Fabhotel Sonachi Grand

The location is a plus, about 750m on foot from the Golden Temple at the Ghee Chowk roundabout. The hotel itself was bang average: dirty walls, broken locks, and no towels or toiletries. The staff were careless, and the reception folks kept talking loudly downstairs. Even after we asked them to lower their voices at 8 PM, they hardly cared. Avoid the ground floor rooms. Room quality 1/5, staff 0/5, location 3/5, overall 1/5. Choose carefully.

The breakfast was a real problem: only lukewarm paratha, butter toast, and tea or coffee, and delivery took 1.5 hours despite repeated requests. When I asked them to pack it for our late checkout, reception ignored the request. The room door also jammed at least six times. Once we were stuck inside for 40 minutes and missed getting a seat and clear view at the Wagah border ceremony on January 26th. Another time, a similar issue and an unresponsive landline delayed our early morning trip to the Golden Temple by 20 minutes. The hotel was listed as FabHotel Sonachi Grand, but its actual name is “Dua Grand”, which made it confusing to find. We arrived early and had to wait 30 minutes for the room, despite having booked and confirmed that early check-in might be possible. The online photos didn’t match the condition: no windows could be opened, the walls were peeling, the bathroom door was broken and wouldn’t latch, and poorly fitted covers exposed dirty blankets. Our room also had no kettle, though other rooms had them, which was inconvenient in the cold. This was a stressful, deeply disappointing stay with constant problems and unreliable service. I’d tell others to consider somewhere else.

There was a mouse on my bed when I came back at night. The staff’s solution was to tell me to sleep with the lights on. FABHOTEL customer service said the property manager denied it and wanted a picture of the rat. I kept asking for a water bottle and never got one. I was there for work, and even one night was a pain. The receptionist said they were full, then offered me a triple room as though she were doing me a favor. It was dirty, and when I asked to change rooms, she argued, ‘I’m not giving you some awful room.’ I finally accepted because I was running late, but the intercom and TV didn’t work, the bathroom door was broken, and there was no toilet paper. I had to stay because of my circumstances. Cheap, pathetic service. I’d never recommend it.

The spa and fitness center were a real highlight, with rejuvenating treatments and modern equipment. I also enjoyed eating at Sonachi: the restaurants had plenty of cuisines, from seafood to international dishes, and the meals were delicious. The staff gave good recommendations and looked after us well. The room was spotless and nicely decorated, with a beautiful view of the pristine beach and a very comfortable bed. I appreciated the thoughtful touches and room amenities. Staff were warm and attentive from the moment I arrived, check-in was quick, and I felt at home in the welcoming lobby. The service stayed personal and helpful throughout, from the concierge to housekeeping. It was a wonderful stay, and I’d happily recommend Sonachi and hope to return.