When friends / a large family decide to go for a quick getaway, the kind of property that gets searched on Google are usually different from when people travel as couples. You know, suddenly you want to check out homestays that are eco-friendly, okay with loud noises and be surrounded by numerous people, don’t really worry about the facilities as long as the basics are available, you have numerous activities to-do nearby and a budget place which ensures nobody’s pocket gets burnt.
One such weekend, four of us (3 friends plus yours truly) decided to head out and zeroed in on Chikmagalur. After suggestions about various home stays and properties, we chose Byenkaadu, a beautiful homestay in Chikmagalur as our home for one night and two days. So, if you are a gang, thinking of driving to Kudremukh in Chikmagalur district for the weekend, then no look no further and book ByneKaadu, truly a budget homestay in Chikmagalur region.
The Homestay
Nestled in a nice location in Kudremukh which overlooks the river Bhadra, ByneKaadu will surely put a smile on your face. You can find this homestay in Chikmagalur without much hassle as it’s not hidden away like most others. As you enter, the first thing that you notice is the open restaurant.
A lot of empty space, so much greenery around, a small river nearby – these were more than enough for me to get excited about spending my weekend here.
The Rooms & Other Facilities
At ByneKaadu homestay, all the rooms are called as cottages. These cottages are all wooden and nicely spaced out. We booked the regular cottage which had three beds, a nice balcony, one storage unit and two decent bathrooms. The only downside to our room was the AC did not cool our room. We went in the month of December and during the day, to rest inside the cottage became a bit of discomfort. During the night, the weather, in general, was cold which made the room cosy. We did bring that to the notice of one of the managers, but I guess they couldn’t help us much. That apart, everything else about the room was just perfect!
They have cottages that face the river and also a tent house for you to choose from. We were interested in tent house cottage or the river facing cottage but had to settle for the normal cottage as all the rooms were sold out. So book this homestay in Chikmagalur in advance if you are specific about the kind of view you get from your cottage.
At ByneKaadu homestay, there are a lot of activities that you can choose from – inside or outside the property. Inside the homestay, they have two open badminton courts and a huge place for a campfire. People also used the space outside the restaurant to play cricket.
Outside of the Chikmagalur homestay, they have 4X4 jeeps to take you for a sunset view through Kudremukh Forest range, you can take a dip at a private waterfall, and if you are in the mood, you can kayak on the river as well!

Food & Drink
At the restaurant in ByneKaadu homestay, they serve traditional Malnad (malenadu) dishes and this was quite an experience as the taste is very different from what we get usually in Bangalore, Chennai etc. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are already a part of the package which makes the deal sweet.
You can get your own drinks as they do not have a separate bar as such.
Service was good and the staff always wore a smile and helped with whatever we wanted. You can find them round the clock and there is always someone to help at any given point.
More Information
Homestay: ByneKaadu
Address: Kalasa, Mudigere Tlq, Chikmagalur Dst, Karnataka – 577124
Phone Number: +91 78295 55556 / 99000 12224 / 91080 02223
E-Mail: bookings@letzstepout.com
Price: $
Things to do: Visit the Annapoorneshwari Temple in Hornadu, buy coffee powder from the local shops
Bottomline
An ideal and budget homestay in Chikmagalur surrounded by nature that screams value for money.
Our rating: 4/5