Coffee enthusiast or not, Coorg, known as the ‘Coffee Cup of India’ has something to enchant every traveller. From rolling coffee plantations to delicious Kodava cuisine, gushing waterfalls to cute coffee houses – you can spend anywhere from a couple of days to a few weeks unearthing the secrets of this serene hill station. I recently did a road trip from Goa to Coorg – and if you’re looking for a monsoon getaway, you’re in for a treat! But I won’t bore you with descriptions of Coorg – the vistas need to be seen to be admired. Let’s talk about where you can park your bags in this little paradise.
WHERE TO STAY IN COORG
Whether you’re looking for a romantic getaway where you can check in and chill, an action-packed holiday, a budget trip with your gang, or a place you can workation out, you’ll find it here. Coorg has thousands of homestays and while 400 of them are registered under the local Homestay Association, the vast majority are not. A handful of luxury resorts exist, but travellers highly recommend picking a homestay to get under the skin of the place.
VICTORIAN VERANDAZ
My personal favourite among the 3 places I stayed at on my trip – this homely stay is located close to the main town of Madikeri, so you’ll be close to the action yet far enough to relax. Run by a lovely couple called Thimmaiyah and Diana, this homestay is located on a 100-acre property offering you the best views of Coorg you can imagine. You’ll be treated to extremely warm hospitality – including fabulous breakfasts, a drive through the coffee estate, nature walks and more. The property houses a massive collection of antiques collected passionately for generations by the owners – so you can touch and feel the equipment used to make coffee hundreds of years ago. You can visit the granary, marvel at old photos, go birding and more. If you can brave the leeches (I couldn’t), you can explore a waterfall on the property, four lakes and a perennial stream, too. Some of the crops grown at Victorian Verandaz include coffee, pepper, cardamom and paddy. Dozens of fruits, veggies and gorgeous flowers grow everywhere – and it is quite possible that you come across some wildlife too – boars, mongooses, snakes and the like.
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All that – and I haven’t touched upon the rooms yet! The rooms at Victorian Verandaz are homely, simple and spotlessly clean. We had uninterrupted Wi-Fi and could work with ease. My Cottage room had a TV, snacks, toiletries and a shared balcony, however, if you choose to stay in rooms called, Rustica and Hermitage, they are more traditional and simple, but comfortable as well.
ISLAND HOMESTAY
Located on the banks of the river Cauveri, Island Homestay is quite literally located on an island and is surrounded by dense forest. While the location (Napoklu) may not be very convenient, as it is situated 20 km away from the main town of Madikeri, it offers you an opportunity to disconnect and enjoy your own company. This budget homestay in Coorg is extremely simple and rustic, and what it lacks in luxury, it makes up for in terms of hospitality. From a weather-permitting barbeque to swimming and kayaking in the river, adventure lovers will enjoy this homestay in Coorg, whereas those who don’t like roughing it, digital nomads and travellers with expectations of luxury may find it unsuitable to their tastes. The rooms are minimally done up, but sufficiently comfortable for a short stay. Read more about Island Homestay here.
TRIPTHRILL.COM
TripThrill is a website offering modest, family-friendly homestays in Coorg. One of my hotel-stays in Coorg was booked on this website, and it was the most luxurious of all the 3 places I stayed at. With room service, great connectivity, polite service, a private pool and a massive room overlooking the lawns, I couldn’t fault my stay. My room was priced at Rs. 14,000/- which is more than 4x the tariffs of the other stays mentioned above, and while stays that come at such a cost have a far better standard of luxury, it was a stay I thoroughly enjoyed.
Hope you enjoyed this blog post! If you’ve visited Coorg, comment below and let me know where you stayed.
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