WelcomHeritage Shivavilas Palace, Hampi

It is a fascinating and very comfortable experience to stay at this heritage hotel. We were on a fairly long road trip around South India, and wishing to visit Bellary Fort and Hampi, so the Shivavilas seemed to be the natural choice, well positioned within reach of both locations. It’s hard to know what to expect when booking a hotel online, photos can be deceptive, but this hotel did not disappoint and we were particularly pleased with our choice. The building was constructed by the local princely family around 1940, and transformed into a hotel more recently. There is a very charming, historic atmosphere, with many interesting pictures, books and artefacts in the capacious reception rooms. The inner courtyard, where meals can be taken, is cool and extremely attractive. They probably are mosquitoes, but the hotel is very successful at keeping them at bay. We had a very large, high ceilinged, well appointed bedroom, with a large terrace. The furnishings in the bedroom were original 1940s, very high-quality, including two beautiful old planter chairs. Don’t expect modern fittings - come here if you appreciate good, old furnishings. An outstanding aspect of the hotel is the excellent, very thoughtful manager and his lovely staff. Nothing was too much trouble, and they were all really kind. There is a large swimming pool, with particularly comfortable loungers, and high-quality umbrellas. The pool changing rooms are slightly dated but absolutely fine. I have an allergy to dairy, and as I had notified the hotel previously, they kindly purchased in some soya milk. The food was generally good, and there was a large choice. The kitchen prepared good picnics for us on the days we were going out early to Ballari and Hampi. It was slightly disappointing that the spa was not open, but in fact we really enjoyed reading and relaxing on our balcony and by the pool. Also, the manager kindly showed us the collection of immaculate vintage cars, well worth a look. We would definitely recommend this hotel, there is no other upscale hotel in the Sandur hills at all, and we had a unique, great experience here.

Quiet, beautiful, serene, historic, lovely. We stayed here for three nights and enjoyed the entire experience. Rooms are spacious, service was fantastic, food was great. It felt like stepping back in time. Really enjoyed our time here. The only thing to note is this is a solid hour away from Hampi and the historic sites. We didn’t mind and there was plenty of time in the day to enjoy.