Betlem Hotel

I can’t recommend this place to students. We paid for two full months, but while we were away on vacation, we weren’t allowed to leave our belongings in our own rooms. They moved all our personal items into storage without proper consent. They said it was for “renovation,” but the rooms were actually given to short-term guests to earn more money. When I came back, some of my things were missing, including plugs, shoes, and other items I’d bought myself. Having our belongings moved without proper supervision and then finding things gone made it very hard not to feel we’d been stolen from. As students living abroad, we expected basic security, honesty, and respect, but felt treated like an inconvenience while short-term hotel guests came first. The food also got much worse. It started out good, then we kept getting watery chicken curry and low-quality meals. It felt like standards stopped mattering once they had our payments. This was one of the most frustrating and disappointing experiences I’ve had. Hotel Betlem has basically been turned into a hostel for Indian students, but the way students are treated is unacceptable. The management feels unprofessional and untrustworthy.

I went to the Betlem sky lounge last night with my wife and younger son, and the experience was horrible. The owner ignored us at first, then curtly told us the buffet was being served. The music was so loud and distracting that I couldn’t even take a call. The food tasted awful and was too oily. They served us dal in paper cups, and we had to ask for the water and soft drinks that were included in our package. A staff member said the soft drinks were in cups and we had to go get them ourselves. No one came by to check whether things were okay, and plates weren’t put on the table. The service was far below what it should be, and it felt discriminatory, especially coming from a fellow Indian. The owner sat eating his own food without once asking if everything was all right. My wife was so disgusted she barely ate, while my son and I ate a little. My other two sons weren’t there, thankfully. I represent a chamber of commerce and industry, and I’m going to advise all our members to boycott this restaurant. It left a very bad taste and upset my wife and son. This was no customer service at all. It’s a pathetic excuse for a restaurant, not even worth half a star, and a sad reflection of service standards.

The rooftop lounge had an amazing view, especially at night, and the rooms were clean, cozy, and well looked after. The staff were very friendly and helpful. We had a wonderful stay at Betlem Sky Lounge Hotel, and I’d highly recommend it to students and travelers visiting Betlem.

The staff and management were very hospitable, especially Ritu. Since I’m vegetarian, they explained which dishes weren’t vegetarian and whether anything included ingredients outside my diet. It’s a very good hostel, and I’m looking forward to staying here.