Hotels in Mysore

Mysore: Palace City of Karnataka

Mysore (officially Mysuru) sits 145 km southwest of Bengaluru on the Deccan Plateau, at an elevation of roughly 770 m. The city built its identity around the Mysore Palace — the 1912 Indo-Saracenic seat of the Wadiyar dynasty — which draws more than 6 million visitors annually, ranking it among India's most visited monuments. The ten-day Dasara festival each October transforms the palace grounds into a torchlit procession route, with a ceremonial elephant parade along Mysore's broad, lamp-lined streets.

Where to Stay

Hotels concentrate along Jhansi Lakshmibai Road and Nazarbad, both within 2 km of the palace. Heritage properties converted from Wadiyar-era bungalows occupy the Nazarbad and Vontikoppal neighborhoods. Budget guesthouses cluster near Devaraja Market, a century-old covered bazaar selling sandalwood oil, silk, and jasmine garlands. The Brindavan Gardens at KRS Dam, 19 km north, attract overnight visitors seeking the illuminated fountain shows.

Practical Tips

• Getting there: Mysore Junction station connects to Bengaluru in roughly 2 hours by express train; the airport (MYQ) handles limited domestic services.
• Best time to visit: October for Dasara; avoid late June–August when monsoon rains are heaviest.
• Dress code: Carry a shawl — shoulders must be covered inside the palace interior.
• Silk shopping: Government-run Cauvery Emporium on Sayyaji Rao Road stocks fixed-price Mysore silk saris.