Booking Policy & House Rules

Vattakanal is an eco Sensitive Zone surrounded by shola forests and contain many rare endemic flora and fauna.

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Take care to minimize your carbon footprint by opting eco friendly way of travel.

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Avoid plastics, and littering.

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Plastic bags & 1 ltr plastic water bottles/cokes are banned in kodai. 

Avoid Cars. Kodai get really jam packed on weekends and holidays and you are more likely to waste your time and energy looking for space to park and drive around. 

Vattakanal doesn't have dedicated parking either and hilly terrain and one way makes it really frustrating. at times. 

Expect to hike few hundred meters 

each time to reach your rooms and be prepared to carry your luggage and essentials. 

In case of elderly and people with knee issues, 

DM us to provide rooms with easy access.

Walk as much as you can, 

Avoid driving or using vehicles. 

Vattakanal has beautiful paths to hike &

enjoy nature.

Avoid strolling late in nights. 

There are bisons, wild boars, porcupines &

even leopards in the forests nearby.

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💉Avoid Drugs.🍄

We discourage usage of any kind of illegal items. 

There are many checkpost enroute Vatta  & across Kodai 

who are accustomed to ripping tourists off while entering. 

If you are carrying anything illegal (drugs/weed etc) 

good chance you will pay heftily. 

They check for alcohol etc as well, 

so avoid carrying in large quantities 

from other states.

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During Covid Lockdowns, check the travel restrictions on govt portal and obtain E-Pass if required.  . https://www.tnepass.tn.gov.in/home

Road 

Western Ghats offer some of the best roads to ride in India and worth the experience. There are Four access roads to Kodaikanal, Dindigul and Palani being the major ones which are easy to drive, while thandikudi and Adukkam  are majorly forest routes and are only used by locals. 

Important : You may need E-pass while coming by your own vehicle to enter kodaikanal which can be easily obtained for free by filling in your details. https://www.tnepass.tn.gov.in/home

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Flight 

The nearest airport is Madurai (120 km), followed by Trichy (150 km) and Coimbatore (175 km). From there, it’s a four to five-hour drive to Vattakanal. Cab charges 2.5 to 3,000 INR on an avg for the trip. Ola is available too.

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BUS

A second option is to fly to Bangalore or Chennai and take an overnight bus, which starts around 8-11 p.m and arrives in Kodaikanal at 7am, where there are cabs waiting to go to Vattakanal which charges another 300-400.

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Train

Train is yet another way to commute. People confuse Kodai Road  to be in Kodaikanal which is in turn 80 kms in the foothills ad there are only few trains that stop here. Dindigul, Palani, Coimbatore and Madurai being prominent ones with good connectivity from major cities. Its another 3-5 Hrs commute via taxi or local buses. Make sure that you arrive well in day light as last bus to kodai leaves around 6 pm. And it's harder to find Taxis and can be quite expensive otherwise.  

Expenses:

Flight: Depending on your dates and the airport, rates may vary from Rs. 4,000-7,000 (£44-78)

Bus: From Bangalore – Rs. 1000 (£10) for a Sleeper Bus

Cab: From the airport to Vattakanal – Rs. ~3,500-4,000 (£40)

Cab: From Kodaikanal – Rs. 500 (£6)

No Parking

Most properties in vattakanal are located up on the hill accessible only by foot. Hence the cars are parked on street along the main road which is pretty common and safe. You can ping us for dedicated parking to be arranged in nearby locations. Some rooms you can reach really close by in car but still last stretch needs to be hiked. 

You can message us to arrange a cab pick up or drops to your destinations.

Google Map Location  

https://maps.app.goo.gl/AgvU5s4yVuaFhijSA

Save this location,  or ask for Danish Studio & Bookstore and come to this Store/Reception to be guided to your particular homestay/Rooms. It is located right next to the famous Altafs Cafe, where you can wait and read books as well until your hosts show up. 

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The weather remains unpredictable with experiencing all three seasons in a single day. Kodaikanal being located at 2000 m asl in Western Ghats is usually wet and cold with avg temperature ranging below 20 degrees for most part of the year and close to zero during winters, it's always advisable to pack good waterproof jackets and liners.  If you plan to camp then check waterproofing and the temperature rating of your sleeping bags. 

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Power Cuts are frequent and the pathways are dark, with wild life in close vicinity. Always carry a spare torch or head lamp. And backpacks fare better for luggage instead of suitcases and cabin luggage which may be tricky to handle.

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Carry Cash as there are no ATMs in Vattakanal. You can however withdraw from Dostel being the only provider in Vattakanal or use UPIs or mobile payment gateways in shops.

Check In Time is  2 Pm

Fill this registration form on arrival

Early check in maybe chargeable based on availability.  

Check in by 6 pm or Day light time for smoother experience. Register and make your payment as soon as you arrive.

Keep your doors windows closed as monkeys, dogs & Cats can be a nuisance. 

Switch off geyser and electricity when not in use.

Check Out Time 10 Am

• Keep room & kitchen clean and tidy. 

• Extra charges may apply otherwise.

• Check essentials, towels etc are kept in place.

• Leave keys in the door. Inform the caretaker in advance . 

• And they will handle from here for helping with luggage etc.

• Lost keys will be charges at 500 rs.

• Guests are responsible for their luggage and belongings.

• Make sure you don't miss anything.

Booking and Cancellation Policy

Booking Policy

• Reservation Confirmation:
  Bookings are confirmed once advanced payment is done. Guests will receive an automated confirmation email with all stay details.  In case you havent, DM to get the bill. Balance payments have to be paid in full at the time of Check In.
  
  

• Minimum Stay:
  A minimum stay of 2 nights is required unless otherwise stated, mainly on weekends and holidays.
  
  

• Maximum Occupancy:
  Most properties accommodates up to [2-4] guests per room according to the occupancy and bookings made. Only registered guests included in the reservation are permitted on the property unless prior approval is granted and additional charges may add.
  
  

• Check-In / Check-Out:
  
  

  • Check-in: After [2:00 PM]
    
    

  • Check-out: By [10:00 AM]
    Early check-in or late check-out may be available upon request and subject to availability and additional fees.
    
    

• Security Deposit:
  Advance is mandatory to confirm your bookings and are non refundable. It is required to cover damages or rule violations/cancellations. This deposit will be adjusted in rental before checkout.
  
  

Cancellation Policy

• Policy apply as mentioned on booking platforms (Airbnb/agoda/mmt/booking) etc.

Or

• Standard Policy (Moderate Option):

• Full Payments to be cleared at Check in Time
  
  

  • Guests can cancel up to 7 days before check-in for a full refund.

  • Cancellations made within 7 days of check-in will receive a 50% refund for unused nights.

  • No Refunds for cancellation made less than 48 Hrs before check-in. 

  • Tariffs are 25% extra for such bookings & no discounts.
    
    

• Strict Option (for high-demand listings & Holidays):
  
  

  • Guests can cancel up to 14 days before check-in for a 50% refund.
    
    

  • No refunds for cancellations made less than 14 days before check-in.

Early Departures / No-Shows

• No refunds will be issued for early departures or no-shows once the stay has begun.
  
  

Host Cancellations

In the unlikely event that the host must cancel a booking due to unforeseen circumstances, guests can either receive a full refund or assistance in finding comparable accommodation in the same locality.

Changes to Bookings

Requests to modify booking dates or guest count must be made through Manager and approved by the host prior to arrival. Changes are subject to availability and any applicable rate differences plus 25% of booking charges.