If you're looking for a place to stay in Mamallipuram, this is it. It's centrally located close to all the major attractions (a 10-15 minute walk to most of them) and to a variety of good restaurants and loads of shops--though you'll likely grow weary of the constant requests for your business. Because of this, the Sea Breeze is a great place. It's secluded, quiet, has an amazingly nice and immaculately clean pool, a beach front to go splash in the waves of the Bay of Bengal, and a solid restaurant for dinner that can even find you a cold beer. The breakfast in the morning will appeal to both Indian and Western tastes, and the coffee, though not great, is solid enough to get an American through the day.
On our stay, there was a mix-up between our booking agency (Hotels.com) and the hotel that did cause some hassle, but the staff there handled it very professionally and courteously... I was impressed.