Turtle Pond Home Stay

We were a group of 8 people and had booked 3 huts (3+3+2). Firstly, the communication from the property manager/owner is really not up to the mark. We reached the property in the afternoon. They had already started preparing the dinner without first confirming from us. The dinner charges were too extravagant (Initial quote: 500/person per dinner for non-veg). During our initial conversation, the owner only had asked us about the food preference (veg/non-veg). When we discussed this with the owner, she started talking rudely, saying that, "You have got the property for cheaper than usual rates, if you are facing issues I am not going to give you dinner. Blaming us only that we did not communicate with her properly. We should have contacted right after booking. Etc." Not at all hospitable behaviour. Although, we were finally able to negotiate the dinner charge. But, you would definitely not want to deal with all this during a vacation. The huts also were not that great to be honest, for as much as we paid. There are definitely better homestays available in this price range, also considering the remote location. There were few bugs/caterpillar inside the hut. The beds felt a little small in terms of width, and they felt a little dusty. They provided hot water for bathing only during certain hours of the day. And, you had to manage at that time only. Same for the complimentary breakfast. I mean it was not flexible, for example if you had any other plans like safari. Although, the food was good, home like. I would recommend skipping this home stay for your holiday.

2 months ago

Turtle Pond in Coorg was a disappointing choice for our stay. There is no turtle in the pond. The accommodation was overpriced for what was offered. The property seldom has guests and the huts are poorly maintained. The rooms did not match the photos we saw. They had a persistent, unpleasant odor, and the bedsheets were not clean. Instead of a relaxing family outing, it felt more like a regrettable experience. I would advise staying away from Turtle Pond.

3 months ago

I went to this Home stay with my family and stayed for 3days. One of the best experience we had in this stay .. Location: Completely away from busy roads, traffic hustle.. one will enjoy who is looking for break from busy life. Approach to the Home stay is good when you know the how Coorg is! Food: Tasty healthy delicious food prepared and served hot by Mr Girish and his family. We are vegetarians and got really a tasty food. Perfect timings to serve them hot and fresh. Cleanliness: Rooms are kept clean. You can find small tiny friends from insects family. Kids were thrilled to experience this which they hardly find in city. Loved the birds chirping.. beautiful colourful flowers, quiet pond to spend a romantic time with your partner.. Hospitality: Great Nearby activities/ place to visit: Irupu falls, Dubare, Golden temple, Nagarahole safari, Bhagamandala Bhagandeshwara temple, Talacauvery, Mrityunjaya temple, Tiruvelly Vishnu temple in Wayanad. Safety: Place is safe from animals. Overall would suggest the people to experience this place one who value the nature and admire it and need a break from busy life..

a month ago

Room's are not at all good. In website it shows different while visiting room its totally different . That hut was full wet and bed also not good. Some smell also came. Will not recommend to others. Not worth for the amount for 1 day stay.

4 months ago

Very good experience and would like to visit again ! It's pet friendly too ("as long as the pet is obedient/friendly and cones with its bed, food, bowl etc" the owner had told) though it shows otherwise in mmt. You can reach out to the owner, Meena Joshi and she will help clarify everything. This is an ideal location for those who want to unplug and tune in with just nature - the property is away from the towns, air is cool, fresh and you can hear various birds and animals. It's not for those who want to go to coorg or madikeri with the intention of going out everyday for food, shopping etc. This place is rather quiet and away from all the hustle n bustle. Madikeri is very far from here. The nearest town like place is gonikuppa where you can get good burgers, lovely shops, wines, honey etc. Which itself is about an hour away. But to those who want to get away from the noise, it's remoteness makes it ideal ! If you have a dog, it's very nice for them too as they will enjoy the walks in the plantation, lots of curious sounds and smell around. How one can enjoy the homestay is by staying in the estate most of the time, eat the very homely and yummy food made by the caretaker (only breakfast and dinner were available), walk around the property, wake up early morning and see fog moving over the pond in the property. It looks like the pond is a hot spring and there is smoke coming off it. This is also an ideal time to enjoy a coffee watching the sunset, or reading a book on the porch of the cottage or listening to the various sounds of birds, going for long walks and just stay in. After a day you can step out to the nearby towns for safari, sightseeing, temple visits, shopping local souvenirs, visit tea estates etc. There is a caretaker at the property and hot water is available only in the morning. The rooms were clean and bathroom was good too. Nearby are iruppu falls, nagarhole tiger reserve. The safari is a huge effort - one needs to be there early to book a slot or do online booking. We went there some time after 11 to book for evening safari but the queue was very long and more than that the personnel there, probably to get extra cash, was saying ridiculous rules. Waited for an hour in the queue only to be told that tickets for the evening safari will be given only post 2.30pm and we should rejoin the queue then etc. Iruppu falls was very good. There is a small trek up but very scenic. There are stairs. This place is famous for the banded peacock butterflies, not sure how one can spot it ! The falls were majestic, however, it was crowded and people would do daring poses for clicks even in their underwear and the rocks are slippery. We had amaaaaazing burger at Jack smoke bbq near gonikuppa. There are many wine shops but you won't find them in map. Most shops have wines. Even an lic related shop had wines. The stay is inside a big plantation and the plantation itself is quite isolated ( with other such plantations neighbouring it). Evening tinned, the roads to the property are without streetlights even.

10 months ago

This resort is at a reasonable distance from the Nagarhole reserve. Since our Safari was in the evening, it was dark by the time we reached it. We were pretty tired at the end of the day and all of us close to being senior citizens, were keen on some warmth, wholesome food and Comfortable and clean rooms. ||The rooms were clean and comfortable and the food was modest but good. What the property lacked was warmth. Actually and figuratively. The housekeeper seemed stressed. The dining area and kitchen is open on all sides which is very inconvenient after a long day on a wintery night. ||The property is overpriced. Surely not worth 2500/- per person per night.

a year ago

Turtle Pond is a haven nestled in the Kutta area. It is a lovely home stay and is managed by Meena Joshi, who is so pleasant and always there to help one out. The cottages are unique in style. The home cooked food is really good and if one advises their preference, they make it to suit your needs. The coffee plantation adds to the charm and waking up to the bird calls is so relaxing. One can sometimes get to see the Elephants drinking from the pond in the premises.

a year ago

Turtle pond is a small unassuming little place that’s ideal for couples and small families. With just 4-5rooms they have ensured the quality of service is very high. And that’s not an overstatement!! Girish the manager who looks after the place and ensures u get delicious homely food each day is a gem of a person. He ensured our stay was very comfortable, giving us tips about the place and where to visit while also indulging us in the best home food u can get. One of the best home stays ever!! ||||We also made some new friends along the way. A couple with 2 kids who also visit a lot of these home stays and vouched for Turtle ponds quality. ||||Breakfast and either lunch/dinner is included in the package and is extreme value for money. Add to that he gives u all the coffee and tea u want with no extra charge. ||||Meena who owns this place is sweet and has ensured a quality experience for all guests!! Thank u for a lovely stay and we look forward to coming back soon!!

5 years ago