In the tradition of old sprawling joint family homes, Kariappa House also has different apartments and buildings that flow into one another. It is a cluster of interconnected houses in a half acre land, interspersed with tropical gardens and courtyards and a covered swimming pool. We spent 5 years restoring and re-creating all the houses in a mix of traditional and contemporary styles which resonated with us and used natural material like wood and stone and lime. The interiors have been furnished with antique furniture, rich Indian textiles, locally made pieces of ceramic and art. Two of the structures are restored Tamil Houses, the main house is re-created in a typical Franco-tamil style and the more contemporary 1970s addition has been modified into a bungalow which is called MANTRA. Luscious tropical garden, water bodies, courtyards and a lap pool create fluid space around the houses, giving sufficient privacy to each. The original family does not live here and hence most of the houses/rooms are now unoccupied. Some areas are retained as private quarters.

I am your host, Kakoli, and I live on the property. We believe that in order to feel at home, you need to be taken care of by people who consider Kariappa House as their own and welcome you and look after you as a personal House Guest. Our small team consists of Mukesh, Ramji and Vanaja and they do not provide service simply because it is their job. They do it because they love Kariappa House and they are genuinely happy to have guests. They are supported by a small group of local women who help keep the place spotlessly clean,

Although barely 950m from the French quarter, you can walk into a different world within minutes as you walk north along the sea. Vaithikuppam is an urbanised village, which was primarily a fishing area until very recently. As more and more apartments start replacing these colorful thatch roof huts and small tamil houses, we hope that this area will remain a fascinating melting pot that it still is at present. Almost all tourist sites in Pondicherry town is within 10 minutes from Kariappa House.