Ooty-old

   Udhagamandalam popularly known as Ooty and also as Udhagai is a hill station located on the Western Ghats in Tamilnadu. It is one of the famous hill stations in India. It is also called as "Queen of Hill Stations". It is situated at an altitude of 2240 m above sea level on the Nilgiris Mountain Range. Ooty is one of the municipalities and the capital of the Nilgiris District.

   It's scenic landscape and the pleasant weather wins the hearts of the visitors to come again and again. Abundant of lakes, grasslands and eucalyptus trees make Ooty a traveller's dream. Pollution free air and the enchanting tea gardens surrounded by hills soothes our mind feels much relaxed so as it is being the paradise of every nature lover. Toda, the tribal people of this region are the main population of the district.

   Ooty is bounded by Wayanad district, Kerala on the west, Coimbatore and Erode District, Tamilnadu on the east and Mysore District, Karnataka on the north. It is situated at a distance of 86 km north from Coimbatore and 128 km south from Mysore. All facilities are available in Ooty such as ATM, Fuel Station and Refreshment centers. All major destinations are well connected with Ooty.

Attractions in Ooty:

1. Nilgiris Mountain Rail
2. Nilgiris Toy Train 3. Botanical Garden 4. Ooty Lake & Boat house 5. Pykara falls 6. Doddabetta Peak 7. Mudhumalai Wild life Sanctuary 8. Rose Garden 9. Fernhill Palace 10. Shooting spot(6th Mile) 11. Shooting Medu(9th Mile) 12. Pine Forest 13. Elk Hill 14. St. Stephen's Church 15. Stone House 16. Ooty Golf Club 17. Kamaraj Sagar Lake 18. Tea Museum 19. Ketti Valley 20. Emerald Lake 21. Mukurthi National Park 22. Raj Bhavan 23. Avalanche Biosphere Reserve 24. Thunder World 25. Government Museum 26. Bison Valley 27. Wax World 28. Bellikkal Lake 29. Cairn Hill 30. Arranmore Palace 31. Upper Bhavani Lake 32. Glenmorgan 33. Marlimun Lake 34. Tiger Hill

Best Season to visit:

All over the year is the best time to visit.
March to June is much better and pleasant season to visit - Summer Season.
July to september is an ideal season for who wants to see the rain showers - Rainfall Season.
October to February is the dream season for couples as the temperature reaches its lowest - Winter Season.

Climate:

Avg Annual temperature : Min 15°C - Max 20°C
Avg Summer Season: Min 11°C - Max 23°C
Avg Winter Season: Min 5°C - Max 15°C

Cuisine:

There are abundant restaurants in Ooty. North Indian Foods are in minimum numbers only. But the South Indian Foods are in high numbers. Chinese/Indo-Chinese foods are also available in some restaurants in particular Wang's kitchen, Shinkows and Western food such as pizza and sandwiches from chains like Hot Breads. Shinkows is a bit costly. Never let it go without a try Ooty's famous buns, varkis, cakes, and other baked goods, as well as fruit and nut chocolates. Do go for Modern Stores and Kingstar Bakery.

• Hotel Shri Velmurugan (Hotel Velmurugan), Walsham Road, Green fields, Ooty (On the road connecting Alankar Theatre (in Ettines road) and the Commercial Road), ☎ 0423-2444968, 9944817139 (gokulkumar186@gmail.com). 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM. Enjoy delicious vegetarian & non-vegetarian food, tea, coffee and snacks. Moderate.  

• Earl's Secret, Kings Cliff.  

• C-Store, C/O Niligiri Petroleum Company, Charring Cross, Ooty (heart of ooty), ☎ 0423-2442447.  

• Modern Stores (www.moddys1951.com), Garden Road,Ooty, ☎ 04232442678,2447353. Best Home made chocolates in ooty since 1951.buy chocolates,tea,spices and ooty related products 

• Side Walk Cafe (restaurant). Italian cuisine. 

• Hotel Blue hills in Commercial Road. Over a decade they are serving biriyani and other dishes so far they still remain the best non-veg hotel in this region.
  
  
• Krishan. lower bazaar, near bus stand, ooty   

• Hotel Darsahan, Lake Road Near Boat House Ooty (In front of Boat House Ooty), ☎ 0423 2452288. 7.30am-10.00pm. Best Hotel To Stay and Dine Veg Foods in ooty

Stay:

Hotels and Lodging may vary according to the price. Budget level hotels are available vastly in ooty compare to other tourist places. Indian Famous Hotels and lodges are also available here.

• Hotel Darshan, near Lake Boat House, 0423 2452288,2443378,2443807, hoteldarshan@yahoo.co.in. About 1.25 km from the bus stand and railway station. 34 rooms overlooking the lake, restaurant, room service, 24 hrs hot & cold water, in-house laundry, carpeted rooms, cable tv, parking, camp fire, doctor on call, travel desk, group accommodation available for small and large groups. 900 and up.

• Hotel Mayura Sudarshan (Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation),Fern Hill, Ooty, Tamil Nadu, 0423-2443828,Contact: Mr.Suresh 8970650052,info@karnatakaholidays.net. Clean and large cottages. Location gives a very pleasant view in the morning with all the cloud and mist around. There is a garden with decorative plants for a good walk in evening or morning. Prices are Reasonable. Recently Ooty Horticulture department has established a large garden on fern-hill in front of this Hotel. Good for nature lovers and family.

• Sunshine Inn Mobile - 99433-33323 or 98942-96961 3 Star property with 70 rooms. Includes a restaurant, room service, in-house laundry, travel desk, and car parking is available inside the hotel premises. Season tariff starts from Rs.1800 + tax.

• Reflections Guest House. It comes with good views of the lake and hills. The location is very good - short walk to train station and bus stop, short walk to the boat house, Thread Gardens and other tourist attractions. The food in the restaurant is good value for its price and nicely cooked. The owners are helpful and professional, and the common spaces make it a very friendly place to stay.

• Sherlock Hotel. A newly renovated colonial villa several kilometers away from the town with breathtaking views of the surrounding hills and warm and friendly service. Rooms have cozy fireplaces and cost between Rs. 1875 and Rs. 3000 depending on size and view. The restaurant alone is worth a visit serving outstanding murgh boti masala and mint paranthas. Several short walking trails start nearby. 

• Hotel Savoy from the Taj Group is one good option.Sitting firm on a rising hill, the Hotel sprawls over six acres of landscaped gardens, offering colonial style cottages that were built between 1834-1865. Colorful flowerbeds merge to form a multi-coloured quilt around the cottages, adding to their gentle refinement and old English Charm. A quiet retreat, the Savoy Hotel offers a little pocket of paradise.

• Hotel Sinclair, Gorishola Road, ☎ +91-0423-2444309 (ooty@sinclairshotels.com, fax: +91-0423-2444229). Great view of Ooty and surrounding hills. 5 minutes drive to go to the town market and restaurants. The hotel has its own restaurant and a bar.  from Rs. 2000 to 10000.  

• Hotel Maneck, Main Bazaar, ☎ 2443494. Very central hotel near horse race track with good economical restaurant on basement. Both hotel and restaurant are under Jain management. The rooms start from INR 850 ( ~ 15 USD ) 

• Sullivan court, Near Rose Garden. 5 Star Luxury Hotel of Ooty. Most famous hotel, best rooms, part of ITC Hotels India.  

• Hotel Tamilnadu, Its a very reasonable rate govt. hotel with a value for money. Good south indian food is available , but if you want other variety of food better go for other restaurants. Standards rooms cost 1000/- per night. Online booking facilities are available also. Go to ttdc page for online booking

• Colonial Heritage Bungalow amidst picturesque gardens and lawns right near the heart of Ooty. All the rooms have wooden flooring and panelling, Victorian furniture and bay windows overlooking the lawn. The bathrooms are large with modern fittings. All the rooms have have a TV with cable connection. The garden surrounding the bungalow is large enough for families to enjoy some outdoor games or to also relax under the garden umbrellas. The garden has walnut, tomato, peach and passion fruit trees and two quaint waterfalls crafted from springs. Local sightseeing, trekking, pick-up from nearest railway/ bus station or airport can be arranged on prior request. The bungalow is located barely a 10 min walk from the Ooty town centre. This homestay is a 100 year old Colonial bungalow on one acre of land, only a km away from Ooty town. The owners live on the premises on the upstairs portion of the bungalow. This homestay is ideal for families with children or for groups of friends.  

• A simple & quiet place in the residential parts of Ooty. This Guest House has four double rooms, a kitchen, dining and a large terrace. The cottage is rented out as a whole and not individual rooms, so that our guest can enjoy their privacy. The common living room has a TV and there is a large well maintained front lawn lined with a flower bed where you can enjoy both your morning tea and your evenings. There is enough space on the property to park two cars. Extra cars can be parked outside. The caretaker speaks Kannada, Tamil and Hindi. A cook can be arranged for the duration of your stay at approximately Rs.500 a day and a Tourist Guide for about Rs.400 per day.  

• Fully furnished three bedroom heritage bungalow in Ooty each with its own fireplace. Built in the early 1900's, this property in Ooty is a fully furnished colonial building with three bedrooms, each with its own fire place, a living and dining area and a well manicured garden, perfect for a bonfire or a barbecue.The entire bungalow is laid out with antique teak and rose wood furniture. There is a fully functional kitchen with an in house chef. Usage of the kitchen is charged for at Rs.100 per day and food can be paid for at actuals directly at the accommodation. The accommodation is located about 10 min away from Ooty station and is just off the main town.  

• This Apartment - styled homestay is located close to many sight-seeing places in Ooty. This Homestay is close to the famous Rose Gardens, Charring Cross, Botanical gardens, shopping centers and the bus stand in Ooty. There are 5 rooms in total, 2 of which are Deluxe rooms situated on the ground floor and three of them are Luxury rooms located on the first floor. Both the floors are independent of each other with a spacious hall and dining area. The rooms at this Homestay are spacious, tastefully furnished, clean with en-suite bathrooms and western toilets.

• A six-bed room Heritage House built in 1856, Ooty. This Heritage House has been refurbished to retain its authentic and unique character but with the conveniences of today. It is set among set among two and a half acres of sprawling lawns and English flower gardens. With it colonial decor and old world charm, it embodies all things that make Ooty the perfect getaway. At night, why not gaze at the stars from the lawns and then have a great sleep in our comfortable beds, with linen, towels and essential toiletries provided for your stay and have your fire place lit in the bedroom for the extra warmth. Conveniently located to allow its guests to enjoy all the attractions that Ooty offers, from the rolling hills of the Gymkhana golf course and the landmark Ooty Club, home of the game of Snooker to the shopping areas and restaurants, it is the perfect home stay accommodation to relax and unwind and an idyllic get away from the hustle and bustle of city living.  

• LifeIsOutside:  Apart from the above listed places to stay, LifeIsOutside has a handpicked selection of luxury resorts and plantation homestays around the region..☎ +91 88800 36677.

• Sterling Ooty Elk Hill (A Sterling Hoiday Resort), No 25, Ramakrishna Mutt Road, R.K.Puram, ☎ 0423 2452634. checkin: 12:00; checkout: 10:00. Amid lofty Nilgiri peaks and low passing clouds, the sloping roofs and terracotta tiles of Sterling Holidays Elk Hill Resort emerge and vanish. As you look out on Ooty valley from your room’s balcony or sit-out, time seems to stand still. 3000 to 4000.  

• Funstay, ☎ 9902860849. Funstay cottages, Resorts and Tents are the best experitential stays in and around Ooty with attached washrooms, party space, Room services, Food service, car parking, In house laundry and Hot running water. These homestays in Ooty are just 3 to 4 km away from Ooty bus stop and railway station. Starts from 1550 to 6500 per person per night.

How to reach:

By Road: Ooty Bus station connects popular towns around Tamilnadu and other states such as Kerala and Karnataka. 

By Train: Nilgiris Toy Train connects Ooty only with Mettupalayam through NMR metre gauge. Nearest Railway Stations are Coimbatore and Tirupur where abundant trains available to all major destinations.

By Air: Coimbatore and Salem are the nearest Airports to connect Ooty with other cities through the Air.

Nearby Tourist Attractions:

Coonoor, Kotagiri, Kodanad, Masinagudi, Gudalur, Wayanad, Mysore, Coimbatore.