Suite Six ways to stay in Mysore

Alternative Anokhi Garden

Pitched for the yoga scene here, Anokhi is a longish way off from the centre of town &mdash not that Mysore is a big city, but you will need an auto (about Rs 100) to get to the Central Bus Stand or railway station. The charming guesthouse, run by Frenchwomen Marie and Flora, offers solar-heated water, vegan food and awesome Continental breakfasts (Thursday to Sunday). There are three rooms and one larger, more expensive &lsquostudio&rsquo. Tariff Rs 1,800&ndash3,100 Contact 0821-4288923, anokhigarden.com

Heritage Green Hotel

The first thought when this oddly named hotel appears to the right of the main road connecting out-of-the-way Jayalakshmipuram to &lsquotown&rsquo is that it should have been a Neemrana. It isn&rsquot but still has oodles of character (no ACs, they insist) and shady lawns with an open-air restaurant for candle-lit dinners. The main building was a wayside palace used by a sister of an erstwhile Wodeyar king to &lsquofreshen up&rsquo on longer journeys yonder. Tariff Rs 3,800&ndash8,900 Contact 4255000, greenhotelindia.com

Good Standards Jade Garden

Neither particularly central nor off the map, Jade Garden sits pretty on a wide but quiet side street near the bustling Law Courts, a mid-range hotel that successfully aspires to a qualitatively professional standard. The spacious, immaculate rooms and suites, all of them air-conditioned, are done up in sober beiges and browns. The bathrooms aren&rsquot dinky either. They have two restaurants and a buffet breakfast on the house. Tariff Rs 3,000&ndash4,200 Contact 4008222, jadegarden.in

Iconic Lalitha Mahal Palace

Such a legendary address is this public sector &lsquoAshok Elite&rsquo hotel that its website gives its location as &lsquoMysore 570011&rsquo we&rsquore assured post gets delivered that way. The palace, built in 1921 by the Wodeyars, once hosted the viceroy in the 2,000 sq ft suite that now bears his name. There&rsquos an indefinable charm about this extravagant property. Yet its cheapest rooms (best rates online) are astonishingly affordable. Tariff Rs 3,000&ndash45,000 Contact 2526100, lalithamahalpalace.in

Bed & breakfast Mauve Orchid

This friendly, tidy and wi-fi-enabled century-old property is tucked quietly behind a department store and health club in a central location. Of the eight quaint, thick-walled and spacious &lsquoheritage&rsquo rooms on the ground floor, two are air-conditioned. There are also four contemporarily furnished &lsquoapartment rooms&rsquo with glass-cubicle showers and balconies on the first floor, often offered as pairs with a common living area for families. Tariff Rs 1,500&ndash2,000 Contact 4265627, mauveorchid.co.in

Luxury Windflower Resort

Windflower&rsquos flagship property fills the vacuum in contemporary luxury at Mysore &mdash it&rsquos popular for its tranquil yet easily accessible location, understated aesthetics, spacious rooms, friendly service, good food and spa, although the lone restaurant gets overcrowded on weekends and in high season, while the pool gets mixed reviews. All rooms offer views of a waterbody at the centre of the property and come with private balconies. Tariff Rs 6,400&ndash11,800 Contact 2522500, thewindflower.com