Hotels in Chennai, Coimbatore, Ooty, Trivandrum

rab

My wife and I are travelling to Tamil Nadu and Kerala next week. Seems to have been ages in the planning and just can't wait!

Anyway can anyone recommend decent, clean and secure hotels in the above cities (low priced if poss - anything up to about 1000 rupees max per night)? Any tips about what to expect at Chennai airport - where to get a prepaid taxi at the airport (Chennai), where to eat, etc all the usual stuff ...?

Also we plan to visit the Blue Mountain railway and visit Ooty. Any tips on where to stay or eat would be great.

Cheers
Richard and Angela

indiamike

In Ooty I would definitely recommend Reflections Guest House (443834) right by the lake. It is a small family run guest house with good rooms and great service.

Reservations are recommended since they tend to fill up real fast. Prices are decent 200 to 300 rupees with private bath/hot shower and Tv.

Mike

rab

Thanks Mike will try it and let you know how we get on. Any other ideas in these areas anyone?

Richard and Angela

jsr

When we went to Chennai, we stayed at a pretty clean, decent hotel near the Broadlands on Triplicane High Road, but I can't remember the name exactly. It was something like Hotel R---. Anyway, I can give directions. Ask the rickshaw driver to take you to the Broadlands, but don't go in as it is not only a dump, but overpriced as well. Instead, head back to Triplicane High Road (about a 15-30 second walk) and turn right (you will be walking south on Triplicane High Road). Walk one block and it's on the corner on your right.

We got a double bed with nice clean white sheets, cable(?) TV, fan and very clean Indian-style bathroom for about 250 rupees, if I remember correctly. The staff seemed genuinely glad to see us, as well (but that could be because my boyfriend apparently resembles some famous cricket player--we got about 5 or 6 inquiries). I don't think they get lots of foreign visitors, because they aren't in the Lonely Planet or Footprint. Indeed, we only ended up there because the other options in the immediate area were squalid (Broadlands) or overpriced for what they were (Comfort and Himalaya).

As we were leaving India from there, I wanted to be in that area because it was near all of the shops on Anna Salai and we could get all of the souvenirs that we had successfully refrained from buying earlier. Also, it is near the beach.

With a budget of 1000 Rs, you might be looking for something nicer, but I hope this helps.

About where to eat, I posted something about a Mexican food restaurant on the cuisine page. As for Indian food, I recommend getting a "meal", or "thali" for lunch, served almost everywhere in the south. You get a banana leaf piled high with rice and lots of veggie side dishes for anywhere from 12Rs to 70Rs, depending on the establishment. The price doesn't always correspond to the quality. You might not want to have them every day, as I did, because I gained 4 kilos in India in only two months, and spent three getting them off. I'm the only person I know who gained weight in India.

Sorry this is so long and happy trails!

jsr

Oh, and the rickshaw drivers in Chennai are a b#$%h. Don't be afraid to stand up for yourself if you think they are overcharging you. The first day I was there, a rickshaw driver would not turn on the road that I asked, saying that it was one way, despite the two-way traffic on it. The next day a different driver told me it was one-way the OTHER way! I simply refused to pay the full fare, deducting what I thought was right (luckily, we had had an honest driver in the interim of the cheats, so we knew a ballpark figure.) The driver didn't get angry, so I'm pretty sure we did the right thing.

madanapalle2

The comments on the Broadlands are a bit harsh. I guess it depends and your history and comfort level, but after about 35 years traveling in India, I find the rooms(most of them)reasonably clean and adequate but they do vary greatly from room to room. I doubt if the poster above really explored the place, which has a nice garden feel ala New Orleans. A clean room in a big city for 150 rupees isn't near being overpriced.

indiamike

I agree, I stayed at the Broadlands awhile back and treated myself to one of the larger rooms. I though it was a decent buy for the money, it could have been better (roomwise) but the place did have a "nice garden feel" to it.

Mike

charlottehagg

Hi people!

interesting to read about Chennai since I am going there in 2 months to study for 10 weeks on my own. havnt been there before so looking forward to it and hoping that I will like it. Just dont know where and how I want to live. Would like to have a flat or so so I can boil som tea and cook food.

indiamike

You should drop a line to one of our member Jennifer Polan, she goes by the name of Jap5 and lived in Chennai for awhile. She hasn't been around here in awhile but I am sure if you emailed her she probably could give some good advice.

Mike