SINCE 1947
A boutique five-bedroom heritage villa and private estate on Lake Road by Kodaikanal Lake.
Carefully restored.
STAY
*Final rates vary by season and dates
ONE ACRE BY THE LAKE
THE BUNGALOW
The bungalow opens into an acre of lawns, garden paths, patios and terraces beneath the eucalyptus and pine. There are hammocks, bicycles, places for a bonfire and a wood-fired pizza oven on the garden terrace. Kodaikanal Lake is just outside the gate. Guests can walk to the lake, cafés, shops, parks, boating area and market, then return to the quiet of the grounds.
-
Book the Whole Bungalow for the full five-bedroom house and grounds, or North and South as private self-contained bungalows with their own bedrooms, living and dining spaces, separate entrances, and access to the one-acre grounds.
-
Lawns, garden paths, patios, hammocks, bonfire spaces, quiet corners, and the wood-fired pizza oven give guests room to spend the day at the property, not just sleep here.
-
The Bungalow Manager and team are on site to help with arrival walkthroughs, taxis, transfers, bonfire setup, pizza oven setup, local arrangements, concierge help, and practical questions during the stay.
-
Our chef and the bungalow team are on site through your stay; breakfast is included, and every meal — tiffin, lunch, dinner, grill, wood-fired pizza — is made to order in the bungalow kitchen, with food cooked in the spirit of a home kitchen: fresh, generous, and made with care.
Tea, coffee, and pantry access are available through the day, and meals can be served indoors, outside, or to your room.
Dining at The Dunnottar -
The house is looked after through the day, with daily housekeeping, laundry service, fresh towels, luggage help, and house staff on site.
Ensuite bedrooms, electric room heaters, hot water, Wi-Fi, and the practical comforts needed for a longer stay in Kodaikanal.
Amenities -
Kodaikanal Lake is just outside the front gate, with Bryant Park, cafés, boating, golf, forest walks, viewpoints, and hiking trails close by.
DAYS AT THE DUNNOTTAR
Some of our fondest evenings have required no journey at all: pizzas beside the wood fired oven, supper around a bonfire and birthdays gathered around the long table. When you want to go farther, a horse can be brought through the gate, our mapped walks begin at the house and a guide can take you into the hills.
DAYS
-
Pizza, Bonfires & Celebrations
At the Bungalow
Wood-fired suppers on the garden terrace, fires on the lawn and the long table laid for an occasion.
-
Horse Riding, Walks & Cycling
From the Front Gate
A horse brought through the gate, our own mapped routes and bicycles for the lake circuit.
-
Guided Treks, Villages & Golf
Beyond the Lake
Forests, waterfalls and villages with a guide who knows them—and a morning at Kodaikanal Golf Club.
A FAMILY HOME, OPENED TO GUESTS
1947
The Dunnottar came into our family in 1947, when Lord Chamberlain sold the house to our grandfather, Puliyadi Kuppuswami Iyer, a businessman and philanthropist from Madurai. As the story goes, Lord Chamberlain and his wife left for the United Kingdom with just two suitcases, leaving behind much of the furniture and many of the objects that still remain in the house today.
Since then, The Dunnottar has been shaped by four generations of the Puliyadi family and by the lake, trees, rooms, food, and household rhythms that define it. Its DNA is rooted in family, memory, restoration, comfort, and continuity: preserving the original character of a 19th-century Scottish bungalow while giving it a renewed life as a private estate on Kodaikanal Lake.
AS FEATURED IN
CONDÉ NAST TRAVELLER, AD & VOGUE INDIA
Condé Nast Traveller India
This 19th-century bungalow in Kodaikanal has all the makings of a classic summer holiday.
Architectural Digest India
At the Dunnottar Bungalow in Kodaikanal, Scottish and South Indian influences blend seamlessly.
Vogue India
This stately bungalow located on the banks of the Kodai Lake once belonged to Lord Chamberlain in the pre-1947 era. Now, carefully restored by the Puliyadi family, this property exudes charm in spades.
PLANNING A STAY
ASK US
Tell us your dates, how many people are coming, the ages of any children and whether you are planning an occasion. We can help you choose between the Whole, North and South Bungalows, confirm availability and talk through food and what can be arranged during your stay.
