We spent three nights at Hillyside in early April, 2010. The trip was primarily to do a bit of bird photography.
The journey by road was fast up to Suntikoppa. Armed with an approximate GPS heading to Hillyside, we made it to a point where we had to call the caretaker for directions. The turn-off from the main road is unmarked and it takes careful observation to find it. A board nailed to a tree pointing in the right direction would really help. Finding the estate after the turn-off required a few more calls to the caretaker. Sign-boards along the path would help.
On first sight, the Hillyside cottage looks great. After unloading and stowing away all the camera gear(the caretaker will not help you), we were treated to a simple but tasty lunch(which had to be confirmed a couple of days in advance).
A great location overlooking the Harangi river and a good location for those long walks along dusty trails.
The cottage is minimally decorated but spacious. However, an afternoon rain got us scurrying to secure our belongings and camera equipment which was in the living room as rain water began pouring in from the roof. The day was comfortable with windows open. But, after sunset, the windows had to be closed to keep the myriad insects out. That was when it began to get very hot and uncomfortable and we felt the need for meshed windows. Wonder why this was not thought of?
The frequent and long power cuts add to the discomfort at night as you have no options to let in a bit of air. A small power invertor to power a few lamps and the fans in the bedrooms would have made a big difference too.
If you don’t fancy assorted lizards and millipedes in your bedroom, or a leech or two in the bathroom, this place is not for you. I am sure better maintenance will help.
A solar water heater instead of an old-fashioned vessel powered by firewood would have kept warm water coming through the day. You get warm water only once a day now.
A word about the food. Yes, it’s simple and tasty and the caretaker will prepare a limited choice of dishes for you, but beware that the cost of food is high. Contrary to prices mentioned on the official website, we were charged Rs. 140/- per meal per person.(Be it vegetarian or non-vegetarian). You will be charged extra for a morning cup of coffee too!
In summary, Hillyside is located at a fantastic location and will be an ideal getaway for all us city-types if the property is better maintained and made more comfortable and friendly. All this does not take away the thrill of spotting an assorted variety of birds. I do not plan to visit the place again unless some attention is paid to its upkeep.