Looking for a getaway? Try Mysuru

Susheela Nair

If you want to distance yourself from the hustle and bustle of Mysore, the royal city, head to Ibis Styles, a tranquil hideaway where luxury meets nature in quiet elegance. Surrounded by lush environs, what makes Ibis Styles distinctive is the unique design, inspired by the Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, featuring bird motifs, local flora and fauna, and a Mysuru-inspired colour palette. Each corner exudes the city’s soul, offering a stylish blend of classic charm and modern flair. One can step into the hotel that is as vibrant and colourful as Mysuru and feel the classic Mysuru experience but in a more stylish way. Ibis Styles brings global chic and local charm to Karnataka’s cultural capital. 

Explaining the concept behind the design of Ibis Styles,  Anuj Chaudhry, cluster general manager of Ibis Styles Mysuru, Grand Mercure Mysuru and Grand Mercure Bengaluru, says, “It is a celebration of the natural beauty that surrounds us with elements like patterns, wall frames, and our desk motifs all inspired by the vibrant and diverse birdlife of the Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary. We wanted to bring a touch of the sanctuary’s tranquility and charm into the hotel, creating a space where guests can feel connected to the local environment, while enjoying modern comforts. Each design choice is a nod to the sanctuary, offering our guests a unique and serene experience.” 

As you enter the hotel, you get a feeling of space. The theme of birds is discernible everywhere right from the reception desk, engraved with birds in flight, and the interiors of the chandelier lampshades with birds looking at the light. The ‘Feature Wall’ in the reception area, which is dedicated for keeping artefacts related to birds, catches your eye. 

The hotel exudes a contemporary feel. Each floor has a different colour theme and features 100 aesthetically done rooms and 30 stylish suites. Accommodation comes in four categories  — queen rooms, twin rooms, superior rooms, and executive suites. Each room at Ibis Styles is designed to blend traditional charm with modern facilities to provide a unique and memorable stay. Right from the positioning of rooms, everything is in harmony with nature. The rooms combine elegance with modernity. 

The Verandah, the hotel’s multi-cuisine restaurant, catches your attention with its vibrant mosaic of colourful visuals and wall paintings of avians. You can grab a drink in the Flamingo Bar, inspired by the mirrored elegance of flamingoes on water. You can work up a sweat in the gym, or take a splash in the rooftop infinity pool.

One of the highlights of the hotel is that it offers petcations in style, so that furry friends can have a blast! They are always welcome, with special amenities. Special beds and feeding bowls are available upon request. There are also designated pet-friendly rooms to ensure comfort for your pets. 

Sustainability has been at the forefront of the operations in all Accor hotels. From the initial concept stage of the hotels, green practices have been incorporated. The initiative at Ibis Styles is being driven by replacing plastic bottles with sustainable glass water bottles with a negligible carbon footprint. In some rooms, the wallpaper is made from recycled glass. 

From the hotel, we went museum hopping to the Rail Museum which houses priceless locomotives, coaches, collections of paintings and photographs narrating the ‘Rail Story’, some heritage treasures like signalling equipment and steam engines that evoke memories of a bygone era of the Indian Railways. The highlight is the Maharani’s Saloon, built in the UK, of 1899 vintage coupled with a kitchen-dining car built in Mysore in 1914.

It offers a collection of rolling stock reminiscent of a dated grandeur, upholstered according to lavish regal notions of how travel was to be undertaken. Other rare items on display include a hand-operated crane, Krishnaraja Wodeyar’s personal telephone of 1930, a working model of a mini steam engine, and a railway clock dating back to 1889. 

After we had our fill of the regular sights of Mysuru, we visited Devaraj Market, the city’s famous fruit, flower and vegetable market. We strolled down the numerous open corridors and stalls, and discovered covered stalls stacked with pyramids of fruits, conical mounds of bright kumkum powder and stacks of glittering bangles. We found an incredible variety of fruits, especially the Nanjangud Rasabale banana, spices, betel, blocks of jaggery, antiques and a wonderful array of vegetables.

The huge mounds of marigolds, jasmine, aster and roses made a stunning medley of colours. The aromas of strong spices, perfumes and the fragrances from the thousands of heaped flowers, especially Mysore Malli, are a treat for the senses.

Mysore is reputed for its shimmering silks, sandalwood carvings, rosewood inlay work, wooden toys and exquisite handicrafts. Don’t miss the incense sticks. Mysore paintings, resplendent in their combination of gold leaves and vibrant colours, are much sought after by art lovers. Explore the vibrant market areas such as Ashoka Road, Sayyaji Rao Road or Devaraj Urs Road and get the best pick of what you want from the shops that are choc-a-bloc with souvenir items.

The best time to visit the Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary is at the crack of dawn. You can have your fill of birdwatching on a boat ride when this all-season picturesque preserve for water birds becomes a vibrant mosaic of colours with cormorants, spoonbills, river terns, plovers, open-billed storks, white ibises, egrets, darters and herons foraying into the waters. You can delight in watching the winged visitors building nests or plunging into the water and returning with fish for chicks. 

 

FACT FILE

Getting there: Mysuru Airport — 17 km;

Bengaluru — 146 km. 

Where to stay: Ibis Styles, 17/2, KRS Road,

Metagalli, Mysuru

Reservations: ibisstyles.com