Shahar Palace

The garden, home style food, and welcoming owner host make this a great value budget stay. It’s spacious but basic, and should suit anyone. You could pay 10 x more for a five star hotel, but if you’re traveling and sightseeing, you may never use its facilities. This property has a lovely heritage, and the host family has had it since the forties. I enjoyed conversations on the lawn and fireside with Naliniji, who is elegant, knowledgeable, wise, and knows the local area well. She has hosted thousands of guests over the years.

I’d come back for the peaceful vibe and space. It feels a little secluded, as much as a place in the middle of a city can. The food was freshly made and palatable, though nothing out of the ordinary. The rooms let down the otherwise lovely ambience a bit, but the place costs much less than it looks and feels like it should. Visit if you’re after peace and space.

There weren’t enough blankets for the stay, water bottles cost extra, and the complimentary breakfast was so limited that we had to buy more. The staff were good and friendly, but the owner was arrogant.

The checkout communication was unprofessional, and the owner was rude, inconsiderate, and unprofessional. Staff availability dropped off after 10 PM, and we had to walk to the main gate to collect our Zomato order because the guard wasn’t always there. No room cleaning was done during our two-night stay. We had to ask each time for packaged water, and there was no complimentary water. The geyser didn’t work properly in 8-degree weather, and the windows and doors creaked. Staff management and basic hospitality etiquette were poor.