Mountain Retreat Ooty by Hill Country — Hotel in Tamil Nadu

We had booked The Hill Country resort for our family vacation to Ooty for 3 nights (8th to 11th November) expecting to stay at a nice 4 star resort and have a fun trip but what followed is nothing short of a nightmare. We checked in late evening on 8th and post check in we headed to the restaurant for dinner. At the restaurant we came to know we were the only guests eating dinner. The restaurant manager informed that other than us there were only 2 more guests. Still we ordered our a-la-carte meal of Tomato soup, Chicken Chettinad, Hakka noodles and steam rice. The soup was bland and tasteless and the bread gave a smell of kerosine. We had a few sips and kept it aside. Being extremely tired we did not bother to call the chef. We just finished our meal and headed back to the room to get a good nights rest. Little did I know that forget a good night rest my entire trip will get spoiled coz what followed post sleep was waking up at 1:15 am to severe stomach pain and then vomiting all the food. This was just the beginning of 6 more rounds of vomiting for the next 6 hours. So what was supposed to be a vacation with family ended spending in recovery and that was the last we ever saw the restaurant. Even though we had breakfast as part of our package we didn’t bother to go back. Btw we paid 10k per night for the premium suite room a price way too much for what the resort deserves. At the same price we paid we could have booked Fern Hills palace a thousand times better property. If you have seen pictures of the property online you would realise that while the resort is located at a good location it hardly caters to many guests. Coz it only has 2 cottages and few deluxe and premium suites. We had booked a premium suite. The only difference between a deluxe room and premium suite is the view, rest all amenities in the room are same. Online photos will only show pics of the bed. Not one pic is seen of the bathroom coz that is non existent. The room in itself is quite old, still using key system to enter. Furnitures are old. Lights inside are still CFL and if you close the window blinds and switch on the lights it gives a persona of a dull and depressing room. The mats are unclean. I don’t know how this has been classified as a 4 star hotel. Does it even qualify to be 2 star place. Do not go by reviews you see online. Looks like paid reviews. Just give this resort a miss.

II - Resort has responded back saying my wife mentioned me catching food poisoning elsewhere. They are requested to check call records if they have one. Not once my wife mentioned about me eating elsewhere. w.r.t to quality of food I guess the owners should look at other reviews posted on the same forum where multiple people have mentioned about bad quality of food. Btw I had food at Hotel Hanumanthu and Original Vinayaka Mylari at Mysuru. Both restaurants cater to clientele which the restaurant at Hill Country can't even imagine.

All throughout my stay for 3 nights not once was I visited by Resort Manager asking about my wellbeing, esp considering the resort accepts getting informed by my wife.During the rest of my stay in Ooty we had food at A2B and Zuka restaurant at Preethi Classic Towers. The chef of Mountain retreat can do himself and guests who eat at his restaurant a favour by visiting places where good...

Beware of this resort, my husband and I were heading to this resort on 26th Jan,2023 for 2 nights.While driving towards the resort we met with a bad accident we did get injuries and car was badly damaged that we were in no state to make to the resort. So informed the resort about the same and asked them to release. the room so they don't go in loss being long weekend and hotels were in demand. After reaching home I called resort requesting for the refund since this was something which inescapable. But all thanks to there rude management, they denied and misbehaved too. Such heartless and rude people I had not seen in my life. And I did gave a review on MakeMyTrip about this, which they have not published yet. Moreover I did get an email from them which I will try to attach reading that I am sure you guys will think twice booking such resort where Management is like this. God forbid but accident can happen with anyone and which is not in hands, but this Mountain Retreat Management will not understand that, so please I request you all think plenty times before booking this resort atleast. I am not able to attach there email in response to the refund requested as we had met with an accident, I did share the pics of the incident but unkind Mountain Retreat Management did not bother.

"Dear Ms. Akanksha Singh Greetings! As we have looked into your request, we see that this issue has already been closed by our reply to MakeMyTrip. In light of receiving your Google review before we could look into possibilities to help you, we see no reason to show any consideration in this case. You have accused the company of many atrocities due to your personal frustration. The company is not liable for your personal health and wellbeing or loss while you are not on our premises. The pictures sent by you do not indicate any serious damage to life, neither is there any way to verify the validity of the pictures. You have multiple times claimed that you are severely injured and recovering from the same. Kindly produce valid medical reports of the same and the management will verify the the documents. Kindly avoid frivolous threats and harassment. Your reservation was confirmed and your room was blocked for your stay and the same was not sold to any other guests who had enquired for the same dates. The property had a 100% occupancy on the dates of your reservation. The cancelation policy clearly states that even a No Show is not eligible for refund, therefore there is no possibility of a refund. Kindly contact the service provider through which your reservation was made – MakeMyTrip and they will be able to explain the cancellation policy for your reservation. If MakeMyTrip has promised you a refund kindly collect the same from them. Hill Country has not made any such promises to you. We encourage you to be well informed of the details of your reservation before making one.

Thanks & Regards, 2021 HC Sign OFF Samantha Rao || Customer Care Hill Country Hotels & Resorts...

A peaceful retreat with breathtaking views and some room for improvement.

We recently stayed at the Mountain Retreat Hotel in Ooty, and while it had its misses, the stunning views of the Ketti Valley more than made up for them. The sunrise and sunset from the hotel are truly spectacular and a must-experience!

The rooms are spacious, equipped with a kitchenette, electric heater, and basic amenities. However, the heater could be more effective, especially on chilly nights. The hotels can upgrade it’s bathrooms by adding a wet and dry area separator.

Please note that the hotel involves climbing steps, so it's essential to make arrangements accordingly if you or any family member has mobility issues. We were aware of this beforehand and had no regrets.

The WiFi connectivity was a major letdown - it was clumsy, and we faced frequent disconnections. Despite reporting the issue to the staff, it wasn't resolved during our stay. If you plan to work remotely as we did, make alternative arrangements.

Another issue we faced was with the mobile network - Jio had poor reception. It's a good idea to have a different SIM from another operator as a backup.

On the positive side, the reception staff and other employees were affable and responsive to our needs even if they were unable to resolve it always. The property is peaceful and expansive, making it perfect for relaxation.

The hotel arranged for bonfires on two nights during our stay, which we thoroughly enjoyed. However, the dining experience was a mixed bag. The menu was extremely limited, with no continental options and a non-functional tandoor during our stay. Furthermore, the hotel didn’t have any desserts or soft drinks available despite being on the menu which was a let down and only dessert available was ice-cream. Although the food tasted good and was reasonably priced, the limited options were disappointing.

The morning buffet was also limited, with food running out quickly and taking a while to be refilled. The hotel could benefit from implementing a ticketing system for their morning buffet to streamline the process. We had to remind multiple times for any order we placed and even then it was served wrong and definitely cold. I blame this mishandling to the limited kitchen/restaurant staff, as there’s just one person managing the buffet service, taking orders and serving the food while there’s another person at the kitchen. Lots of room for improvement here!

Despite these issues, I found the place charming, and the views stunning. The beautifully landscaped gardens and the views from the hotel made up for the misses. It's a beautiful property, and I'd love to visit again!

Recommendations:

Be prepared for basic amenities and stunning views. Plan accordingly for mobility issues due to the steps. Make alternative arrangements for WiFi and mobile network. Don't expect a wide range of dining options. Enjoy the peaceful atmosphere and...