The new way to travel is traveling local and staycations are the new weekend plans. Just after the second lockdown, we wanted to go for a safe staycation not too far from Bangalore. We narrowed down on Mysore, which is about 3 hours drive from Bangalore and a beautiful destination filled with art and culture. Known as the cultural capital of Karnataka, Mysore is famous for its heritage structures, palaces, Mysore silk, Mysore sandal and my favourite Mysore Dosa. And to explore the history, culture and art of Mysore, we chose Grand Mercure Mysore as our home for a few days.
A warm welcome at Grand Mercure Mysore
Grand Mercure Mysore is an upscale luxurious five-star hotel in the heart of Mysore, just a few minutes away from Mysore Palace and overlooks the famous Dasara Procession pathway. The first impression of Grand Mercure Mysore is grand with its elegant palatial entrance and royal look. 
The architecture reminded me of the gorgeous Mysore Palace and I couldn’t wait to explore more. We were very warmly welcomed by Team Grand Mercure and our check-in was quick following all the covid protocols.
Last year after the first lockdown, our first staycation was at Novotel Bengaluru Outer Ring Road and we were super impressed by the ALLSAFE cleanliness and prevention protocols. No surprise, Grand Mercure Mysore like all other Accor properties follows these hygiene and safety measures, which puts you at ease immediately, especially if you are traveling with kids.
Looking around, I noticed the classy interiors are a blend of Mysore’s traditions and contemporary designs. It is a vibrant reminder of the architecture and royalty of Mysore Palace and a real pleasure to experience any heritage lover like me.
Studio Suite at Grand Mercure Mysore
The first thing that I noticed while we entered our studio suite was the label at the door which said that the suite had been sanitised and had been kept locked before our check-in. The expansive suite welcomed us and was a promise of luxury and comfort. The team at Grand Mercure Mysore had decorated the room with personalised welcome gifts for our little ones and us and it made us feel at home immediately. The spacious suite has a living room, a bedroom, a wonderful balcony and a huge bathroom with a bathtub.
Both the rooms have 40” LED TVs and all the comforts that are needed for a staycation. The best surprise was entering the bedroom decorated with our pictures, roses and balloons that felt like talking a walk down the memory lane followed by the rose petal sprinkled bath that awaited in the bathtub.
Hi-Tea and family-friendly activities
After resting for a while, we came down to explore the hotel more. Evenings at Grand Mercure Mysore are lively and their restaurant was buzzing. La Uppu, as the name suggests draws inspiration from international cuisines and add in the local flavours of Mysore and Karnataka.
Our hi-tea was a delight as we chatted with the Chef and the team over a cup of filter coffee and delicious snacks touched by local tastes of Mysore and around. It was raining outside and the platter full of murukkus, bondas, pakodas, maddur vadas etc were the perfect mates to tea and coffee that was served.
We waited for the rain to stop while the little one played on the XBox station in the lobby. I could already see a growing queue of kids around and luckily the rain stopped in some time. We stepped outside and just in time came in a Tonga, the iconic reminder of Mysore’s heritage. Grand Mercure Mysore organises special Tonga rides for all their guests which adds another traditional touch to a staycation. Our little one, at first a little apprehensive really enjoyed the Tonga ride that took us around the city.
Dining experiences at Grand Mercure Mysore
Our dinner was another surprise and was the perfect intimate celebration setting. They had decorated their rooftop space with balloons, flowers and candles setting a great note to the rest of the evening. Next came the food that was delicious and was mainly inspired by the regional cuisines of India. We tried different kinds of seafood that was cooked to perfection and every bite was a fusion of delicious flavors. It was like we were on a culinary journey, with each course taking our dining experience to the next level.
The star dishes of the evening for us were the prawn entree, grilled lobster and the tandoori dishes. But I loved the Chef’s specialty, the Lobster rasam which was a flavor bomb. Our main course was mutton biriyani cooked in handi, dal makhani and parathas which was followed by deliciously prepared assorted desserts. After dinner, we stayed back admiring the gorgeous panoramic views of Chamundi hills and Mysore city before returning back to our suite and calling it a day.
The breakfast scenes are joyful and vast and redefine the saying “Breakfast of Champions”. Loved the wide range starting from popular Indian breakfast dishes to exotic continental dishes. In short, there is something for everyone and the local dishes really stood out. We had breakfast on our balcony the first day and breakfast in bed the next day as the comforts of our suite had totally spoilt us. The rest of the days went well with a mix of work, online classes and exploring Mysore city.
Our lunch was another culinary journey, only this time we experienced the flavors of Karnataka through Grand Mercure Mysore’s South Indian Thali. It was a privilege to be lunching with the General Manager and Marketing Head of the hotel and getting to know about the delicious food from the Chef himself. Our dinner was a casual sit-out in La Uppu and a great end to a busy day. The weather was lovely and it was a full moon night. We were craving North Indian and we loved all the courses served. Highly recommend the tandoori kebabs and the Mutton Rogan Josh that we had for the main course.
Spa Time
A perfect staycation calls for some me-time and relaxation and what better way than some spa time. We went in for a couple-massage which was a wonderful bonding time with a lot of relaxation. They have different kinds of body spa services including massages, facials and bodywraps that one can enjoy in the aesthetic and luxurious roof of Grand Mercure Mysore’s Spa.
Our overall staycation experience was just wonderful and we will definitely return soon. If you are planning a luxurious family and kid-friendly staycation near Bangalore, do consider Mysore. And in Mysore, we highly recommend Grand Mercure Mysore for a staycation while traveling to Mysore with kids.
We were hosted by Grand Mercure Mysore however all views and opinions expressed are mine.
