Weekend Getaways from Bangalore - Best Airbnbs and Boutique Hotels to Bookmark
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Weekend trips from Bangalore are legendary. No other city offers such effortless access to a diverse landscape that stretches from national parks, hills and coffee plantations to forests, waterfalls and tea estates – all within just 5-7 hours of driving. If, like me, you prefer your road trips to turn into mini getaways with atleast one night away, then buckle up and get ready to discover some unique stays. Brimming with character - think big windows letting in tons of natural light, quaint bedrooms styled with local flair, squeaky clean bathrooms and friendly smiles that make you feel right at home.
Weekend Getaways around Bangalore
Here’s my list of Bangalore weekend outing stays that I would recommend without a second thought:
Dhole’s Den, Bandipur
A charming oasis in the middle of nowhere, being at Dhole’s Den is pretty close to going off the grid. A slow, bumpy drive down a dirt road brings you to this 4-room homestay that has been thoughtfully designed as a haven for nature lovers. After a hearty, freshly prepared lunch meal you will inevitably be drawn to the expansive sitouts looking into the forest, common spaces with chairs made for leisurely lounging with a book, or even fishing experiments in the rain-fed pond.
The lodge is designed keeping in mind eco-friendly principles and you can see that the hosts Karthik and Indgrid have made conscious efforts to introduce energy efficiency, recycle waste sustainably and minimise the impact of their homestay on the forest ecosystem. The small number of rooms ensures that each of them is spacious and has the host’s personal touch with a small collection of books from eclectic interests, framed pictures from safaris and memorabilia that the hosts have likely collected from their own journeys. Since you are in a remote location not too far away from the forest, expect the odd insects and spiders to creep up in some corners.
For the perfect weekend break from Bangalore, aim to reach the place by lunch. Spend your evening exploring the property, followed by guided bird-watching trip with an in-house naturalist and wrap up the night with a bonfire before dinner. The next morning can be reserved for your jeep safari where you can catch a glimpse of the elusive dhols or perhaps even a tiger, if you’re lucky!
Driving time for Bangalore: 4 hours
Rooms: 4 rooms
Meals: Includes 3 meals and evening tea with snacks
Tariff: Rs 13,000 per night for a room on double sharing
Special mentions: Ingrid, the host, indulged us in some hilarious anecdotes from her recent encounters with some unexpected visitors from the forest. These stories help you understand and connect with your surroundings so much more! The nature walk was equally delightful as our guide expertly pointed out local birds, cracked open a local cactus flower for us to taste and even led us towards a small lake where deer gathered for their evening drink.
Villa Aroor, Chikmagalur
Villa Aroor in Chikmagalur is a painstakingly restored 100-year old bungalow where every corner reflects a labor of love. The design draws inspiration from the grandeur of Karnataka’s rich cultural heritage seamlessly integrating it with all the comforts you would expect from a modern home. Surrounded by coffee plantations stretching as far as the eyes can see, Villa Aroor is a worthy tribute to the beauty of Chikmagaluru. While the high ceilings with rattan lamps, four-poster beds and stately dining table seem effortlessly elegant, you can see a lot of thought has gone into the vast collection of games, books and elaborate menus inspired by local produce and flavors. The standout feature is undoubtedly the dining area, lavishly covered in glass walls that offer uninterrupted views of the valley and beyond, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the stunning surroundings.
Villa Aroor, a great weekend destination around Bangalore, is a haven for coffee lovers with a special coffee bar stocked with every type of brewing machine and bean imaginable. The food menu is carefully curated as a mix of traditional and popular dishes during every meal offering something for every palate.
Love long morning walks? The villa is nestled in the heart of a verdant tea plantation and you’ll likely encounter scores of workers plucking tea leaves from early in the morning till evening, stopping only for lunch or to smile and wave at you.
Driving time for Bangalore: 7-8 hours
Rooms: 4 rooms
Meals: Includes 3 meals and evening tea with snacks
Tariff: Rs 5,000 per night for a room on double sharing
Special mentions: The staff nudged us towards slippers as soon as we stepped inside the living room - a small but effective way to ensure highest levels of cleanliness. The bevy of staff working at Villa Aroor deserves a special mention for running the house around the clock and making sure the house is spotless and guests well taken care of. I was also impressed by their collection of games; after countless games of Codenames, it quickly became a family favorite. Don’t forget to take a tour of the family owned Quard Hitlow tea-factory and pick up some packets for your morning cuppa.
Eden BnB, Conoor
I discovered Eden BnB through Airbnb; and while the pictures and reviews looked great on the app, I couldn't help but wonder if it might not live up to expectations in person. All my doubts were put to rest when we arrived at the homestay, the perfect sanctuary for our weary souls exhausted after an 8-hour drive from Banaglore.
The garden leading up to the house lives up to its name and is every bit a slice of heaven. On a clear day, it is possible to get unobstructed views of the Nilgiri mountains right from the garden, with a side of your morning chai.
Inside, you will find Jose Uncle and Siddhu aunty making copious amounts of tea, tending to the garden and swapping stories with the guests. It is their loving home that you come into – and under their watchful care and warm smiles, it soon feels like yours.
The homestay has three rooms for guests and two rooms for the family making it a very intimate setting where you’re often drawn into conversations with fellow guests and the host family. We ended up spending a lot of time outdoors in the garden and discovering Conoor’s shops and cafes but always came back to hot cup of tea and enquiries about our day. Conoor coupled with Ooty makes for a must-do weekend trip around Bangalore.
Driving time for Bangalore: 7-8 hours
Rooms: 3 rooms
Meals: Includes home-cooked breakfast and copious cups of tea
Tariff: Rs 8,000 per night for a room on double sharing
Special mentions: The communal breakfast cooked by Sidhu aunty is a great way to collect all the guests and discuss their plans. Not to forget, great recommendations from Jose uncle for shops, cafes and nearby hikes.
Sinnadorai Bungalow Kadamane Tea Estate, Sakleshpur
The Sinnadorai Bungalows are charming tea and coffee estates across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala evoking the nostalgia of Malgudi Days with an imaginary ‘sinna dorai’ or assistant manager of a south Indian plantation welcoming you to his estate. The tea estate at Kadamane is spread over acres and acres; the Sinna Dorai bungalow is only a small part of the plantation life with tea plucking and tea factories as their mainstay.
The bungalow offers cottages done up in traditional Tamil style with spacious verandahs made for watching the rains with pakodas. The bungalow is especially popular during the monsoons when guests can enjoy misty views of the Kadamane valley. The bungalow also offers a basketball court and badminton court for travellers who want to get some activity in.
Driving time for Bangalore: 5 hours
Rooms: 10 rooms
Meals: Includes three meals and evening tea with snacks
Tariff: Rs 11,000 per night for a room on double sharing
Special mentions: For evening tea, we were whisked away to the top of a ridge. Piping hot tea, mini vadas, pakodas, the wind blowing in my hair – a special sunset I still dream of sometimes.
The Bison Resort, Kabini
Familiar with glamping - camping with a touch of glamour? The Bison Resort is all about barefoot luxury glamping in African style tents on the banks of Kabini river, overlooking Nagarhole and Bandipur Tiger Reserve. We stayed at the Little Bison tents, ingeniously blend the amenities of an upscale hotel with the charm of rustic camping. One of the more extravagant stays that I've been at, these tents indulged us with spacious bathrooms, a cosy outdoor bathtub under the stars and a private dining tent set up for what can only be described as a feast!
If you don't encounter any other guests at Bison for most of your day, its only because the lounge areas, dining area, an observation deck and pool are all spread out over a vast area. But one of the biggest draws for me was a watering hole, not more than a few hundred metres away from our tent. While we did not encounter any wildlife except the stray deer near our tent, we were told that spotting elephants, wild boars and sometimes even leopards is not unheard of.
Driving time for Bangalore: 4 hours
Rooms: African style tents by the Kabini river
Meals: Includes three meals and evening tea with snacks
Tariff: Rs 22,000 per night for a tent on double sharing inclusive of additional activities
Special mentions: The watering hole was visible from our tent, and the prospect of sighting a deer or elephant while sipping on our morning tea was thrilling.
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