Summary:
Beautiful old British Colonel's residence restored to perfection; a blend of old world British aristocracy coupled with modern day amenities and comfort. The ideal place to escape the hustle and bustle of the corporate world and have a perfectly restoring holiday.
The journey to Royston is an adventure in itself. We warmly welcome visitors from near and far - our pleasure is hosting. We offer BBQ & Bonfire.
We can only host families and married couples at this property.
The Space:
Royston is a gorgeous old Colonial residence which once served as home to Colonel Rowcroft. Colonel Rowcroft was a British Army officer who served in India during the time of the First World War.
As such Royston is abundant with history. The walls are clad with wartime memorabilia including old photos and hangings from the past 100 years.
The main house comprises of 3 fabulous bedrooms (all with televisions) and the adjoining cottage has one bedroom. The main house sleeps 6 comfortably and it is suitable for all ages. All rooms have en-suite bathrooms which are large and well equipped, there is also a powder room. The cottage comes equipped with 2 bathrooms.
The living room is where everyone comes together, with the warm fireplace and oversized couches - there isn't a more comfortable place on earth. The technology is up-to-date with cable TV and music system. The dining room comfortably seats 8 and comes fully equipped with multi-course crockery and cutlery.
Upstairs plays host to a very relaxing space furnished with an old oak desk and library bookshelves. Reading chairs complete this perfect space.
We provide umbrellas for each room to be used during the rainy season, so nothing stops you from exploring the beautiful surroundings. For in-house dining, a chef is available at a small fee.
Guest Access:
Guests have full access to all the rooms. If the booking is for more than 6 pax the cottage is utilised.
Kitchen can only be used by guests to heat water, make tea or coffee, prepare children’s food - all cooking must be done by the chef.
Guests are free to roam around the grounds and use the BBQ / Majlis area as they please.
There is ample parking on property.
There are rooms available in the town for the drivers of guests staying at Royston. These will cost INR 900 plus taxes. Drivers are not allowed to stay on property.
The Neighborhood:
Coonoor is an old hill station with tremendous history. It served as a rehabilitation retreat for the British soldiers during the war due to its temperate climate and extremely clean air.
The town of Bedford which is in walking distance from Royston is a real melting pot. Fresh fruit markets, butchers, farmers markets, seafood merchants and many more traders line the central marketplace. You can find the freshest of food here with local fare to boast.
Coonoor is a sightseer's paradise. Sims Park, Lambs Rock, Dolphin Nose and Highfield Tea Plantation all lie within a stone's throw from the house. The town plays home to every form of religion and from the hill where Royston is based you are able to see a Church, Mosque, Jain Temple, Gurudwara and a number of Hindu Temples.
Within 20 minutes either side of Coonoor lies Ooty and Kotigiri each with their own charm. A little further afield is Nianna Tea Plantation, a 30 minute drive, another HOSPITALITYEXPERT property which we encourage you to visit.
Coonoor is a famous hill station that is 17 km from Ooty in Tamil Nadu, India. It is probably the second most popular hill station in the Nilgiris. The hill station stands at a height of 1839 meters and is known for its great picnic spots and picturesque surroundings. Coonoor is also famous for tea gardens and tea factories.
Coonoor provides the traveler with the panoramic view of the lush green Nilgiri hills, with its ravines, valleys, and waterfalls. Bird watching is a popular pastime in Coonoor, as the area boasts of a large variety of species like cormorants, pipits, thrushes, parakeets, skylarks, Nilgiri verditer, etc. Travelers can take a walk through the tea gardens. There are number of trekking and hiking trails around Coonoor. Travellers can enjoy the exhilarating and unique ride on the toy train that connects Coonoor with Mettupalayam (which Indian Rail spells Metupalaiyam) and Ooty. The trip provides some breathtaking views of the Nilgiri hills in all its natural glory. Though secondary in importance to Ooty, Coonoor offers a more secluded retreat, away from the crowds that throng Ooty. If a quiet, romantic holiday tucked away in the hills amidst fresh air and verdant Nature is what you are looking for, Coonoor is your best bet.
We provide umbrellas for each room to be used during the rainy season, so nothing stops you from exploring the beautiful surroundings.
Getting Around:
There is a major bus station at the bottom of Bedford Hill which connects you to all over Tamil Nadu.
There is also the Niligiris Mountain Railway which connects to other neighbouring towns.
A National Railway line also runs through Coonoor which connects to all major arteries.
Other Things to Note:
When booking, kindly ensure you have selected the correct number of guests.
Our sole concern is that you enjoy your stay. Please bear in mind the following to help you during your stay.
- This accommodation is reserved for families and married couples only. Due to local laws we can not host unmarried couples and bachelors.
- You will be required to present a National ID or Passport at check-in
- We do require all guests to fill in their details in the Guest Register
- Mrs Usha Frankel is the Resident Director, her contact # is +91 77080 25003
- There is CCTV Surveillance on the exterior of the building
- Kindly turn off all lights and geysers when not in use.
- Guests can use the kitchen by themselves, please be sure to turn off the gas when the cooking is complete.
We do not stock food items at Royston, however, there is a tremendous marketplace nearby. Our staff will be happy collect food items on your behalf and have a lavish meal prepared for you for a small fee mentioned below.
- Booking the chef must be done in advance, pre-payment can be made through the portal or via credit card payment link. The charge is INR 1000 / day for up to 3 meals. This is just the cooking fee, ingredients are additional.
Services:
1. Chef service (based on group size):
1-4 guests: breakfast INR 100, lunch INR 200, dinner INR 200
5-8 guests: breakfast INR 200, lunch INR 400, dinner INR 400
9 and above guests: breakfast INR 300, lunch INR 400, dinner INR 500
- BBQ: INR 300
- Bonfire: INR 500
All ingredients are extra, this is the fee for the Chef to cook only for the entire group per meal. Payment can be made directly to the Chef or Resident Director.
2. To procure ingredients on your behalf: INR 200 per trip. Payment to be made directly to the staff.
(For all meals the cost of ingredients is paid by the guests)
If you try to check-in with more guests or if we find more guests staying in the house than booked online then the booking will be cancelled. Please ensure the correct number of guests are on the booking to avoid your booking being cancelled.
Visitor Policy
Only the number of guests on the booking may enter the property. Should guests wish to have visitors they are required to make a request through the platform they booked on. A Government issued photo ID is required for each visitor and admission is subject to approval. Visitors are not allowed on property without prior approval.
Absolutely no visitors will be allowed after 10pm. Additional guests must be added to the booking.
Interaction with Guests:
HOSPITALITYEXPERT is one of the leading global suppliers of Holiday Home experiences, we fully respect the privacy of our guests and their individual desires for interacting with us. We offer a number of services to improve your stay from insightful concierge communication, to chef, prestock, massage, tour and transport services depending on the territory where the rental is based. We leave it up to you to let us know how we can better your stay. Thank you.