We did a two day trip to Masinagudi from Bangalore, inclusive of travel time and spent a day at Bear Mountain Jungle resort. After reading mixed reviews on the internet about the place I went with hardly any expectations about the place. It turned out to be otherwise. The Cottage(room and bathroom with a sit out that holds a few chairs and a hammock) was clean and well presented. No guardy colors and the bathroom was fully functional with hot and cold water running. The food was great, with variety and quality. A bonfire in the evening with latino music(thankfully no Bollywood music) and a drink in hand was refreshing.
The staff were helpful and friendly. The only disappointment being the ’Safari’. Reasons like: Climate(summer), etc were provided but I personally don’t think it makes sense to do a ’Safari’ in India. The place for a Safari is South Africa. The resort had sufficient space between cottages and to walk around. Perfect weekend getaway to be lost amidst nature and to attain the state of ’thoughtless awareness’ (meditation).The entire property by itself and Masinagudi is a must visit.
Disclaimer: This trip was in early April 2010. I do not know how the resort has been in the past or how their Customer Service will be in the future.