Hilltop Lodge

The stay was amazing overall. The food and room were good, and the location is about 1.5 km from the main city, in a somewhat hilly area. For a solo guest, I’d suggest trying the cottage for a great experience. I especially appreciate Manager Ramesh. He never refuses to help, cooks quite well, and even works on the bathroom when there isn’t a labourer around. We could all learn from him. There was a misunderstanding with the owner on 14 January. My original plan was to come on 20 January, but I cancelled that and booked for 13 January, paid online, and sent the proof to the owner on 2 November. We had spoken before I arrived, so they gave me a room. Then on the 14th, he saw that I’d cancelled the 20 January booking. Goibibo hadn’t received the payment for my original booking, so we argued a little. People do different kinds of fraud, and I understand that in a situation like this, it’s hard to think clearly. After speaking with the Goibibo team, the owner apologized and showed proof that he hadn’t received the payment. My booking details finally came through Goibibo on 15 January. If a guest says they’ve paid, please check carefully if they’ve cancelled. Some guests pay and then cancel two or three days before check-in, but still stay at the hotel.

This is a proper homestay, with the owners living in the house next door. The property is lovely and surrounded by nature. My room was clean, had hot water, and the internet worked well. The food was incredible, all made to order by Remesh, the main cook, who has years of professional cooking experience. As a solo traveller, I found it close enough to nearby attractions. Rana, the owners’ son, is a tour guide, and we went together to Manas National Park and stayed overnight at a local place near the park.

The property’s location is wonderful, but you can’t see the beauty around it while inside the rooms or the building. The rooms themselves are cramped and very small, with nothing worth praising. We chose this place because Booking.com showed us the wrong kind of rooms.

The caretaker was really nice, and the complimentary breakfast was good. It’s decent value for money and has a unique feel, since it seems to be owned by someone well-off and you can sort of look into the main house. The location is a little out of the way, but Rapido and Ola can get you around. The room was clean and good. Just watch out for the cheapest option, the bamboo room. It has no air conditioning, so you may end up paying extra for a normal room.