JC Residency - Madurai, TN
/We stayed three nights in Madurai at JC Residency (mid-March 2018) (executive room with breakfast Rs4,6099 or US$72 including GST).
Reflections on India
On our first visit to Southeast Asia in the winter of 2016-2017 we initially planned to visit Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. We planned to be traveling about three months. All along the way it became a little comical as fellow travelers kept asking us if we planned to include a visit to Myanmar. As our planned itinerary was nearing the conclusion we realized we were returning to the still cold weather of Portland, Oregon USA in mid-March. Why? So we heeded what was obviously the Universe’s clarion call to add a visit to Myanmar and we spent three weeks at several locations mostly in the north. Each of the countries in SE Asia are distinct yet so close geographically. Something about Myanmar’s mystery and history was an instant portal to our next travel destination which immediately consumed our dreams. India was calling. And we both felt ready to rise to the challenge!
We were under the impression that travel in India could be, would be challenging. We saw the benefit of not waiting any longer. We weren’t getting any younger!
We knew we wanted to stay more than what a 30 day tourist visa would allow us to see and do but weren’t really sure how long we would stay. At that time, if you didn’t arrange the 30 day visa, then the 10-year tourist visa was the next option. So we sent our passports to the Indian embassy in Washington, D.C. and they were returned with gorgeous 10-year tourist visas. We were ready to stay more than 30 days and less than the generous annual maximum of six months.
The following fall/winter 2017-2018 we ultimately did stay, perhaps surprisingly, the entire six months allowed by our visa, spending three months in northern India and three months in southern India. We fell in love with India, the people and the food. We loved the trains, we loved how chaotic things could be to get from point A to point B. It was a challenge and we rose to it. We absorbed India, we loved India and India loved us back. It cracked us wide open and busted our butts!
We returned after our epic, grand tour spending the summer back home in Portland. We never stopped talking about India, studying about India and we ate Indian food about five nights a week for dinner perfecting our homemade curry.
The following winter we spent in Panama and Costa Rica, but the fall and winter after that we returned to India for three more months discovering new destinations not our on initial itinerary.
We absorbed India, we loved India and India loved us back. It cracked us wide open and busted our butts! To this present day India is still one of our biggest teachers and closest friends — strange as that may sound, but true.
OUR HOTEL STAYS IN SOUTH INDIA
Scroll the page to browse all our hotel stays or select one from the list below...
Karnataka (KA)
Goldfinch Hotel- Mangalore, KA
Lemon Tree Premier - Bangalore, KA
Radisson Blu Hotel - Mysore, KA
Elanza Hotel - Bangalore, KA
Clarks Exotica Convention Resort & Spa - Bangalore, KA
(see Central India for more hotels in northern Karnataka)
Tamil Nadu (TN)
Angel Hotel - Tiruppur, TN
Carlton Hotel - Kodiakanal, TN
Chariot Beach Resort - Mahabalipuram, TN
Chidambara Vilas - Kadiapatty, TN
JC Residency - Madurai, TN
Kerala (KL)
Chandys Windy Woods - Munnar, KL
Mountain Courtyard - Thekaddy, KL
Hindustan Beach Resort - Varkala, KL
Lake Canopy Hotel - Alleppey, KL
Daffodil Spice Court - Kochi, KL
Blue Lotus Houseboat - Alleppey, KL
El Oceano Beach Villas - Alleppey, KL
More South India content:
Travel map of India
"Keeping it Real" tour summary
Our friends in south India
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Chidambara Vilas - Kadiapatty, TN
/We stayed three nights in southern India’s Chetinad region in the very small village of Kadiapatti (near the town of Pudukkottai and the city of Tiruchirappalli) at the Chidambara Vilas (mid-March 2018) (heritage double with breakfast Rs8,495 or US$132 including GST).
Our video mentions the inspiration to visit this area came from a 2017 New York Times Magazine article. You can read that NYT article here.
Chariot Beach Resort - Mahabalipuram, TN
/We stayed three nights in Mahabalipuram at the Chariot Beach Resort (early March 2018) (deluxe garden view with breakfast Rs8,528 or US$133 including GST).
Clarks Exotica Convention Resort & Spa - Bangalore, KA
/We stayed two nights in Bangalore at Clarks Exotica Convention Resort and Spa (early March 2018) (exotica double room with breakfast Rs6,970 or US$109 not including GST).
El Oceano Beach Villas- Alleppey, KL
/We stayed two nights in Alleppey at El Oceano Beach Villas (early March 2018) (Heritage Room with breakfast Rs8,272 or US$129).
Blue Lotus Houseboat - Alleppey, KL
/We stayed one night in Alleppey on Blue Lotus Houseboat (early March 2018) (two bedroom premium houseboat with full time ac & upper deck with breakfast, lunch & dinner Rs14,500 or US$226 including GST).
Daffodil Spice Court - Kochi, KL
/We stayed one night in Kochi at Daffodil Spice Court Hotel (late February 2018) (deluxe room with breakfast Rs3,910 or US$61 including GST).
Elanza Hotel - Bangalore, KA
/We stayed one night in Bangalore at the Elanza Hotel (late February 2018) as a quick stopover (deluxe room with breakfast Rs5,309 or US$83 including GST).
Radisson Blu Hotel - Mysore, KA
/We stayed three nights in Mysore at Radisson Blu (late February 2018) (superior double with breakfast Rs6,004 or US$94 including GST).
Lemon Tree Premier - Bangalore, KA
/We stayed three nights in Bangalore at Lemon Tree Premier Hotel (mid-February 2018) (business double with breakfast Rs6,312 or US$98 including GST). This is a much lower weekend rate than rooms booked during the business week.
Lake Canopy Hotel - Alleppey, KL
/We stayed three nights in Alleppey at Lake Canopy (mid-February 2018) (premium room with breakfast Rs7,441 or US$116 including GST).
Hindustan Beach Resort - Varkala, KL
/We stayed three nights in Varkala at the Hindustan Beach Retreat (mid-February 2018) (executive room with breakfast Rs5,640 or US$88 including GST).
Mountain Courtyard - Thekaddy, KL
/We stayed four nights in Thekkady at the Mountain Courtyard (early February 2018) (forest flame room with breakfast Rs6,772 or US$105 including GST).
Chandys Windy Woods - Munnar, KL
/We stayed four nights (early February 2018) at Chandy's Windy Woods Hotel in breathtaking Munnar (deluxe room with breakfast Rs9,668 or US$151/night including GST).
Carlton Hotel - Kodaikanal, TN
/We stayed seven nights (late January 2018) at the Carlton Hotel in beautiful Kodiakanal (deluxe room with breakfast Rs4,476 or US$70/night including GST).
Goldfinch Hotel, Mangalore, KA
/We stayed three nights (late January 2018) at the Goldfinch Hotel a business hotel conveniently located near the central train station in Mangalore (superior room with breakfast Rs4,896 or US$76/night including GST).
