Chennai, a metro city in India, is indeed a huge city with numerous confusing options as to where to stay. With only a day in Chennai, I knew I have to stay close to the city centre and as close as possible to the famous Marina Beach. And, that said IBIS Chennai city centre fits in properly with my requirements. As I have already stayed with IBIS in Zurich & Vienna, I knew I’ll not be disappointed and I am glad I chose the Accor Hotel once again. If you’re heading to Amsterdam, you can peek at the review of IBIS Styles in the town.
IBIS Chennai city centre is a terrific place for a budget corporate traveller like myself. But, with its close proximity to the US Consulate, the hotel is perfect for people visiting Chennai for work. Not only that, the hotel is a prime place for families & couples as well, the ideal room size and the remarkable food options make it for an optimal stay.
IBIS Chennai City Centre Overall
For me, a hotel is not only about the room but how it performs on all the parameters. The location, the entrance, the decor and above all the restaurant makes my perspective of liking it or not.
The Room
IBIS Chennai City Centre is a 3-star hotel with the perfect room size and a similar room design as the one in Zurich. IBIS tend to have a standard design, which makes me feel a bit more comfortable choosing them.
I really appreciate the hotels which manage to pertain to their global brand & theme & IBIS Chennai city centre did just that. The minimalistic decor of the room got me impressed with the perfect window size to give me a view of Chennai’s routine life.
I loathe wherein the hotels don’t provide more than one power plug and which I can easily state is not the case with IBIS. IBIS provides 3 power plugs which are sufficient for a solo traveller like me with a camera, laptop, power bank & phone to charge all at once.
I was pleasantly surprised by the size of the mirror & the wardrobe size, which can easily fit any suitcase or a backpack along with enough space left for the clothes. A cleanliness freak like me prefers to keep the room tidy wherever possible, even while travelling. With the option to keep my bag in the closet, I was given that option easily which I can easily applaud IBIS Chennai city centre for.
IBIS also provides an electronic kettle with ingredients for making tea & coffee in the room which is a great help for people like me who love to prepare their morning tea on their own. IBIS also provides 2 complimentary mineral water bottles, which is more of a requirement in Chennai’s hot weather.
The Bathroom
The bathroom in the room is the ideal size, with a separate shower area. That’s not the best part yet. I consider myself a responsible tourist, which is why I praise the hotels which don’t use small throw-away plastic toiletries. IBIS has a reusable bottle attached to the wall containing a 2-in-one soap & shampoo. It definitely helps reduce our plastic use which is a great initiative by Accorhotels.
Apart from this, IBIS Chennai city centre also provides basic toiletries kit including a dental & shaving kit along with a dryer. So, if you like to pack light just like me, you can simply omit packing these extras.
I highly appreciate the IBIS’s steps towards sustainable tourism, as they try to promote reusing the towels which save literally gallons of water otherwise wasted.
As the hotel is located in the Anna Salai region of the city which is the heart of the city, it is obvious, the hotel offers amazing views from the room window. Although I couldn’t see the sea, a view of the nearby Chennai life was nice to have.
The Reception & Staff
The hotel is located on a high-rise building, with a reception on the fifth floor. But there’s always someone to welcome you on the ground floor. The hotel takes care of security also by scanning the bags at the ground floor entrance. The lift at the rear end takes you to the reception on the fifth floor, and you’ll need your access card if you’d like to go ahead beyond the 5th floor.
The reception of the hotel is vibrant & appealing with minimalistic decor & paintings. The restaurant is also located on the same floor itself. The staff of the IBIS Chennai City Centre is extremely humble & ready to assist you with anything. The check-in process is pretty smooth, you just have to show your government ID and put your name & signature on the form and you’re in.
The Restaurant
The IBIS’s Spice It restaurant serves Indian, continental and Chinese cuisines & is well acquainted with buffet & ala carte as well. The breakfast buffet is usually included in the room price, but I’d recommend clarifying it when booking the room.
For the breakfast, they serve North Indian, and South Indian including live dosa & uttapam, and omelette too. They also offer waffles & pancakes, but when I was there, waffles weren’t available, so you should ask the staff.
The Facilities
The IBIS Chennai City also offers a bar serving scrumptious cocktails & mocktails prepared especially by the bartender. I tried the Blue Haab mocktail which is the bartender’s special and perfect for beating Chennai’s heat.
The hotel also offers free Wi-Fi and parking which is amazing if you’re driving to the hotel.
The Location
IBIS Chennai City Centre is located right in the heart of the city, with Marina Beach only 5 km away. The US Consulate is within walking distance, & the hotel also offers a free shuttle to the same. The Thousand Lights Mosque, another famous pilgrimage place is nearby, and malls and various cafes to hang out are also within reach of the IBIS hotel.
Environment-Friendly Efforts
As a responsible tourist, I always talk to the hotel about their sustainability efforts, and I can proudly say IBIS does its part in this aspect.
The AccorHotels use solar panels all over their chains which means moving towards a reusable energy source. The hotel uses soap & shampoo in a bottle attached to the bathroom wall to avoid using plastic toiletries. IBIS Chennai City Centre is not only reducing its carbon footprint but also avoiding the wastage of food. They utilize the food by consuming it among themselves. Apart from this, they use a proper machine to dispose of the used cooking oil rather than flooding the drains. IBIS can pat their back for this amazing effort.
The Room Tariff
The room rates will vary completely at the time of the booking. If you’re planning early, you might get a decent rate. The room rates start from 3999₹ (55$) to 5500₹ (75$) and if you’re a member of AccorHotels, you’ll get an additional 10% discount all year. The room tariff includes tea & coffee makers for a comfortable stay. Although the rates may vary if you opt only for the room & for bed & breakfast extra rates will apply.
If your prime reason for visiting Chennai is for some work at the US Consulate, then IBIS also provides a free shuttle.
Apart from the US Consulate, there are a gazillion things to do not only in Chennai but also nearby Mahabalipuram or a weekend trip to Pondicherry. IBIS will suit all your needs for leisure or a business trip.
Would I Return?
As an avid fan of Accorhotels, I would always pick the IBIS Hotels as my first preference. I had an amazing time at the hotel, with easy access to the tourist places nearby and the humble staff made my stay memorable.
My Rating
Have you ever stayed in an Accor Hotel or an IBIS chain? Do share your experience with me! If you like to book – check out their official site or use the link here.
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Disclaimer – IBIS Chennai City Centre generously hosted me for this stay but, as always, all opinions are my own.