Yercaud: Information & Tips

                            For stories from my Yercaud trip, read this blog 

Travelled in: November 2012

Getting there:

Yercaud is approx. 315 kms from South Bangalore and a 4 hour (approx) drive away. Salem is the nearest city and barely 30 kms away (a 45 minute climb up hairpins). Just before you hit Salem from Bangalore, divert left from the highway at Hotel GRT, driving towards Sarada college road and finally, Yercaud road.

Accommodation:

I stayed at the Lake Forest hotel, a British-era plantation near the lake, converted into a hotel. I decided to use my very under-used Club Mahindra membership and this hotel is an affiliate resort. If you are looking for facilities, it’s quite ‘bare’ when you compare it to other Club Mahindra resorts.

Most rooms are spacious and conveniently furnished, if with slightly worn out furniture. There are a few small rooms too, so, choose well. In colder weather, rooms may be a little damp but they don’t have heating facilities. Some rooms have balconies with a view of the plantation & forest. But, the plantation seems inaccessible for guests to walk in, which is a damper. 

Choose rooms in the older wings, away from the main reception. Some evenings, they have a ‘music & dance’ session with loud thumping music for the entertainment of guests. Why anybody would come to Yercaud to listen to loud music is beyond me. However, many people enjoyed it. Being away from the reception ensures you still have your peace & quiet. Also, there is some construction / renovation work going on in the new rooms near the reception. I was initially given a room there but the construction noise (though minimal) & the evening music was too much for me. I requested for a room change and was given one the next day. 

The restaurant attached to the hotel is one of the few in Yercaud and also receives visitors other than hotel guests. Get a seat early. The food is not gourmet, but, reasonably okay home-style food. Parking is along a narrow, sloping driveway and quite limited. During peak season, you may not find parking on the premises. The staff is friendly & helpful. The tariff is quite steep for non-timeshare members.

All said & done, I would probably return to this hotel only to use my Club Mahindra membership…there seem to be a few home-stays which attract me more because of their isolated location & un-crowded, personal feel. I will probably stay at one of them on my next visit. There are some better-appointed resorts than the hotel I stayed in, if you need more comfort, or, are with kids.