Last week I found myself in Ooty in an unexpected turn of events... A friend had suggested a family trip bcoz their child was feeling totally isolated n gloomy after his grandfather's death.The poor child had been very much attached to his grandfather who had passed away after a brief illness.He badly needed a break n his parents felt that a trip to some nice place would boost his spirits..n so I agreed to accompany them though I was worried about how my infant son would cope with the weather.
Once more we took a left turn and right in front of us was the Holiday Home!!! I felt relieved bcoz everyone had begun to think that such a place must have existed in my imagination!!!! So here comes the pic of the junction where u come in from Coonoor...
Now thats my little girl posing for photos at the Holiday home.....
I just hope this would be of help to atleast some of you hoping to stay at Bank Of India's Holiday home at Ooty....This post was born out of sheer frustration at not being able to locate this place on the net.....
I too was fed up with this office n Home n back to office routine.Lonely weekends with hubby busy with work had my nerves standing on an end.Only the kids were a relief.As luck would have it something went awry with the Online Hotel booking and we were told that no rooms were available just a day before we were to leave.I had pestered myself into a holiday mood n wasnt going to Give up...so I deceided to give luck a chance and called up the person concerned with booking our official Holiday home at Ooty. Strangely, luck was on my side(!!!! you have to book a holiday home one month in advance!!!) and I got 2 rooms booked just a day before our journey was to begin.
But the friend who had made this plan backed out n another couple accompanied us. I had forgotten to take a copy of the address of Our Bank of India Holiday home and hubby was fuming when I told him that.
But of course I remembered that the place was called "Mahalaxmi" and that it was near the ATC theatre at Ooty.Still hubby was reluctant to leave on the strength of such a feeble location map....I frantically searched the net for some info but I met dead ends all the time...I called up a colleague and he said that it was located opposite the race course.Hubby believed him.I felt annoyed.
5 AM found us in near the race course and I managed to persuade the rest of the gang to drive near the ATC theatre complex.I suggested that the Holiday home must be above the Theatre n was laughed at saying there was nothing there. We spent about 20 mins browsing bylanes and asking strangers for directions with no result.We were near the YWCA and still no sign of the Bank of India Holiday home! We came back to the theatre complex and asked a person standing at the nearby bus stop for the way.He told us to go staright back turn left after the ATC .We went thru the bylane and saw "Bank Of India " painted on some stones on the left side like in the pic below... Actually it turned out that this place was located almost directly above the ATC..!
Once more we took a left turn and right in front of us was the Holiday Home!!! I felt relieved bcoz everyone had begun to think that such a place must have existed in my imagination!!!! So here comes the pic of the junction where u come in from Coonoor...
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| When u r coming frm the ATC side coonoor is to ur right as seen.... |
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| While coming frm coonoor turn left from here and u will find a traffic signal..turn right n go forward n u will reach the ATC theatre complex.... |
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| This is the ATC theatre complex....Badly needs a makeover...could hardly make out the ATC ... While going towards the holiday home u will find the ATC theatre on ur left n race course on the right.... |
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| Junction before ATC |
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| One of the landmarks... |
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| Sri Shantivijai girls school... |
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| The Garden |
I just hope this would be of help to atleast some of you hoping to stay at Bank Of India's Holiday home at Ooty....This post was born out of sheer frustration at not being able to locate this place on the net.....
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| View of the racecourse fom the Holiday home.... So everyone ..Have a nice time......................... |
Really useful. Thanks a lot.
ReplyDeleteVaijayanthi
Ex Senior Manager,
BOI.
Nice to hear that Ma'am.
ReplyDeletethanx a tonn...can u tell me about the room facilities,as in hygiene, luxury, etc.
ReplyDeletenice and useful thanks a lot
ReplyDeleteSorry I havent been on my blog for quite sometime now...Anyway I'm happy it was useful to atleast some of you...The rooms are O.k but can be kept a little more clean.N We can do our own cooking in the Kitchen below (I didnt know abt it until I came back to my branch).I strongly recommend cooking on your own bcoz we found the Hotel food totally hopeless n all of us had an upset stomach.So plz be careful n drink only boiled or mineral water...especially the kids...n if u still wish to eat out I recommend veggies.Have a nice vacation.
ReplyDeleteDear Sir, I am a VRS retiree from BOI in Dec.2000 and a native of Trichy, Tamilnadu and during picnic in 1992 I along with my colleagues stayed at this H.H.Though I could not recollect fully about the amenities provided, I think you can just stay and look out for a good hotel nearby after due enquiries. Days are the same.Only a handful of hotels serve to their conscience. From yesterday onwards I have been trying to contact H.H.over phone, the ring goes ( both the nos. )but no one responds. My purpose at this point of time is to find out whether in this Mahalakshmi Hotel do they provide outsiders to stay in the rest of the rooms if available and the rent etc. Anyhow, I have contacted our COONOOR Branch for the details yesterday (i e on 1.3.2014 ) to find out the availability ( also that is the designated branch for our staff ( retirees too )to have the details ) and immediately responded by one of our staff members and told me the procedure.....You have to send an e mail to "coonoor.coimbatore@bankofindia.co.in" giving the particulars of staff and their family members, stay duration ( verify the availability with coonoor branch PH:0423 2233 448) per day per room is only Rs.100/-, and furnish your staff A/C No or Pension a/c no.in the case of retirees so that one can avoid unnecessary suspicion or follow up verification by our existing staff at Coimbatore Office which is quite obvious and right also.. and keep the required amount in the said a/c.. of course it is a paltry amount in these days. By return, we would receive a reply and do the rest at your leisure. As today is sunday, I intend contacting our Coonoor Branch tomorrow on 3.3.2014 to find out further details. Since it is going to be after a very long time in visiting our H.H. ( not His Holiness ), I shall share the experience after that. Till then my Best Wishes to all our brethren existing as well as retirees. V.Radhakrishnan, Tiruchirapalli,Tamilnadu. email: dhanusradha@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteDear Staff members, My request to those who have visited our Holiday Homes across the country, please do share your experiences such as the facilities provided, places of importance, especially good vegetarian hotels, train or bus routes to those places, caution to be followed, probable number of days for advance booking etc. so that all those who like to visit would be well informed or for that matter well advised. Thanking You. Once I again I thank the staff member of CYBERAATMA for the complete details with photos and elaborate descriptions....kudos. Yours comradely and friendly too, V.Radhakrishnan,Tamilnadu.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Radhakrishnan Sir..for your feedback..Actually I had posted this blog like I said earlier..out of sheer frustration at not being able to find any info on the net regarding our holiday home at OOty..Actually I am a staff member with 15 yrs service n very much your junior...It was my first stay at any holiday home of our Bank...And Mahalakshmi as far a s I know is a building rented out with the owners residing close by n is something more home like compared to hotels...a lot has to be changed in terms of the whole way the place looks..n that is solely my opinion Sir.I remember meeting a retired staff and his family while staying there but I do not know if outsiders are allowed. And please do remember to carry with you a copy of the voucher confirming your payment for the stay there...I had some trouble that way because I forgot it but my colleague was kind enough to send a scanned copy via email..which I was able to submit.
I havent been able to visit any of our other holiday homes n I hope to post details similar to our OOTY holiday home when I get a chance...Thank u so much for ur support.
It is located on Google maps too. Search it with "Bank Of India Holiday Home" and probably you will find it without hassle.
ReplyDeleteThnx bt in 2012 there was absolutely nothing...whichever way one searched 😊
DeleteExcellent post! Thanks for your information. The place was much better than any hotel, very peaceful, very friendly staff. We had a wonderful time and next time me or my friends come to Ooty, I will surely come to this same place. Keep up the great work!!
ReplyDeleteHoliday Homes in Ooty
Excellent post! Thanks for your information. The place was much better than any hotel, very peaceful, very friendly staff. We had a wonderful time and next time me or my friends come to Ooty, I will surely come to this same place. Keep up the great work!!
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ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing this worthwhile to spent time on. You are running a really awesome blog. Keep up this good work
Packers and Movers Ooty
:) Niheel..am Happy tht this is helping atleast some people...I had a hard time locating the Holiday home when I went there ...
DeleteVisit sbpinfo.blogspot.com for complete list of holiday homes of Bank of India.
ReplyDeleteSir,
ReplyDeleteIs this holiday home good to stay for couple or better to book other hotel. How are the amneties in the hotel. Please guide
Hi Durga,
DeleteOur Ooty holiday home is not exactly a hotel.It is a building rented out to Our bank n the owners stay in the house adjacent to it.It is safe for just about anybody n is quite simple.If u r looking for something similar to a plush hotel u might be disappointed.Its been 5 years since I last visited the place and I dont know what kind of changes might have occured.We had food from outside n got sick but we found out from the caretaker that he cooked for the guests on request.The food we were provided was very nice.I'm planning to go there in a few months...I hope to update my blog then.Have a nice holiday in Ooty. 😊
Good
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