King's Cliff

Firstly, I was given a room in an extension block that seemed to have been built recently. It was modern but lacked the charm and character of a true heritage property. The main building, with its fireplace and historic ambience, was nowhere to be found. This was especially disappointing considering the premium price I paid, comparable to what you'd expect from a 5-star hotel. The lack of attention to detail continued throughout my stay. When I checked in on a rainy day, I had to walk to the extension block without an umbrella despite the muddy road. The staff seemed unbothered by this inconvenience. Additionally, the room didn't have slippers, and the floor was cold, with no heating available (although they did provide a basic room heater when requested). To make matters worse, I had to call the front desk to confirm my room for the second day, which should have been done automatically as part of their standard procedure. This lack of efficiency only added to my frustration. The toiletries were also woefully inadequate, with only basic soap and shampoo provided. Power cuts were frequent, and I had to notify the front desk each time, which seemed like a hassle the hotel should have anticipated. The breakfast buffet was uninspiring and lacked flavour. To make matters worse, I had dinner at their restaurant, which was rated top in Ooty, but my experience was average at best. To add insult to injury, they got our order wrong, substituting Nasi Goreng (fried rice) with Mee Goreng (fried noodles). When I brought this to their attention, they made no effort to compensate for the mistake. In conclusion, Hotel King's Cliff fails to live up to its reputation as a heritage property or even a 2-star hotel. The overpricing and lack of attention to detail make it a poor choice for travellers seeking a comfortable and enjoyable stay in Ooty.

As you move up the driveway and kingscliff comes into sight, there is no denying it exudes an old world charm and really captures your attention. We asked before we arrived did they do laundry and cost, the reservations were unsure but we could ask on arrival....so their own team didn't know, didn't ask anyone and pushed it back on to us. We could have had same day laundry in Mysore and would have used that if we'd been given better information. On check-in we were told us could be done but would take 2 to 3 days, it would have been a gamble as 3rd day we were leaving. So no laundry. Welcome on arrival was nice and pleasant and we shown to our room, a deluxe garden view. Now whilst I appreciate it's a heritage property that's no excuse to not keep maintenance standards up. The veranda had gaps ***** every window and there were gaps in the door. This meant any chilly drafts was going to get in easily, ***** with any airborne insects. The main door couldn't close properly and couldn't be secured by padlock, only a single flimsy top bolt. Picture shows how the locking mechanism doesn't even get close to the other door. Door to the bedroom would key lock from outside but the key wouldn't lock from inside and again only a basic top bolt. The walls looked like the last monsoon had come running through the roof. The windows in the room wouldn't close properly which meant a cold draft throughout the night. The bathroom walls were grubby. Net curtains were torn and ripped. Inside door handle really loose and held together with a screw. Whilst surfaces were clean the cupboards had dust and cobwebs. We found out included in our rate was high tea. I think high tea is pushing the envelope of what one might expect......a plate of warm french fries, a cup of tea and a shortbread biscuit. One evening became a surreal bad joke due to zero organisational skills. Fries were put out but no plate or sauce or serving tongs. Someone asks for sauce, the chap looks ses there's no sauce, plates or tongs and sends a young lass off, she brings sauce bit nothing else. Another chap goes off and gets plates and then we ask again re tongs and 15 minutes after first requesting they arrive.....by which point the fries are now quite cold. Breakfast was ok at best. Evening meal was excellent, seperate review. We did request a room heater and one was provided and did heat the room up very quickly. The staff member who brought the heater was amazingly helpful and a really nice person. Hot water was between 6 and 10 both ends of day. The shower was amazing. Nice liquid soap and shampoo provided. 2 litres of purified bottled water each day provided. Nice to see sustainability at play. The view from here is nothing less then outstanding. It's also very tranquil. The gardens are immaculately kept. They clearly put a huge amount of effort in this area. Just a shame they don't put so much effort into maintaining the rooms. Lots of scampering under the f

We traveled with family in the first week of December and booked Kings Cliff on the basis of the property being a heritage hotel. We really enjoyed our stay here. The hospitality was amazing. Special shout out to Sheela and Shekhar who helped us out with our requirements. The food at Earls secret was amazing and the breakfast served was delicious. We would recommend booking this property for beautiful views of the mountains, experience of charming heritage style rooms and amazing hospitality.