Hotel Raj Mandir

The food was decent, but service was quite slow. After a long, tiring journey in the heat, the place is manageable if all you want is some cool air and rest. Still, for the rates charged, I expected better. The hotel is near the crowded Mansa Devi ropeway area, and guests should be told in advance that reaching it may mean a 10 minute walk or struggling to find a rickshaw with luggage. The rooms felt cramped and need maintenance. Bedsheets, floors, and the washroom weren’t clean enough, and the bathroom odor was unpleasant. The kettle was rusted, the old AC was noisy, and even complimentary water bottles weren’t provided.

I kept putting off posting this, but I’m sharing it in case it helps someone older who’s travelling. I went with my mother, and we had to walk about 10 minutes carrying our bags because no auto goes there. Getting to the hotel felt unsafe and awkward, and it wasn’t worth the money. It’s inside the main road near the Mansa Devi walking area, with lots of walking and no easy vehicle access. The room was tiny and very noisy. A broken wooden partition with holes, plus another wooden plank attached to it, covered the window. People going up the stairs, or passing by outside, could peep into the room. It felt very unsafe. There was an old box style AC mounted in the window too. I wouldn’t visit again. This was one of the worst hotels I’ve stayed at. I paid 3251 for two days, with a 1403 discount and 454 in taxes. That comes to 4200 for two days. At 2000 a day, I expected a safer room. The washroom smelled bad, was wet, and had broken things. The small room, broken window, and unsafe feeling made it seem like a smelly, run down dharamshala. I could get a similar Dharamshala style room for 500 rupees, so why pay 2000 a day for safety and cleanliness that weren’t there? The food wasn’t good either. There’s a restaurant near the entrance, and I was the only person eating there. Each dish cost 200-250, about the same as outside, but it didn’t taste good and seemed unhygienic to me. Service was zero, and the price was too high for what the room and service offered. I took the picture from the booking app. Behind the curtain is the window with the broken wooden pieces and the extra plank attached. Don’t book this room. It’s unsafe.

We had a quiet, good stay with our family. The room was fairly clean and spacious, and the Ganges ghat is about a 10 minute walk away. The hotel is very close to the Mansa Devi Temple ropeway counter, but it can be difficult to reach, so contact the hotel beforehand. The food was really costly for its quality and wasn’t up to the mark. It’s also hard to get a customized menu for children.

I booked three nights and four days at Raj Mandir Hotel, but left after an hour because I couldn’t manage even one night there. The room was filthy and smelled awful, the surrounding area was full of garbage, and the view was just piles of dirt and waste. Getting there was a mess too: vehicles can’t reach the hotel, and carrying luggage through dirty, narrow lanes was a nightmare. When I asked for a refund, they rudely refused. This was the worst hotel experience I’ve had and doesn’t deserve even one star. Don’t be fooled by fake online ratings. Even a simple Dharamshala is far better.