pricesquire

Hi all,

Moving to India on Oct. 29. Will be there until Dec. 14.

That is a considerable amount of time to be in that part of the globe.

Frankly, I'm not tied to only seeing things in India (working on a trip to the Maldives and two weeks either in Sri Lanka and/or Northern India).

That said, the one area that looks the hardest to pin down is South India.

Specifically: Bangalore, Kerala, Mysore, Chennai, Goa, etc.

Anyone been in this neck of the woods?

Also, TRAIN TRAVEL!! Anyone?!

FlyingDoctorwu

don't have any specific recommendations on hotels but my buddy did a houseboat thingy on the brackish backwaters of Kerala for his honeymoon and quite liked it....

FDW

pricesquire

Any and all details would be appreciated!

MikeFromTokyo

The Taj Vivanta properties, such as the one in Kerala, look interesting. I have not been, but it seems like Vivanta is a nice concept. Not really high-end, but I suspect they are a good choice if looking to explore that region. I like rustic, eco friendly resorts in beautiful natural settings, so they have caught my eye.

vuittonsofstyle

Yes, I have been in this neck of the woods and you are right in thinking that there is not much there when it comes to deluxe properties.

Out of all of Taj's Vivanta properties, the best by far is Madikeri in Coorg - quite a trek to get to from Bangalore, but well worth it - http://www.vivantabytaj.com/madikeri.../overview.html

In Bangalore, one of the butler suites at Taj West End can be a pleasant experience - not perfect, but historic and very much of the place, compared to the new hotels in the IT district, which are all businesss. The Tata Suite here is terrific. You can take a car from Bangalore to Mysore for a look, but there is nowhere good to stay. Best thing about Mysore is the market. http://www.tajhotels.com/luxury/city.../overview.html

In Chennai, it has to be The Leela Palace - a whimsical hotel with great service and some very good restaurants. You can get a driver to take you to Mahabalipurham, but there is nowhere decent to stay yet. http://www.theleela.com/locations/chennai

In Kerala and its environs, Oberoi's lovely boat, the Vrinda, is the best way to see the backwaters of the region - http://www.oberoihotels.com/kerala-backwaters/ - a much better experience than any of the resorts/hotels, which are generally quite modest in comparison.

In Goa, nothing truly stands out - it's all a bit package-tour. I prefer The Leela Goa, but only if you stay in The Club, and even then, preferably in a Club Suite - http://www.theleela.com/locations/go...uites/the-club

Enjoy your few months in the south!

blueline7

I recently stayed in Bengaluru (Bangalore) at the Taj West End, and had a very pleasant stay, although it was not in the same league as other places I had been to, such as the Taj Falaknuma, Leela Delhi, Taj Mahal Palace, etc. I would not rush to stay there again, but it may be the best on offer in that particular location.

In Kochi, I recently stayed at the Crowne Plaza, as it came down to that property and the Taj Vivanta Malabar as the only decent options. The Malabar looked tired so I had to pick the Crowne Plaza. Service was particularly good, but it was just as expected, and nothing special.

vuittonsofstyle

I agree that Taj West End is not a patch on Falaknuma Palace, but I retain a certain fondness for its flame trees, suites and old Colonial charm. It beats staying in IT-land.

EfficientTraveller

In Kochi, Bruntons Boatyard is not truly luxury - the rooms (and especially the bathrooms) are a little basic for that but it does have a fantastic location, beautiful views and great food (Rick Stein popped in for cooking tips when filming his India series). It could be worth a night or two.

We've also just come back from a fantastic experience staying at the Oberois in Agra, Jaipur and Udaipur which were fantastic if you want to explore Northern India.

blueline7

Agreed.

And the grounds, in the middle of the city, are indeed quite impressive.

SanDiego1K

My apologies for being a contrarian, but we did it and didn't like it. I had taken a back water ride on a trip to Cochin and loved it. We went into the smaller waterways and saw local life. It was special. I thought that the overnight trip would be similar. It wasn't. My husband and I booked a rice barge. It only went down the main waterway and we didn't see any of the intimate village life that so enthralled me when on a smaller boat. The scenery didn't change much and it became very tedious. We had to anchor by dark which was 6pm and did so in a area where the waterway was quite large. We could see nothing. We could occasionally hear the whish whish of paddles as other boats went by. We freaked about the ease of someone reaching into our cabin and taking our luggage. Fortunately, we had a cable lock and secured our bags. The cabin was incredibly hot so we bumped our crew from the front prow area and slept there. In the middle of the night, I needed to use the toilet. I forgot the step down from the prow, pitched forward, and ended up with a black eye. Did it look romantic? Yes, very much so. Was it? No, never again.

chelsea2

I have been to Bangalore many times for business and can't say there was too much to see/do. Multiple stays at the Lela Palace and the Oberoi, but neither wowed me in any way. My sense is this is a city you mostly visit for the purpose of doing business rather than as a tourist.

Kettering Northants QC

For all things train and rail related my first point of reference is Seat 61.com

http://www.seat61.com/India.htm

LuvLuxeTravel

There are a lot of luxury houseboats for rent in kerala. The main ports being Kottayam and Allapuzha. Your best best for the renting the most luxurious might to be to have it arranged through the luxury hotel you are staying at in Kerala as all the top hotels are knowledgeable and can either make the reservation for you or point you in the right direction. Would defenitely get a houseboat with an AC for comfort and try to go through the small waterways etc to see everyday life as people go to work and kids go to school etc since thats what makes it so memorable.