The Sinclairs Retreat: Ooty’s highest hotel

Getting Ooty right can be a bit challenging. The first glimpses as you drive up make your heart sink. Ugly concrete buildings of every colour and size crowd the hillsides like a virulent rash. The town centre is crowded, noisy and polluted. In this scary prospect, finding a good place to stay becomes all-important and can make all the difference to your impressions of Ooty. The Sinclairs Retreat has one overwhelming advantage: its location. As the region’s highest hotel, the views are superb. And it’s located well beyond the madding crowd. Almost immediately, you feel your nerves calming and the mist working its magic. The refurbished Sinclairs has added a Spanish bar and coffee shop to its regular restaurant, besides a full-fledged gym and sauna. Central heating is another plus. You can opt for the cottages or the main hotel. Contact 1800-3002-6700 toll-free, sinclairshotels.com