Are you someone working a hectic job in Bangalore or Cochin, desperate to have a quick break without burning a hole in your pocket? Or someone travelling with family on the lookout for the best budget stay in Ooty? The Humming Bird Ooty is exactly that and more, with clean rooms, homely food, affordable tariff, and beauty all wrapped in a cozy colonial villa in Ooty town.
A property that shouldn’t be missed if you are on the lookout for a budget stay in Ooty, here is the detailed Hummingbird Ooty review.
- Type: Villa
- Great for: Couples, Solo/Group female travellers, Family
- Best time to visit: March-May, November-January
- Would I revisit? YES
- Rating: 3.5/5
Table of Contents
HUMMINGBIRD & US
An impromptu road trip started on the first week of November from Idukki, covering Bengaluru, Mysuru, Wild Planet Nilgiris, and Ooty after a rather hectic year and a half since our last Goan trip brought us to The Humming Bird – A Stay Chapter. Unwilling to wind up the escape from reality, Luke and I were practically inventing destinations each day till the fifth day of the road trip, when we reached Ooty and were running out of both budget and time.
We needed a room within INR 3500, and I needed to get to that room before 3 PM, plug in my laptop to attend my TESOL class. Luke was driving, while I was browsing ‘budget stay in Ooty’, when I found Hummingbird Ooty. I liked the colonial charm of the property, and we liked the budget; thus, the stay was booked while on the road, and hence, this is not a paid collaboration!
AS YOU ENTER
As we entered the narrow road towards the property, we did feel apprehensive about the quality of the stay. But as we entered the gate, we let out a sigh of relief.
Just three kilometers from the bus station, the open gates and interlocked paving welcome you with ample parking for 3-5 cars, good enough for a small and humble property like Hummingbird Ooty. The exterior of the property is well-maintained with clean pavements, a groomed garden, and fresh paint.
THE SPACE
Every corner in this property has its own aesthetics. A property so beautiful inside and out, it’s a feast for your camera roll. From the plant-filled porch with an arched doorframe, the wooden staircase, the upper landing with a compact seating area near the windows overlooking the town, the management has beautifully used the property and its architecture to their benefit.
The property has a total of 7 rooms of varying sizes, and though we have seen all of them, we strongly recommend room number 5 on the top floor, left to the stairs as you enter. On the ground floor, right to the staircase is the reception, adjacent to the dining hall and kitchen. The dining hall can accommodate around 10-12 people at most. The bonfire is lit outside in the space near the dining hall.
To my fellow literature ladies- Plug in your favorite karaoke, wear a flowy dress, and walk in and around the property in a November evening and you might just feel like a princess of a long lost kingdom
THE ROOM
Room number 5 makes this property a surprise find among the budget stay in Ooty. From what we have seen, as it is our job to explore the whole property, this is arguably the smallest room in this villa, yet the most beautiful and cozy one in our opinion. The clean room and the cleaner bathroom with its colonial detailing make this room in Hummingbird Ooty a portal to a fictional space, especially by the evening, if you are imaginative!
This room in particular is fit for couples and solo travellers due to the limited space. The coziness and warmth are perfect for kindling and rekindling romance, as well as for some quality “me-time”. Families with children might want to choose bigger rooms for comfort.
The wooden floor and furniture, though limited in carpet area, are clean and dusted. The compact floor space also makes luggage storage an issue to be tackled. There is no ample space to store luggage, especially if you are a heavy packer and have two or more trolleys. The wardrobe is placed inside the bathroom in the dry area, which some might have an issue with. But if you are a light packer or even a backpacker, this won’t be a problem that you’ll have to face.
The bed linen, cover, and pillow cases are clean, stain-free, and bed bug-free. Though the bed is of ample size, the extreme softness of the mattress makes it lacking in lumbar support for longer stays. There is a solid work desk and chair, Wi-Fi, and a television for work and leisure. The limited furniture also makes the in-room dining difficult.
The bathroom is almost as big as the room itself and is clean, with beautiful tiles, a window, and a basic toiletry kit. The window with the sill opens to a rustic view of neighboring buildings’ roofing. Do not expect a 24*7 hot water supply like star properties; rather, you get a geyser for the main tap for hot water.
There is a fireplace! Among the eternal beauty of colonial architecture and features, Room 5 has some of the best, including a fireplace and a slanted roof, making it a calming nest for tired brains seeking rest. The window behind the bed opens to the front garden and, of course, the valley view of Ooty. This room, warm light, open window, night valley view of Ooty, an Ilayaraja or Enya album, and the vibe is set.
FOOD & DRINKS
For a budget stay in Ooty, the food isn’t bad to complain about. We had a simple yet wholesome breakfast of bread omelet, coffee, paratha, and curry. All these dishes at Hummingbird Ooty are made in their own kitchen in real time and served hot, making the dining experience enjoyable.
The menu isn’t elaborate, obviously, but Swiggy and Zomato options are available, though the availability of good food spots in Ooty isn’t promising.
LITTLE THINGS MATTERED
The location is perfect when it comes to Hummingbird Ooty. With the bus station, police station, and hospital all under a 5-kilometer radius, Hummingbird becomes one of the perfectly located budget stay in Ooty. The view of Ooty town from the property is beautiful in the morning, but it becomes fantastical at night. The town, with all its perks, is accessible to you while you are conveniently separated from it.
The simple, real food served fresh and hot creates a home-away-from-home ambiance.
The architecture! That becomes a sentence in itself with the aesthetics of this comely villa. The property, considering its scale, is decently maintained and managed while preserving the elements that upscale it, such as the fireplace, wooden flooring, and overall colonial structure.
Overall experience you get from the architecture, accessibility, and the weather is calm and nostalgic.
The bonfire was not only a nostalgic factor but a necessity. This facility single-handedly saved me from freezing.
THE PEOPLE
The staff at Hummingbird Ooty are humble and helpful. The limited staff number might not be enough for a full property booking. Upon arrival, they briefed us on the necessary information and contact details, and were cordial throughout. Even though there was nothing to complain about the staff, a professional refinement might help them be more effective, and their service be memorable in the hospitality industry.
FIT FOR WHOM?
The techies of Cochin and Bengaluru: Your deadlines are tough, your brain is rotted, your budget is weeping, but you need a quick weekend off to unwind? Hummingbird Ooty has to be at the top of your options for a budget stay in Ooty.
Couples/Honeymooners: Ooty is yet another fool-proof spot for romance, and Hummingbird Ooty becomes an easy choice if you love aesthetics and ambiance but under a budget. This is the spot!
Solo travelers and Solo/group female travelers: Solo travelers, especially women, looking for a budget stay in Ooty located within walking distance from all major spots like bus and police station, hospitals, stores, etc., while having ambiance and privacy, look no further.
Families: A family of 3 or more members might want to book a bigger room, but the Hummingbird still remains a wise choice for a budget stay in Ooty. With all tourist spots nearby, such as the Botanical Garden, Ooty Lake, and Doddabetta Peak, families can sightsee and relax comfortably.
This property is not fit for those looking for a premium and luxurious resort stay. This property is a single, standalone villa with staff who are warm but not refined professionals. Expect a homely and calm experience.
CRITIC’S NOTE
Inclusive architecture needs to be mandatory in all properties, including Hummingbird Ooty. There are only stairs and no ramps to even get into the property. Hence, those who have mobility challenges might find this property a difficult one.
The lack of landline phones in rooms and reception is evident and slightly disturbing. Not everyone will be comfortable with the idea of calling the staff from their own device and hence sharing the number.
Limited hot water supply is an undeniable issue. Even though there are geysers, it takes time to get hot water, and the hot water flow is also limited. This happening in Ooty, where the temperature can drop to zero and even sub-zero, this is borderline crime!
Mattress matters. The dangerously soft mattress isn’t good for lumbar support, hence a long stay can be a trouble for the spine. We were planning for a longer stay, but apart from the time constraints, the mattress became a problem.
The staff, though warm and helpful, need a bit more professional upskilling and refinement for better guest service, starting with more smiling faces.
Though room 5 was almost a dream, we have noticed the other rooms, especially the big ones on the ground floor, need maintenance with dampness control.
More warm lights, especially the signature hummingbird lights, might have been such an ambiance booster.
The water in the bathroom has a yellow tint to it, which, upon enquiry, was explained to me by the staff as a chemical treatment for the Kaveri tap water. This might come off as off-putting and unsettling to many.
The fireplace in the room, if worked, would have elevated the whole experience tenfold.
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THE AUTHOR
Keerthana Bose is the property critic and co-founder of Franco Anil Tours and Travels, a boutique travel consultancy that only recommends places she and her partner have personally vetted. A lifelong traveler with a sharp eye for the overlooked, she writes honest, experiential reviews meant to help real people make better travel decisions.
Follow her journey as she turns hotel stays into stories worth reading.
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