Escape The City Life And Check In With Your Pooch At These Pet Friendly Resorts

Located at 30 minutes drive from Bengaluru Airport at the foothills of Nandi Hills, VAMA Retreats is a pet-friendly resort where you can pamper your pets and give them the break they deserve. Amidst a 180 acres green campus with lakes, vineyards, trees, organic farms & sprawling lawns is a dog pool which your pet will simply plunge into and bask under the open sky. Leave your pets unleashed running freely in a safe environment, take them on an exciting trek, or simply let them frolic in a shallow lake VAMA Retreats is truly a pet paradise. With a host of outdoor activities for all age groups, Live BBQ & Bonfire, sumptuous food & comfortable rooms, VAMA Retreats is a perfect family getaway that Bangaloreans have long been waiting for.

Sitting right on the outskirts of the city, Backyard Camp is where nature lovers and their pets head to for a relaxing time. The farm has a dedicated dog camp where your pooch can roam wild and free along with the other doggies of the camp. For just about 300 bucks, you can get your doggie in and the fee includes treats. However, you will have to arrange for your dog’s meals. Read more here.

You and your doggo will be welcomed by Shunti, a resident dog (and her brothers and sister - Bira, Gundu and Belli) who’s super-friendly and doubles up as a tour guide when you want to explore this estate in Sakleshpur. There’s also Zoey, Gundu, and Keechu. Your dog can mingle freely with his/her companions and roam the grounds without a leash as long as he/she is friendly and gets along well with the other guests. Many of the rooms have attached balconies so your pooch can cool their heels there after a long day of roaming (since this is a heavily wooded area do keep an eye out for your dog after sunset). Meals will be provided for a nominal fee.

Our Native Village makes for a charming picnic spot and it’s just a short drive from the city. While they have no qualms with your pet coming along for a holiday, the resort does have a comprehensive pet policy. You will be required to bring in the bed linen and the food (and the bowls) for your four-legged companion. When you are out and about, either spending quality time by a pond with bright-pink lotuses or while hiking around the sprawling grounds that’s dotted with rustic paintings and sculptures, you will have to keep the dog on a leash. Your pet will not be allowed at the in-house restaurant and if he/she suffers from separation anxiety you are requested not to leave the dog alone in your room.

Doggies come first at this very special getaway. Ananth Shankar, a passionate animal lover who’s at the helm of things at Mandal Woods, formerly Hunkal Woods, read about the island of Eden (where animals live together in harmony) in the Phantom comics. With Mandal Woods, Ananth and Nandan Gowda (whose family owns the estate), have aimed to recreate just that. Owning a dog (you are welcome to bring a horse or a cow or any other animal) is almost a prerequisite to your visit to Mandal Woods, that’s perched high up in the Western Ghats and covers over 1,000 acres. Here, your dog has access to every nook and cranny, can roam around freely without a leash, and even spring up on couches.

The staff too, many of whom who have worked at the property for a couple of decades or so, shower your pooch and fill them up with food (all dog-related expenses come free of cost here). Mandal Woods can only house three groups of guests at a time and if any guest has a problem with the dogs, they will have to deal with it and not your dog. And if you are worried about your dog’s safety in the jungle, Ananth assures you that your fears are unfounded, the property has hosted over 1,400 dogs and there hasn’t been a single casualty in this slice of Eden.

Just outside the city, Farm Weekends offer you and your pet a chance to get back to Nature. The expansive farm, that comes with a pretty little stone house at its centre, is home to many animals including dogs, sheep, cows, chickens, and ducks. If your pets can get along with this mixed bunch and everyone else on the property, you can bring them along. You will have to also let the owners know whether your pet has been vaccinated. Once there, your pooch can accompany you as you trek along the orchards or while you snooze in your hammock. However, the rooms are strictly out of bounds. Your pet will have to stay in special enclosures on the property and can share a meal with the other four-legged residents. 

Sitting amidst lush farms and overlooking a small pond, Alurkur Resorts is the perfect place for you and your four-legged friend. While you settle into cozy cottages and tour the various plantations at Alurkur (the property focuses on agro tourism), your pet can run wild and free on the resort grounds along with the resident doggies. When you check in, you will have to show the necessary ownership certificates and while your dog can reside with you in your cottage, you are required to keep an eye on your pooch. For a nominal fee, the kitchens at the resort will also whip up meals for your pet. 

For the happiness of your pet and for your convenience, do check out these Best Pet Stores in Bangalore for everything from food, grooming, and accessories. If you've been contemplating expanding your pet family, may be this list of Animal Adoption Centres in the city is a sign you needed.