Dogster still remembers the Chicken of Death served to him by a replanted Brit.

Thanks so much everyone - lots of great stuff to research there!!!

dogster - I'll be in India for six weeks, I don't think a little detour into the Raj would hurt - and it was part of India - for a little while. I think of the hill stations as quintessential Raj.

I know have two choices for New Years Eve (Tanjore and Pondy are still problems for right after).

http://www.thebangala.com/ for two nights (my first choice there, Chettinadu Mansions, was full) or
http://www.cardamomhouse.com/ for three since it's harder to reach

Bangala is easier to get to (from Madurai) and from (to Tanjore - or points north) but there may be more to do at Cardamom House. (It does occur to me that CH may have featured on dogster's rampage through Tamil Nadu.) The prices, with meals, are almost identical, although on the high side for me.

'tis true Marija. The Death Chook of Dindigul still comes back to haunt me.

Those Tata places are on the Doglist, inquest. Nothing better than that breed of Indian gentleman for an interesting conversation. And, I agree, you DO have to sing for your supper at a homestay - however, if in the mood [and a solo traveler often is] and if the situation is embraced, the results can be fascinating. My favorites are ancient maharajah's sons mouldering in their heritage homes {Gujarat is good for this] - ahh, the stories they can tell if prompted.

We posted at the same time, dogster. So, was the Cardamom House the Death Chook? You took that saga down, and I don't remember the precise details.

Update on the state of play (NYB = not yet booked - I may not bother for Hospet, Mysore, Trivandrum and Kanyakumari):

Mon Nov 22 - Lucknow (2 nights) http://www.sarovarhotels.com/lucknow...park-inn.shtml
Wed Nov 24 - fly to Hyderabad (via Delhi on Indigo) (3n) http://www.minervagrand.com/banjara/home.htm
Sat Nov 27 - car and driver via Bidar to Bijapur (2n) NYB
Mon Nov 29 - drive via Badami to Hospet (3n) - end car and driver NYB

Thu Dec 2 - train to Madgaon, bus to Palolem (3n) http://www.villageguesthousegoa.com/ - in process
Sat Dec 4 - car and driver to visit Chandor area, train to Mangalore (2n) http://www.thegatewayhotels.com/inde...&page=Overview
Mon Dec 7 - train to Kannur (3n), arrange to see Theyyam http://www.ezharabeachhouse.com/
Fri Dec 10 - bus or car to Coorg (4n) several RFQs out

Tue Dec 14 - bus or car to Mysore (4n), possibly via Tibetan village, spend first or last night in hotel in Brindavan Gardens, NYB
Sat Dec 18 - bus to Ooty/Coonoor (3n) http://www.thegatewayhotels.com/inde...&page=Overview
Tue Dec 21 - bus or train to Coimbatore, night train to Varkala (2n) NYB
Fri Dec 24 - bus or train to Trivandrum (3n) NYB

Mon Dec 27 - bus or train to Kanyakumari (1n) NYB
Tue Dec 28 - train to Madurai (3n) NYB
Fri Dec 31 - bus or car to Chettinad region (2n) http://www.thebangala.com/ - in process
Sun Jan 2 - bus or car to Trichy (2n) - visit Thanjavur from Trichy, NYB - and have yet to find rooms available

Tue Jan 4 - bus or car to Puducherry aka Pondi (4n), NYB - also a problem - may wind up at the Ginger
Sat Jan 8 - car to Chennai via Dakshina Chitra and Kanchipuram (1n) NYB
Sun Jan 9 - fly to Colombo

Wow thursday!!! what a trip, I will wait very patietly for your report. I hope Nov. and Dec. will be good months for your journey. We will be going in Nov. of 2011... I wish you a good trip and many splendid memories so you can share them with all of us:)

Thursday,if you have'nt booked Mysore as yet,could take a look at the Green Hotel.I highly recommend it.Itsa heritage property & actually a palace belonging to a nobleman,it was earlier called the Chittaranjan Palace.All the antique furniture intact.Wonderful property.Spacious garden.Oper air restaurant.
the link:http://www.greenhotelindia.com/
The other (I'm sure you would have checked it out)Is the Metropole Hotel of the Royal Orchid Group.They have one in Brindavan Garden too.

inquest-I notice that the Green Hotel does not have a/c. We are planning to be in Mysore in early Feb. We will be out sightseeing during the day, but worry about sleeping w/o a/c. How were your nights there with no a/c? I prefer to sleep with a/c, but I am wondering if I could be comfortable here at night without it. Other than no a/c, the hotel looks great.

Inquest, shellyk - Mysore is the one place (aside from Chennai) that I've visited before, and I stayed in the Green Hotel! In the Writer's Room, I believe - small room in the main palace - I wouldn't bother with the garden rooms. I'm pretty sure it had AC!

I'm thinking of spending one night in the Royal Orchid Brindavan and then going down market in town.

thursdaysd-The hotel website says the hotel has no a/c. Hope you have a wonderful trip. I'll be watching for your posts and following along with you.

shelleyk - that's interesting. I certainly remember being comfortable. I was there in December, though.

OK, I looked it up in my 2002 Footprint India - seems it didn't have AC when I stayed there either! My only caveat about staying there (aside from avoiding the garden addition) is that you can't get anywhere on foot, and I got tired of arguing with the rickshaw drivers, who flatly refused to use their meters.

I loved the Royal Orchid Metropole. Great location for walking. Delcious and wide variety breakfast, either inside , or out on the patio under the trees. !Rooms was definitely air conditioned. The only possible "negative" although it didnt bother me , was that with the rooms around the courtyard, you could sometimes hear people who were there having drinks,etc. For us, it added to that "heritage" atmsphere--low muffled voices and the tinkle of ice in glasses!
I love the huge terraces outside the room, and the lobby with that marvelous old swinging chair.
The place gets mixed reviews on TA, so maybe we were just lucky. It was a lovely heritage hotel, and i 'd return there in a heartbeat if in Mysore again.

Shelley,I too dont recall if the rooms were airconed or not.But the stay was very pleasant.Thursday is right,its a bit out of the 'way' & the tuk tuk fellas can be uncompromising.I'd always use the hotel to do the negotiations for me & its helped.
Feb is a good time in Mysore.A time of the year when the weather will be very good.
Metropole ofcourse has the best location.

Well, I just booked for Mysore. One night in luxury at the Royal Orchid Brindavan (great online special rate), and three nights in town at the no frills Ginger (good online rate). The Ginger seems to be the Taj's low end business chain, I'm interested to check it out.