The British have a long relationship with Mysore. The Chittaraja Place, which is now the Green Hotel is a testament to that. Architecturally it is classic British Raj. It was built in 1916 by the Maharaja of Mysore for his sister. It has high ceilings and dark wood, windows with small panes of glass and wrought ironwork on the outside. It is spacious and airy. The garden is beautifully maintained. In the wonderful business of the city it is an oasis of calm (not quiet, it is right next to a main road, it is quiet-ish in the early hours of the morning).

Buildings like this are classed here as ‘heritage’ and it is a beautiful example of a different time. It became a hotel in the 1970’s and is now managed by a British charity called the Charities Advisory Trust. The hotel itself proudly maintains as environmentally conscious standards as possible. It utilises solar power, there is no air conditioning, the rooms do not have televisions, the water for the garden is recycled.  The profits from the hotel go towards a variety of projects including planting mango trees to support Dalit communities, funding towards a school and maternity hospital for tribal communities, promoting literacy and health in rural areas, to name just a few.

Basically, I’m staying here because I like the vibe. See what you think…

These are pictures of the first floor, which will be my “office” for the next two weeks and the inside downstairs eating area.