Poppys Pleasant Stay

Good ambience

Excellent rooms and services, very nice stay thank you for that 😊

Property was clean,tidy : Rooms were good but location is a bit far from the main market and the street to the hotel was not pleasant

We stayed at Poppy’s Pleasant Stay, Kodaikanal for two days with family. While the property has a few positives, the overall experience was average, with several areas requiring significant improvement. Pros 1. Location — both a pro and a con The hotel is close to Kodaikanal town, which is convenient for sightseeing and accessing the main areas. 2. Polite staff The staff we interacted with were generally polite and courteous. Cons 1. Location & accessibility Although close to town, reaching the hotel is challenging. Access is through small, narrow roads, and the situation becomes considerably worse on Sundays because of the Sunday Bazaar, which occupies these already-congested roads. The alternate route is even narrower, with steep inclines and descents. Two-way traffic frequently causes congestion, making access particularly difficult for larger vehicles. 2. Parking The hotel parking is located after a steep descent, which may be challenging for vehicles with low ground clearance. Valet service is available, but the numerous scrape and impact marks on the road suggest that vehicles have frequently made contact with the uneven approach, particularly underneath. 3. Accommodation — Average The room and bed were clean, but the property feels dated. The bed linen appeared old and worn, and the bath towels were similarly past their prime. The bathroom drainage had a persistent unpleasant odour, which was quite uncomfortable. The television also offered limited choice, with channels predominantly in Tamil, which may not suit non-Tamil-speaking guests. 4. Restaurant — Biggest Disappointment The buffet breakfast had a reasonable variety of South Indian dishes, but the same menu was repeated on both days. The lunch à la carte menu was extremely limited, with only biriyani and fish available during our stay. The food was largely average, with the idlis being the exception—they were soft and well prepared. The boiled eggs, however, were a serious hygiene concern. They were extremely over-boiled, and the shells had visible dirt/animal droppings on them. This is unacceptable in a hotel restaurant. Service was another major concern. Mr. *** appeared to be the one-man army of the restaurant—serving guests, waiting tables, clearing and cleaning, and attending to customer requirements. His dedication was genuinely commendable, but expecting one person to handle the workload of an entire restaurant is neither sustainable nor fair. Looking at his workload, I was genuinely concerned about his well-being. There appeared to be no dedicated manager available during our stay, while the person who appeared to be in a managerial role showed little interest in customer service. The female staff seemed more interested in appearing busy than actually attending to guests. Restaurant hygiene also needs serious attention. Utensils and cutlery were not adequately clean, and tables were not properly cleared or cleaned after guests left. When we requested that a table be cleaned, it was merely dusted, leaving visible curry stains on the table and chairs. Advice to the Management The hotel should employ additional staff trained in hospitality and customer service, while ensuring existing staff are trained to take responsibility for guest experience. Most importantly, the property needs a competent and reliable professional hotel manager who understands hospitality and service standards. And to Mr. ***—your service was undoubtedly the highlight of the restaurant. Your effort was commendable, but you should not have to do the work of an entire restaurant team alone. Overall Poppy’s Pleasant Stay may work for travellers who are not driving their own vehicle, are not visiting on a Sunday, and are willing to overlook the restaurant’s shortcomings. For families travelling by car and expecting a comfortable, well-maintained and professionally managed hotel, I would recommend considering other options in Kodaikanal.