Safari Lodge

A good choice if you’re planning a safari and hoping to see wildlife. The rooms are decent, meals come with the package, and the itinerary keeps you occupied during the stay. Definitely worth a visit.

We paid $200 and were left with a thoroughly miserable stay. The safari was cancelled because of a government ban, which wasn’t the hotel’s fault, but nobody explained or handled the situation properly. The rooms were old, dirty, and in poor condition. The bathroom faucets leaked, and they put buckets beneath them to “save water.” That’s ridiculous and embarrassing, not eco-friendly. The listing said there’d be a hair dryer and a TV, but neither was there. We’d already paid for lunch and didn’t eat it, yet they still charged us for bottled water. Completely shameless. Avoid this hotel. I do NOT recommend staying here.

I wouldn’t recommend staying here unless the safari is your main priority. There wasn’t much to do without one, and the Mysore-Ooty road traffic outside was annoying. The grounds are tiny and take only a few minutes to walk across. After reading reviews and watching vlogs that made it sound much bigger, I’m left wondering how many were genuine. Our one-night stay had no safari because the Karnataka government had cancelled them indefinitely. Guests are promised a spot on the Jeep safaris, which was the only reason we stayed despite knowing the facilities were basic. We couldn’t judge the safari itself. The rooms have a/c, but they’re very outdated. We were in the most expensive option, the Maharaja package, and its bathroom was clean but still very basic and old. Food was decent, though it didn’t match the high standard at JLR in Kabini. The rooms and facilities were also much more basic than JLR in Kabini.

They could offer more to do at JLR BSL between safaris, especially for guests who aren’t going on one. The stay is otherwise very focused on safari, with tea and snacks before and after outings. It’s the best place for jeep safaris into Bandipura National Park; other resorts don’t offer the jeep trips or the naturalists’ knowledge. The staff are among the friendliest you’ll meet. Food is adequate, with enough variety to keep everyone happy.