overheads low. I am okay about the climate and I don't eat too much. Just a good bed to rest for the night is enough for now...but at the same time it needs to be safe. It would be great if I can get a one bedroom furnished apartment to stay in chennai 600042...thank you all...GOD bless.

oh..by the way, I am Indian and my mother tongue is Tamil.

Have you considered Working Womens Hostels. Look thru the days Newspaper Classified or sites like Sulekha.com. Also browse thru Craigslist. You are likely to find a place at much less than that.

Chennai post codes are a bit confusing. Even though I live in 600041, I'm not at all sure where 600042* is! But assuming that it is not too far from here, I think you would be able to get a small apartment for 16,000 a month, or even 10,000, but people won't generally let for three months, and being a woman alone may trigger prejudices. Appearing to be local would work for you in some ways and against in others.



*Velacherry, apparently.

Yes..it is Velacherry...Nick...you are right...I have a friend there..so it could be good if I stayed around there..thanks again friends for all your help...still seaching...LOL!!!

Very happy to know about your kind intentions are you studying some course which needs this charity or just doing it for your own.

Thank you Ravi for your mail. I am doing this on my own. All I have in my hands right now is lots of time and instead of wasting it I felt that it would be great if I can give my time and energy to the unfortunate children at this foundation. I am trying to collect some donations and story books, games, toys from my family and friends and want to come over there to spend some quality time with this kids.I just want a decent place to stay so I can be a little comfortable. I guess you can say it is a calling for me after all these while...I want some inner peace and satisfaction that I had put at least one or two child back in school. This is my first attempt and I am doing this for myself to give back to the society..though I am not born in India. thanks

If the friend is a local and knows Chennai, it should not be too much trouble finding a place. I still feel a Working Women's Hostel will work for you. Your Indian background and Knowledge of tamil should help. Ask your friend if he/she can explain what to expect at a hostel.

Ah, yes, the eternal Broadlands debate... it's been discussed before indeed, you could search the site on it some more.

When I stayed here in early 2009, there were certainly volunteers staying there, so you could find some company. At the time, I'll probably have paid some Rs. 350 for a simple but decent and not too small single room, I don't quite remember how much. Those rates may well have risen again, then again low season and you staying for a long time, you should certainly be able to work out a decent price. I do know a member here stayed there after me in the low season and reported paying considerably less than I did for a double A/C room with TV.

You'll probably find their contact details on the web, or they are in Lonely Planet, and probably in some other guidebooks. Ah, here go: tel. 044-28545573. What I noted down at the time was indeed single with attached bathroom Rs. 350, double shared bathroom 300, with private bathroom around 500. I guess just give them a call if you want and see what they say. If it would be handily situated for you I can't tell you.

It's something of a charmingly decaying giant maze of an old colonial mansion, several inner courtyards, very quiet there though in the middle of the city, and one thing about their keeping a tab on things is I'd certainly say it's safe. (They're picky about non-staying guests walking in, foreign or Indian.) Their top-floor rooms may look appealingly situated, but I guess would not be recommended in hot weather. It's certainly what you'd call a budget hotel, one has to find that agreeable.

Two pics of it in my galleries, and with a very similar description so I could have saved us all the above , here and here.

I indeed saw no fellow Indian guests here, but I'm never sure what that's telling you; it may as well be they're just not very attracted to these odd white backpacker hangouts. It wasn't very busy anyhows, low season indeed.