Royal Orchid Metropole Mysore

We checked into Royal Orchid Metropole in Mysore on December 24th, my wife, daughter and I, without a reservation after an unexpected problem with another hotel. We prepaid for three nights at ₹11,000 a night for a room meant for three adults. We weren't told at check-in that our room was on the first floor with no elevator access. My wife has severe knee issues, so the stairs were uncomfortable for her, though she managed. We understood when the hotel said it was full for the holiday season and couldn't move us. The room felt small for three adults. The bathroom was poorly lit, and the shower drained slowly, leaving water in the bathtub. We called the in-house plumber late at night, but the problem wasn't fully fixed. My teenage daughter found it so off-putting that she refused to shower. Because of these problems, we asked to check out early the next morning. Soundarya at reception said hotel policy meant no refund under any circumstances, so we felt we had no practical choice but to stay. On the morning of the 25th, I asked housekeeping to clean only the bathroom. The staff member put a cleaning brush inside the commode, then handled the drinking water bottles without washing or sanitizing his hands. I refused the water and bought some outside because I no longer trusted the hotel's hygiene. We didn't confront him, since we felt the hotel was responsible for staff training and quality control. At check-in, staff talked at length about the hotel's heritage and history, which we appreciated. But those stories can't replace basic hygiene, comfort and professional service. We usually stay at a nearby business hotel when we're in Mysore. It doesn't have the heritage story, but in our experience it has consistently kept things clean and safe and treated guests with respect. My wife emailed the hotel's General Manager about the hygiene and guest handling, asking for a review and details of any corrective steps taken during our stay. We still haven't received a reply, which is surprising!! A friend who'd stayed here before said they'd never had such problems and that different staff usually handled room cleaning and water refreshments. That made us wonder if there was different treatment or a lapse during the peak season. Breakfast was above average for the price, though repetitive after two days. The business hotel we usually use has a more varied, higher-quality spread that we've enjoyed over multiple visits. The room also felt too small for the rate. There were disappointing parts, but I wouldn't call the hotel entirely bad. It's still a heritage hotel in a great location. We enjoyed the dinner music on the 24th and 25th, especially the latter evening. Staff seemed generally cordial, though room service was delayed, probably because of peak-season workloads. Staff may be overworked and too few in number, which seems to affect service standards.

I stayed for one night and had a very pleasant time. The heritage room was a highlight, with its large balcony and cool shade from the mango trees. Room service was prompt and efficient. For improvement, I'd suggest food warmers for the lunch and breakfast buffets so the meals stay hot. I'd highly recommend the property if you'd like to experience the regal hospitality once enjoyed by the distinguished guests of the Wodeyars.

I'm a solo traveller, and my travel agent booked this hotel. My driver spoke highly of it, so I thought, thank goodness, maybe another good hotel. At check-in I was welcomed with diya and kumkum. I told the lady I didn't want Aarti, since we do that for God. They said they'd upgraded my room, which I was fine with. It was very spacious, with a balcony, and the bathroom was a good size too. My stay included breakfast and dinner. At dinner that evening, the staff made me feel like I was a free lodger. There was no service with a smile. It was à la carte, and I asked what they could make without onion or garlic, since I eat Jain food. The gentleman said he could make dal spinach curry, but my first bite was full of garlic. They made a new curry, but the service still didn't feel warm. I also didn't get lemon water to wash my hands, which I only learned about the next day, and had to remind them about dessert. I went back to my room wondering how I'd manage another day there. The next morning, a gentleman on staff approached me with a smile at breakfast and made sure I enjoyed it. He promised proper dinner, then personally looked after me that evening. I really enjoyed the meal. BIG SHOUT OUT TO RAVI R for making sure I enjoyed the food. Thank you Ravi R.

At the Mysore Metropole, complaints seemed to go nowhere, and the food was very oily. The Shikari restaurant had lots of mosquitoes, and a few guests left without eating. The service was really bad. Stay away. Bangalore Royal Orchid is much better, they know how to treat guests.