The hotel, with a large garden, is located almost on the beach. There is no air conditioning, but the breeze from the sea keeps the hotel pleasantly cool, and there is a very high level of guest satisfaction. Up-market visitors staying at Tranquebar enjoy the view of the sea, and especially the quiet of the town and the near absence of motorised traffic. The hotels has 8 rooms with a full guest capacity of 16.

The Tamil Nadu Hotel is more basic but very clean, with 5 large rooms and two dormitories. Rooms cost 600 Rupees a night and a dormitory bed 150 Rupees/night, which compares with the price of basic hotel accommodation in nearby cities and towns. Room capacity is about 20 guests. The hotel presently caters predominantly to visiting researchers and NGO personnel as well as to the occasional mid-down market conference group.

A new hotel, next to the Town Gate, "The Gatehouse", is under construction by the Neemrana group in an old traditional Tamil mansion. This hotel will have 6 rooms (a guest capacity of 12+), a swimming pool and rooms with a private atrium.

As seen, guest capacity in Tranquebar is presently very limited and hotels cater predominantly to the up- and mid-up market. Accordingly marketing Tranquebar as an overnight destination should aim at very narrow and specific markets.

10.          PRESENT TRANQUEBAR ATTRACTIONS

The present main physical attraction of Tranquebar is the Fort and Parade Ground combined with the beach and the Sea. However, what makes Tranquebar eminently attractive to up-market visitors is the peace and quiet, the lack of motorised vehicles – i.e. the absence of smog and noise, such as found in almost all other Indian towns and larger villages.

History is a significant element of attraction, but for the average visitor history plays only a minimal role, as the historical part of Tranquebar can be seen within a very short time: The Gate, King Street, the Parade Ground (Maidan) and the Fort. The Churches do not encourage visits by non-protestant outsiders while the gate to the old Danish churchyard in Nygade (New Street) is permanently padlocked. Accordingly a “history visit” by an ordinary visitor can be carried out in less than one hour.