Green Hotel

Rooms

The Green Hotel has 31 rooms (no less than you would expect for a princess!) spread between the original building (7 rooms) and the garden block (24 rooms). They range from basic Traveller Rooms at budget prices, to the still affordable Princess Suite, which is large, ornate and adorable. We'd advise requesting one of the Palace rooms, if you can.

We found that every room had a simple charm of its own. They were all large and very clean, with tiled floors and white walls. The furnishings throughout are tasteful, from the stained glass windows to the local handiworks and carvings. The ensuite bathrooms are functional (though not much more), with showers in the cheaper rooms and bath-showers in the more expensive ones. But don't expect many mod cons - the sustainable principles mean there's no air conditioning or TVs, for instance. Imagine instead that you're in a 19th-century novel by local author R K Narayan.

The original building has a more homely feel, with 7 double rooms tucked away off a wooden staircase. These include the 2-room Honeymoon Suite, the Bollywood Suite (decorated with panels featuring old movie stars), the elegant Marigold Suite, and a smaller room for single travellers. You can also book half of the Bollywood Suite but these rooms (Bollywood Small and Large) are both a bit too cosy for comfort. The garden block rooms, most of which are twin-bedded, have their own terrace. Don't be misled by the (semi)-deluxe tag - they are pretty basic; and previous guests have warned of barking dogs, traffic noise and morning chatter from nearby staff accommodation.

Eating

Unusually for India, the breakfast, which is included in the room price, includes eggs, toast, fruit and even porridge on request. It's taken in the lovely gardens under an invariably bright blue sky (Mysore's benign climate is famous).

The main dining room, also open to non-residents, is at the front of the building looking out over immaculate lawns. It's very informal, though the service is excellent. After a day's shopping you can cool down with an Indian beer or even champagne, or sip the fresh lime soda in which the house specialises. We then tucked into a dinner of gobi mancurian (a Chinese cauliflower dish), though the aloo gobi and chicken vindaloo combination was too much for us.

There are plenty of veggie dishes, and lighter snacks are available throughout the day (including crisp cinnamon toast at tea-time). And if you've had one curry too many, the staff can even rustle up a good old cheese sandwich.

Features include:

• Restaurant
• Restaurants nearby

Activities

• Visit the 1912 Palace, a triumph of Indo-Saracenic architecture, with domed halls, arches, carved pillars and marble floors
  
  
• Admire the adjacent Jayachamaraj Art Gallery, with its collection of the Maharajah's finds from his travels
  
  
• Climb the 1000 pilgrims' steps (or take a rickshaw) up Chamundi Hill to the temple at the top, with its 40m high gopuram column
  
  
• Drive out to Lalitha Mahal, the Maharajah's stunning summer palace (now a hotel)
  
  
• Visit Sriangapatnam, a fortress set on an island on the Caulvery River; it houses a temple, a mosque and the summer palace of the famous Tiger of Mysore (an 18th-century Sultan and anti-British hero named Tipu)
  
  
• Stroll through the ornamental Brindavan Gardens near the Krishnaraja Sagar dam - a popular picnic spot by day and lit by illuminated fountains in the evening
  
  
• Browse through Mysore's markets and shops for silks, saris and trinkets
  
  
• Or tour the silk factory and its shop
  
  
• Visit the railway museum, with its 'royal toilet', or the folklore museum (at the university), with its carved wooden figures and masks from Karnatakan villages
  
  
• Take your family to Mysore Zoo, or the lakeside Bird Sanctuary
  
  
• Drive to the coffee plantations of Coorg
  
  
• Or, further afield, head to the game reserves at Bandipur (80km away) and Nagarhole (95km away), home to elephants, leopards, macaques, langur, sloth bears and about 50 tigers

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Shopping / markets
• Wildlife
• Yoga

Kids

All ages are welcome. Under 8s sleep free in their parents’ room (using existing bedding); extra beds are available for a charge. Particularly good for families is the Honeymoon Suite with 2 bedrooms.

There's space for children to play and games to amuse them both indoors and outdoors, including carrom boards, chess, badminton and croquet. Mysore, with its parks, zoo and markets, should keep children amused for a while, though they would no doubt prefer to head off to wildlife parks and beaches!

Family friendly accommodation:

Extra Beds Available, Family Rooms

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Green Hotel is set in Mysore in the state of Karnataka, adjoining Kerala, in southern India. It's 160km from Calicut.

By Air
Calicut Kozhikode (160km away) is the closest airport, though you'll probably fly into one of the major Indian hubs then catch a connecting domestic flight; click on the links below for a list of airlines.

From the Airport
You would need to drive from Calicut to Mysore (either hire a car or arrange a chauffeur-driven transfer; enquire when booking).

By Train
There's a good rail link to Mysore from Bangalore. The hotel rickshaw will meet you at the station.

Getting Around
Guests get use of the hotel rickshaw, though its central location means you can walk to most places within Mysore. The hotel's travel desk can also help arrange transport.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

More on getting to Karnataka and getting around