Hotel Radiance

I spent hours waiting in the reception area, and despite looking exhausted, nobody offered me help or even a glass of water. I reached Hotel Radiance around 5 AM after taking a night train from Delhi because there wasn't a morning travel option. I had an official meeting around noon and hoped to rest first. Bareilly was new to me, a lovely city with a rich heritage, its famous jhumka, and delicious sweets. Hotel Radiance was right across from the station, so it seemed convenient. I travel for work often and have usually been able to check in early when rooms are free, even if the official time is later. Here, staff said two rooms were available but wanted an extra charge. Since my work visit wouldn't reimburse that, I asked them to make an exception. They refused because of hotel policy. After I'd waited about 30 minutes, the receptionist said I couldn't sit at reception without a confirmed booking. It was cold, around 8°C, so I booked online through Cleartrip. The site offered early check-in, and I chose 6 AM. Even with the confirmed booking, the receptionist wouldn't let me in. He said the regular check-in time was 1 PM and early check-in could only start after 11 AM, even if rooms were available. He also said the early check-in option on Cleartrip wasn't valid and the hotel didn't follow that system. I kept asking for a room from 5:00 to 10:30 AM, but nothing changed. I've never had hospitality this poor elsewhere. It felt like staff cared more about policy and extra charges than basic courtesy and comfort. My stay at Hotel Radiance was awful, and I strongly wouldn't recommend it to anyone visiting Bareilly. The city is lovely, but this hotel was a letdown.