Not having planned for the diwali weekend beforehand, I had too less an option to take my visiting parents out on a trip. I chose your card hoping to relax and have a leisurely time with the family.
Being a diwali weekend most of the good hotels were full, so I booked two deluxe cottages in Grange Resort and set off on a rented car as I didn’t want stress my Honda City, on the bad stretch of roads after Krishnagiri. All of us being kind of on the rotund side and the City’s low ground clearance, that decision was one of the wisest ones!
First day we didin’t do anything at all. Just stayed at the resort ordered coffee/tea and had a good old family sit-n-talk session. Then me and my wife went on a small walk around the plantation in which the resort is located. It’s a big plantation but not well maintained. The resort is small and expanding. Food service was apalling. We order dinner in advance at 6pm but still had to wait till 9:30 to get the first dish on the table. Rooms are ok but lot of pests! They have to do some sort of pest control!! Otherwise, I liked the location, peace and serenity of the place.
Better option would be Grand Palace Or Sterling Days Inn, for staying. We had lunch in Grand Palace the next day. It was pretty good. The views from both the hotels is amazing.
As far as sightseeing is concerned, nothing unsually great. At least nothing compared to Ooty or Kodai. The lake is also very small but all in all ok sorts. One interesting spot was Killiyur falls. You have to walk down some steep and narrow mountain trails to get to the 300ft high fall. However, my wife got very scared of the trail when it started to narrow down as much as you would have to walk very carefully and prefereably sideways. So I had turn back as well! :(
My take of this place would be, a place to stay for a full day and walk around, absorbing the charm of this small hill station.