The Banyan Soul

There was a lot of disturbance at night. The room itself was very small, but that seemed fair for the price. We asked to cancel the airport cab hours ahead of time, and the hotel’s cab contact threatened to come and stop our Goamiles cab.

Rooms were clean and looked after, and the property had the basic amenities. It’s a quiet, cozy, economical place, about a kilometre from Anjuna beach and 700 metres from the main market. This isn’t a hotel, so there’s no room service.

The listing on Agoda says housekeeping is daily, but my room was cleaned only once in seven days and my towels were changed twice. The AC hadn’t been checked before I arrived and never worked during my stay. I also felt singled out over parking while other guests parked wherever they wanted. Five times out of eleven visits to reception, nobody was there. When I raised these problems, the owner and manager lectured me about their policies and used them to explain away the poor upkeep and unsanitary conditions, including the expectation that guests have to ask for cleaning. Nothing was fixed, and they disappeared. For the price, the hospitality was appalling. It felt like a scam. Avoid.

Cockroaches were all over the rooms, as if that were normal, and the hygiene and sanitation were completely unacceptable. There was also practically no security, so the place felt unsafe at any hour. I saw no accountability, professionalism, or concern for guests’ safety. This was one of the worst hotels I’ve stayed in, a complete nightmare. Don’t waste your money, time, or peace of mind. Avoid it at all costs.