Shivavilas Palace was a very pleasant surprise. The hotel is tucked away 1 hr from Hampi in the lush Sandur Valley. The property has preserved the ambience of the once Princely State of Sandur, with lots of Raj era memorabilia. The rooms are spacious and clean, and borders on old world luxury of antique furnishings. The staff displays impeccable courtesy and professionalism. You really feel welcome and cherished as a guest. There is not much to do other than visiting the ancient Kumaraswamy temple (in itself highly rewarding and beautifully set in the hills above Sandur) but this just enhances the attractiveness of Shivavilas Palace. A perfect place to unwind with family or friends. The only drawback (for some of us) was that the hotel does not have a licence to serve alcohol.

The hotel is a heritage property that feels quaint and charming, very lovely for a 5 star hotel stay. The staff goes out of their way to ensure you have a good stay, we had a great time there for my parents anniversary for which they gave us a cake and decorated the room on their own accord!

We chose Shivavilas Palace in Sandur for our trip to Hampi. Although the drive to Hampi took us almost 50 minutes one way, we don't regret choosing this beautiful palace turned hotel. The room we occupied was well decorated with everything needed for a good comfortable stay. The room was clean and the bathroom with its lovely high ceiling and natural lighting was something we particularly liked. The attached sitout was another attraction. The service was quite good,the staff courteous and prompt. The hotel is located in a quiet part of the town. Food, too, was good.
This was a trip we took in times of a pandemic hence, we had to choose a hotel with a lot thought. As guests it made us feel comfortable when we saw the staff in masks. In such times that's the need of the hour. Our stay was excellent and we would definitely return again. Sandur and Shivavilas Palace took our heart. A special mention of Biswajit, Sameer and Joseph along with another staff at the reception whose name I am not too sure of.