Hotel Sangam

The buffet breakfast was the bright spot, with juice, bread, upma, idli, vada, uttapam, dosa, puri, halwa, sambhar, chutneys, and curry. The person looking after breakfast served us with real affection, which I appreciated. My train was due early in the morning, so I booked the previous day to avoid a delay getting a room. After checking in at 4:15 am, I was told to leave by 11:00 am, even though my train wasn't until 7:00 pm. I asked to stay six more hours and, paying for it, was allowed to keep the room until 5:00 pm. When we asked for a small bottle of water, though, the reply was rude: we could buy it outside.

The room was very neat and clean, and the location is excellent. You can walk to the ferry for both the Vivekananda Rock Memorial and the Thiruvalluvar Statue, as well as to the Kanyakumari Amman Temple. Across from the Sangam Hotel, I went to Triveni a few times. I believe the manager is called Willingdon, and he's honest, friendly, and very good. Both his manner and the food were amazing.

The place may have been renovated to look newer, but it still seems old in person. The photos make the hotel look good, though the reality didn't match. I found other hotels at the same price that were better.

After a long trip with my parents, I reached at 8:30 AM, but the owner refused an early check-in, pointing to the 12:30 PM policy and festive rush. I understood the policy, but then saw walk-in guests paying cash get rooms immediately. When I raised that, staff said online bookings followed different rules. One staff member said my room was ready, but the owner scolded them in front of me and still made me wait. By 11:00 AM nothing had changed, so I cancelled through Goibibo, got a full refund, and moved to a nearby hotel. The owner's parting response was dismissive and rude, saying he didn't care if I cancelled. The owner's and reception staff's unprofessional behavior made me cancel my stay. I strongly recommend avoiding this place if basic hospitality and staff behavior matter to you.