India GOHeritage and boutique hotels in Ooty and Coonoor
Ooty and Coonoor were built as British hill stations, so the most interesting places to stay are old houses: the Savoy, open since 1841, the Maharaja of Mysore's Fernhills Palace, and colonial bungalows in Coonoor from the 1850s and 1870s. For something less formal there is a bungalow on a tea estate, a farm cottage outside Ooty and an organic farm above Coonoor where guests learn to make cheese. Booking links are in the list above; here is what makes each place different.
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Unusual stays: tea, farm and cottage
Tea Nest by Nature Resorts, Coonoor
A 19th-century English bungalow among the tea plantations near Coonoor, with columns, fireplaces and period furniture, and rooms named after teas. Afternoon tea is served with snacks, the restaurant has a veranda, and staff offer informal walks to show guests where the tea grows and where the birds come. Choose it for quiet rather than for things to do.
Acres Wild, above Coonoor
Filmmaker Mansoor Khan's 22-acre organic farm at about 6,000 feet (1,830 m), where the point is cheese: feta, brie, cheddar, ricotta and more are made on site, and guests can take two-day courses. A handful of cottages stand among the fields; days are farm life, birdwatching and walks rather than resort service.
RosenHeime Cottage, near Ooty
A cottage on a small farm about 3 km from central Ooty, with balconies looking over the Nilgiri hills and a heater, kettle and desk inside. A host-run stay, booked as a holiday rental.
Heritage hotels: palaces, bungalows and a priory
Fernhills Palace, Ooty
The summer palace of the Mysore maharajas: an 1844 colonial bungalow bought in 1873 by Chamarajendra Wadiyar X and rebuilt in Swiss-chalet style, with carved bargeboards, cast iron and rooms panelled in Burma teak, in 50 wooded acres south of Ooty Lake. Since the 1990s it has been a WelcomHeritage hotel with 19 period suites. Non-guests are admitted at the management's discretion; booking a meal is the way to see the teak ballroom and the corridors of maharaja photographs. More: Fernhills Palace.
Savoy, Ooty (IHCL SeleQtions)
Ooty's grande dame, established in 1841 and run today by the Taj group's IHCL: around 40 cottages and rooms in six acres of flower gardens, each with its own fireplace. It keeps the colonial rituals of high tea, croquet on the lawn and a 150-year-old Steinway in the lounge; David Lean was among its guests.
King's Cliff, Ooty
A British-era mansion turned into a nine-room hotel, every room with a working fireplace. Its glasshouse restaurant, Earl's Secret, is one of Ooty's best-known dining rooms, see restaurants.
Gateway Coonoor (IHCL SeleQtions)
A 33-room IHCL hotel in Upper Coonoor in a building from 1857 that was once the priory of All Saints Church, on 3.5 acres, with wood-floored lounges, fireplaces and valley views, close to Sim's Park.
180 McIver, Coonoor
A colonial bungalow in central Coonoor whose records go back to 1875, named for its 180-degree hill view, which appeared in the film Kapoor & Sons. Large rooms with period antiques, lawns, and La Belle Vie, a restaurant worth a visit even if you stay elsewhere. Character over polish.
Old buildings on a smaller budget
Heritage in Ooty does not have to mean a palace. YWCA Anandagiri is a campus of cottages in flower gardens on the site of a 1920s brewery, plain and old-fashioned but central. goSTOPS Ooty is a hostel in a restored vintage bungalow on Gymkhana Club Road, with high ceilings, wooden floors and four-poster beds in the private rooms. The Hosteller Ooty occupies a restored century-old colonial house about 1.7 km from the centre, with dorms and private doubles. More: budget hotels.
Ooty or Coonoor, and when to book
Ooty has the grand addresses (Savoy, Fernhills, King's Cliff) and is closer to the Botanical Garden, the lake and the market. Coonoor, 18 km away and lower, has the bungalows and the tea-estate stays, and is quieter; TNSTC buses run between the towns every 10 to 20 minutes, so staying in one and visiting the other is easy.
Old houses in the hills are cold at night, and in many of them a fireplace is part of the room, so ask how heating works when you book, especially in December and January, when nights can be frosty. For May, the month of the flower show, book weeks ahead: beds in both towns sell out. Areas and other options: where to stay and luxury hotels.
FAQ
What is the story of Fernhills Palace in Ooty?
It began as an 1844 colonial bungalow, bought in 1873 by Chamarajendra Wadiyar X, Maharaja of Mysore, and rebuilt in Swiss-chalet style as the family's summer palace. Since the 1990s it has been a WelcomHeritage hotel with 19 suites.
Which are the heritage hotels in Ooty?
The Savoy (1841), Fernhills Palace, King's Cliff and the YWCA Anandagiri cottages in Ooty; Gateway Coonoor in an 1857 priory and 180 McIver (1875) in Coonoor.
Can I visit Fernhills Palace without staying there?
Non-guests are admitted at the management's discretion. Contact the hotel ahead and book a meal if you want to see the teak ballroom.
Which place is best to stay in, Ooty or Coonoor?
Ooty for the main sights and the grand hotels, Coonoor for quieter bungalows and tea-estate stays. They are 18 km apart with frequent buses.
Is there a farm stay near Ooty?
Acres Wild above Coonoor is a 22-acre organic farm where guests can learn to make cheese, and RosenHeime is a farm cottage about 3 km from central Ooty.
Sources (1)
Facts checked: 15 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.
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