Fortune Resort Sullivan Court, Ooty - Member ITC Hotels’ Group — Hotel in Tamil Nadu

Dated and Crowded!

The building this hotel is housed in offers so much prospect and potential to offer a lovely hill station heritage experience. However, the management of this property seems to have completely squandered the opportunity and almost abused it to make it feel like a run-of-the-mill hotel! There are so many elements that emanate a historic vibe - like stone walled old world bar, the vintage atrium, the outhouses that house the billiards room, etc But they have completely corrupted the feel. And most of the so-called 'amenities' are not even functional. The 'billiards and snooker' room is a smelly room with nothing more than a tired Pool table and a broken carom board. the room is so small that you cannot even use your pool stick to strike the ball without hitting on the walls!! The Gym is a joke! It is nothing more than a tiny room packed with Broken machines that don't even work and no space to even move around. The play areas and other recreational options are equally pathetic. This might be an acceptable place if you are only looking to use it as a Bed and Breakfast and spend all day exploring the hill station. But it certainly should be stripped of its 4 or 5 stars as it offers nothing more than a clean bed and place to rest for the night. The food that is offered for breakfast also has a long way to go! So this is nothing more than a glorified 'lodge' masked under the name of a luxury resort!

Also, If you are looking for the serenity of the Nilgiris or hoping to chill in the hills, this is certainly not the place for you as it was overcrowded even during a supposedly low-season weekend! Packed with noisy guests who didnt seem to respect the tranquility of this wonderful hill station!

LOCATION: Good location close to all key points of interest

DINE + DRINK: The stonewalled bar at the lobby level is quite cozy and comes with a good colonial-era vibe. But the restaurant on site has some ways to go as the breakfast was a very boring affair

ROOM: We stayed in Room 101, so this review is based on that; VIEW: Sweet view of the city and the hills at a distance; SIZE: Spacious enough for 2 adults and simple baggage; AIR-CON: No Cooler in room, only heater available; BED: Comfortable bed that played the expected part of putting me to sleep; BATHROOM: Stand-in shower; TOILETRIES: Good quality toiletries

FACILITIES: A joke of a ‘gym’ that is nothing more than a tiny room packed with only broken machines and a few dumbbells. It didnt even have a bench for workouts with the dumbbells! No Swimming pool. They have a spa on site. But the recreation room and facilities are horrendously out of order!

SERVICE: Friendly staff that took care of all our needs with a smile and made us feel pampered and well taken care of.

HOW WIRED YOU WILL BE: Free Medium-speed Wi-Fi that works well all over the property. Big Plasma TV screen dishing out a wide variety of channels spanning sports, news, music, movies, and entertainment in...

This is one of the best hotels I have ever visited.

Rooms: Clean, well lit, adequately sized and have interiors with some vintage feels. Only bad bit was the heating- Good branded heaters are provided, but are small for the size of the room which takes a while to heat them up. Washrooms are clean and adequately sized. Rating 4.5/5.

Amenities: They have indoor games like Carrom, Chess, TT and Pool table. TT table is in poor condition and the pool is not in a very good condition. These things are not used by everyone but could have been maintained. Children's park is well maintained. The front lawn is beautifully maintained with a variety of plants, great for soaking in some morning sun and good for a stroll in the evening. Fast Wi-fi connectivity is also available. We did not try their wellness centre, hence, cannot comment on that. Rating 4/5.

Surroundings and Location: The hotel location is a bit isolated, but that works in its favour as Ooty nowadays feels less like a hill station and more like a big densely populated, noisy and dusty city. However, the back gate of the hotel is around 700 m from the Charring Cross which makes it easier to access just in-case you need something you cannot request the hotel staff to arrange. You can request the hotel staff to guide you to the back gate of the property. Hotel itself is very peaceful and quiet (even when it was close to full when we visited). Rating 4.5/5.

Food: The food is good. Not great but nothing bad either. Buffet breakfast and dinner spread is not vast, but every dish we tried was fresh, tasty and cooked well (All that matters). Rating 4.5/5.

Service: Really really IMPRESSIVE!! The service is unmatched. I haven't seen this quality of service in any of the hotels (even bigger than this) I have visited before. All the staff are cordial, polite, extremely quick, smiling and always ready to go extra mile to help you with any request and make your stay comfortable. We availed the in-room dining service and they were quick to deliver and clear it upon request afterwards. Their services were so quick that at any time we called for housekeeping or room service, they just appeared as if they were standing right outside our room. :-) And the most impressive thing- There were several celebrities staying at the hotel and they usually dined at in-house restaurant, but they served every other guests with equal attention, quickness and their beautiful smiles- no special treatment for anyone, which is rarely the case with other hotels. Rating 10/5 (I wish I could give these many stars)

Overall: This was one of the best vacations and these good people from the hotel made it possible. Highly recommended for your...

A Mixed Bag Pros:

• Exceptional Hospitality: The staff provide top-notch service with a smile, making your stay truly memorable. Shoutout to Mr. Dinesh Kumar in the Pavillion restaurant, he took exceptional care especially attending to dietary needs of my toddler son. • Fantastic Location: Ideally situated for easy access to local attractions. Stones throw away from Rose garden, peaceful location with excellent views. • Decent Buffet: A wide variety of options for both vegetarian and non-vegetarian diners. • Evening Amenities: Enjoy evening tea and snacks, a cozy bonfire, and soothing live piano music at night. Loved the herbal/ masala tea with the afternoon snacks. • Great Lounge/Reception Area: A welcoming space to relax. • Family-Friendly: A cute little play nook for kids. A small vegetable garden where little ones(even adults) can enjoy harvesting carrots, beetroots, cabbage and broccoli. This was certainly unique and memorable. • Safety and Security: High standards of safety and security ensure peace of mind.

Cons:

• Room Heating: The heaters in the rooms could be stronger. • Room Furnishings: Furniture and upholstery are old and a bit rickety. • Floor Finishing: The floor finishing could be improved. • Corridor Maintenance: Some areas of the corridors are a bit unkempt, dusty, and sandy. • Room Service: Slow to clear used plates and bottles left outside the rooms. • Room Cleanliness: Overall room cleanliness could be better. Unfortunately we encountered a smelly bathroom situation on the day of our check in. Though the property is old it is well kept but there are areas that can be upgraded.

Fortune offers many positive experiences, particularly with its hospitality. However there are areas for improvement to match the premium pricing. Still a longway to go to match...