Some trips are about exploring a new destination. Others are simply about taking a break from the usual routine. Our one-night getaway to the Royal Orchid at Brindavan Gardens, Mysore, was a little of both.
My wife and I drove from Bangalore, looking forward to a relaxed stay, some good food and a visit to the famous Brindavan Gardens. The hotel’s location, right beside the gardens, was one of its biggest attractions. We wanted to spend some time away from the city without having to plan an elaborate holiday.
The drive from Bangalore
We started from Bangalore at around 9 am and reached the hotel around noon. The four-lane highway made for a comfortable drive, and the journey itself was a pleasant start to our short break.
On reaching the hotel, we were shown a ground-floor room close to the reception. The room had a balcony that opened directly onto the area in front of it, which didn’t offer quite the privacy we were looking for. We asked if we could move to another room, and the staff accommodated our request. We eventually settled into a room on the first floor, which felt much more suitable for our stay.
It’s a small detail, but a comfortable room can make a difference when the whole point of a trip is to relax.
Our stay at the Royal Orchid
The hotel had several facilities to keep guests occupied without needing to venture far. There was a garden where we could take a leisurely walk, a compact fitness centre and a spa offering massages and other treatments.
The room had a canopy over the bed, which added a little character to the space. We also enjoyed the view from the balcony, particularly after dark, when the gardens outside were illuminated.
The stay wasn’t without its shortcomings, though. The bathtub felt too small to be comfortable, and the bathroom floor had a drainage issue that left water accumulating after use. There were also a few small maintenance details around the furniture that could have been taken care of better.
None of these issues ruined our stay, but they were noticeable. A hotel can have a wonderful location and attractive surroundings, yet the little things still matter when it comes to comfort.
Food at the hotel
We tried the hotel’s restaurant during our stay. The ambience wasn’t particularly impressive, but the food itself was enjoyable.
We especially liked the Mysore masala dosa and bisi bele bath. Both were good choices for a trip to this part of Karnataka, and the friendly, attentive staff made the dining experience pleasant.
The restaurant wasn’t the highlight of the getaway, but we came away satisfied with the meal. Sometimes, good food and warm service are enough, even when the setting could be better.
An evening at Brindavan Gardens
The biggest advantage of staying at the Royal Orchid was its proximity to Brindavan Gardens. We didn’t have to worry about a long drive or arranging transport to visit one of the area’s best-known attractions.
We spent the evening walking through the landscaped gardens, with their symmetrical pathways, flowerbeds, fountains and gazebos. The gardens offered plenty of space to wander around at an unhurried pace.
The musical fountain show was another part of the experience. Fountain shows are familiar attractions in many places today, but there was something enjoyable about seeing the gardens come alive in the evening. The lighting and atmosphere made the visit worthwhile.
For us, this was the most memorable part of the stay. Having the gardens so close meant we could enjoy the evening without rushing back to the hotel or worrying about the journey.
KRS Dam: An Engineering Landmark of Mysore
The Krishna Raja Sagara Dam, better known as KRS, is much more than a scenic attraction near Mysore. It was an ambitious engineering project conceived to address the region’s need for water for irrigation, drinking water supplies and hydroelectric power.
The idea of building a dam across the Cauvery River had been discussed decades earlier, but the project took shape under the rule of Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV. Sir M. Visvesvaraya, one of India’s most celebrated engineers, played a central role in planning and executing the project. Construction began in 1911, and the dam was completed in stages over the following two decades. It was named Krishnaraja Sagara in 1917 in honour of the Maharaja.
What makes the project particularly interesting is the period in which it was built. Large infrastructure projects demanded considerable ingenuity, given the limitations in construction technology and materials at the time. The dam became an important part of Mysore’s development, supporting irrigation across the surrounding agricultural region and helping supply water to nearby cities.
Even today, KRS represents an important chapter in Karnataka’s engineering and development history. It is a reminder that some of the places we visit for their views and recreational attractions were originally built to solve much more fundamental problems.
Brindavan Gardens: Where Engineering Meets Landscape Design
At the foot of the KRS Dam lies Brindavan Gardens, the attraction that has made this area famous among generations of visitors.
The gardens were developed under the direction of Sir Mirza Ismail, the Dewan of Mysore, and were influenced by the terraced Mughal-style Shalimar Gardens of Kashmir. The project took shape in the late 1920s and was completed around 1932, alongside the development of the dam.
The layout is quite different from that of an ordinary public park. Terraced lawns, symmetrical pathways, flowerbeds, ornamental plants and fountains create a carefully arranged landscape. The gardens are designed to be explored on foot, with each section offering a slightly different view of the grounds.
The musical fountain became one of the gardens’ signature attractions. Water jets, coloured lights and music combine to create an evening show that draws visitors from Mysore and beyond.
There is something fitting about the relationship between the dam and the gardens. The dam was built to manage water and support the region’s development; the gardens transformed the setting into a place where people could appreciate that landscape in a completely different way.
When we visited, it was the evening atmosphere and the musical fountain that made the biggest impression on us. Knowing a little more about the history behind the place adds another dimension to that experience. What appears at first to be a beautifully landscaped tourist attraction is also part of a much larger story about engineering, agriculture and the vision of the erstwhile Mysore State.
Mini-golf and a look around the hotel
The following morning, we tried the mini-golf facility at the hotel. It was a fun way to spend some time before checking out.
We also took a look at the swimming pool, although it was much smaller than we had expected. It felt more like a plunge pool than a place where guests could properly swim, so we decided to skip it.
These were relatively minor parts of the stay, but they helped us get a better sense of what the property offered. There were enough facilities to fill a short getaway, although not all of them lived up to our expectations.
Was the stay worth it?
After a night at the Royal Orchid, our overall impression was positive, though not without reservations.
The location was the hotel’s biggest strength. Being so close to Brindavan Gardens made the evening visit easy and enjoyable, and the garden views from our room added to the experience. The staff were accommodating when we asked to change rooms, and we had a pleasant meal at the restaurant.
On the other hand, the bathroom maintenance, the small bathtub, the restaurant ambience and the undersized swimming pool were areas where the hotel could have done better.
What I remember most, however, is the evening at Brindavan Gardens. It was the reason the location worked so well for us, and it gave the getaway the relaxed, unhurried feel we had hoped for.
We checked out the next morning and drove back to Bangalore, refreshed after a short break from our routine.
Looking back, the Royal Orchid was not a flawless hotel experience, but it gave us what we had come for: a comfortable-enough stay, time together and an enjoyable evening in one of Mysore’s best-known gardens.
Note: This article reflects our personal experience during a visit in 2009. The hotel’s facilities, services and surrounding attractions may have changed since then.
