SPOT ON 37708 Hotel Royal Star

The clean, cold water pressure was good, which was the one real relief, and I had a nice shower. I only ordered tea from the in-house kitchen because I didn’t want to risk getting food there. Otherwise, this was just another rundown lodge, though listed under OYO. The place was small and cozy, but shabby like other unrated accommodations. When I arrived at 18:00, six hours after the 12 noon check-in time, I was kept waiting at reception. The counter staff seemed confused about my booking, and I might have been refused despite my reservation being confirmed and reconfirmed by OYO if he hadn’t shown me his tablet screen. Reception didn’t want to look at my booking screenshot. They went between three floors for about 30 minutes before finally putting me in a first-floor room. The towel was torn in the middle, and replacing it took another 15 minutes. There was no soap or shampoo; after I asked, I got only one soap. The bedroom had no hanging hooks. The TV showed just one channel and its remotes didn’t respond. The intercom worked, but when I called reception, the person answered as room service, though they handled my enquiry well.

For 440 a night, this was more than good value. It’s centrally located and easy to get to. The hotel is old and has had a little renovation, and luckily my room wasn’t damp or smelly. I did miss the Oyo Spot On standard, though, since the sheets, pillow, and covers had lots of spots. The bathroom was tiny and old-fashioned.

Bad experience. The rooms weren’t good, and the staff behaved very unprofessionally.

In this prime location, the hotel was still pathetic. The linens were dirty and torn, there was no phone connection, and cleanliness was nonexistent. They even overcharged for water. The TV didn’t work, and there was no hot water in winter.