Hotel Gharana Gaya

The hotel arranged a 3-wheeler for getting to places like Bodh Gaya, which I appreciated. It’s in a very busy spot, opposite Maharani bus stand, Gaya, right beside the petrol pump. My stay itself was average. Service fell short, and both staff and the receptionist seemed reluctant to provide even small things like extra pillows or towels. Room service is available, but the staff’s manner wasn’t really acceptable.

The food was good, and Mr. Uday Kumar was helpful with room service. The staff were generally polite and cooperative, though they seemed unable to do much because management hadn’t invested in upkeep or facilities. Despite these positives, the stay was disappointing: the rooms were unhygienic, maintenance was poor, and basic facilities were lacking. The pricing also felt arbitrary. Room rates seemed to vary by customer, with SUV arrivals reportedly charged more than people arriving by auto-rickshaw. That’s unfair and unprofessional. Hotel Gharana is on Church Road, near Gandhi Maidan, Jaiprakash Nagar, about 800 meters from ISKCON Temple and 15 km from Bodhgaya. It’s down a narrow lane around 100 meters off the main road, with limited parking. There are two parts to the hotel, the main building and another one about 150 meters farther down the lane. I stayed only in the main building, in a first-floor room. It’s no three-star hotel by any standard, just a regular budget property. The five-floor main building has about 50 steps to the first floor, where the reception and rooms 101-104 are located. Room 101 was somewhat acceptable, but had noticeable drawbacks. Rooms 102, 103, and 104 were poorly maintained and not worth staying in. All rooms have ACs and geysers, but none of the AC remotes worked properly, and the ACs seemed not to have been serviced for a long time. They made loud, disturbing noises, and sleeping in Room 103 with the AC on was nearly impossible. The geysers were poorly designed too. Except in Room 103, they didn’t mix hot and cold water properly, so guests had to fill a bucket with hot water and mix it by hand. Buckets, mugs, doors, windows, and even walls weren’t properly cleaned. Paint was peeling, fittings squeaked when opened or closed, and the old, stained pillows, covers, quilts, and towels were unpleasant to use. Even drinking water bottles weren’t complimentary. The room tariff seemed inconsistent and tied to the type of customer. The location is decent for ISKCON Temple, though Bodhgaya is 15 km away. Food and the staff’s efforts were the only saving grace. The poor upkeep, hygiene, missing basic facilities, and arbitrary rates leave it far from a three-star standard.

The rooms and bathroom were extremely clean, and room service was top notch. The food tasted homemade, and the atmosphere was very family friendly. I absolutely loved staying here, highly recommend it.

The bathroom was very neat and clean, but the room itself was only average for the price. I paid 3k for a room with a window AC.