Bandipur Reception Office (Forest Department)

Beautiful place in Karnataka forest area. The treatment of guest is surprising more beautiful.facilities are very good

Absolutely pathetic.
Absolutely pathetic and horrible.
We stayed in Vanashree 4.
We reached early at 11am. They didnt let us check in and said that check in time is 1pm. Even though most of the rooms are vacant (hardly any guest) but they didnt provide us room. So, at 1pm we asked for check in, they alloted us a room. The room was in extremely bad condition. Ceiling fan was not working. They gave us a table fan. We asked them to change the room, but they didnt bother. Since there is no network, we make 4-5 rounds to the reception just to ask them that change our room coz it is horrible, no fan, dirty washroom. And this whole process took another 2 hours, but they didnt care. At last we stayed in the same room. Washroom was so unhygienic, no basic amenities, even the mug was broken, no handwash in dispenser, no geyser. Most of the time there is no power supply. Only one bulb in the room. Around 12 in the night, the power cuts off for 2-2.30 hrs. Since, it is inside forest so we are not allowed to step out after 9.30pm. Imagine, in such situations (power off) how can we connect with the staff (coz no network)
Even though there is so called "canteen" but there is no body to even give you water, no tea, no food, nothing. We didnt even got a morning tea at 7am because there is nobody in the kitchen. We went Melukamanahalli for breakfast.
No one cares about you, extremly poor hospitality.
Plz dont plan for staying there if you are travelling with senior citizer and kids.
Even though there were hardly 4-5 family staying, but the website and the receptionist saying that guest house is full.
Totally disappointed by Forest Department. They all are just looting our hard earned money. If this continues, it will shut down soon.

We faced terrible experience with this booking (26th Dec 2022)
The room was not at all clean.
Cot is broken & bed was wet & had foul smell (of urine). Toilet was very dirty.

I have no doubt that any one could stay there.
When asked for another room, they said there is no other room available.
And there is no refund also!

I have spent around ₹3000 for the stay and I wasn’t able to be there for a minute.

Very bad experience & I didn’t expect this from Karnataka govt forest department.

We stayed in the government cottage insidecforest. Trust me, it was one of the best experiences we have ever had. Surrounded by greenery, completely dark post 7pm, best food and lifetime memory. Safari is awesome, but we saw limited animals during our time.

We four friends visited two days ago booked online and came here, room and safari cost 8000 per day (meal separately), we came with huge expectations only to be disappointed, safari is 1 hour but only by our vehicle from where we are staying. We have to go for 7km and they will take us from there (Bus, Jeep depending on our choice) It doesn't give us the feeling of going into the forest. It is not a dense forest. Only elephants and deers can be seen mostly, nothing like a great interesting experience.

Bandipura - Early Summer (most luckiest combination).

Positives:
>> Vintage buildings.especially those Zameendari designs over doorsteps (elephant head, gaur head were seen).
>> Proper time-time collection from sufficient dustbins.
>> In wild. Surrounded by wild animals not just deers and wild boars but elephants, leopard (s), Wild dogs (dholes), Nilgris Tehr and many birds. Tip: if you don't see any deers around, there's a predator around (mostly leopard/leopardess).
>> Best place to walk hand in hand in early evenings and silent (? - low volume) talks.
>> Only BSNL throughout the premises and Jio near canteen. So data speeds are sufficient to check mails and post pics.
>> Battery carts (Golf court ones/IRCTC Sr. Citizen carriers) are available to commute within the premises.
>> Sufficient Parking space that is safely guarded from wildlife. 100rs is being charged for a four wheeler (visible when you are booking online).
>> Almost wilderness sounds alone after 6PM and no other sound post 9PM. (Network strength too drops after sunset)
>> Only Veg Food.
>> No staff expects any tips.
>> Perfect demonstration of how to inculcate local people in rest of the world.
>> Mosquitoenets and mesh nets on all windows

Scope For Improvement:
>> Call support to know if any advance info needed. As of now, only mail support which is guaranteed in a day. (I visited during lockdowns, so had to mail them to know the vaccination mandates etc)
>> Reception center here is ONLY for ACCOMMODATION. - This needs to be highlighted than Safari is shifted to Melkomanahalli. - we were not sure of the location we booked since no boards/hordings that says this update. Trusted our instincts to get in here. Luckily one housekeeping staff understood my butler Kannada and confirmed that this is the place we need to reside.
>> We don't expect 5-star food in jungle and shouldn't. So please restrict the menu to simple Thalis (you may provide southern style and northern style if needed) but provide in sufficient quantity cause you are the only source of food in the entire jungle around if we don't carry food with us (especially breakfast and dinner cause we can come down to Melkomanahalli JLR as a walk-in customer for Lunch).
>> Please implement strict silence in canteen especially from evening to morning. Your garbage management is appreciated by the way.
>> Any inclusion of wildlife explanations (we read through your wall paintings but it can be communicative with your staff if it is organised.
>> Some LAN connection in your canteen to enable CARD payments.
>> Any wired announcements in all the blocks from reception center improve the hospitality to next level.

Negative:
>> Only negative is how we (tourists) are behaving when finding wildlife in surroundings.like clapping/clicking pics with flashes. This needs to be better. May be above wildlife explanation can improve this better.

Visit: April2021

We stayed in vanyashree cottage and it was really good experience and very supportive staff s, lot's of deer around and food was homely decent. Overall it was worth spending time in Bandipur.