Payupa Guest House

The cancellation of the Aryan Valley Festival, which was the reason I booked Payupa Guest House, only came to light when we checked in. We had communicated at length by email about our American and French guests' interest in its music, dances and heritage, then called the day before to confirm arrangements. The host assured us everything was set. The festival had actually been canceled days earlier, but we received no call or email to let us know. I'm a tour guide focused on Himalayan cultural gems, and the guests had eagerly anticipated this 2025 event. With them already jet-lagged and adjusting to the high altitude, we had to change plans abruptly, find other hotels and spend around ₹20,000 on extra fuel to salvage the itinerary. They were understandably furious, and their harsh feedback hurt our reputation. The room was very basic, bare essentials with no frills, and overrun with houseflies, which made it uncomfortable and unhygienic. We had paid upfront for two days, but the rescheduling meant we stayed only one night. There was no refund or flexibility despite full payment. The host served very basic, plain meals with little thought or local flavor, barely enough after a long travel day. The location is scenic, but that's the only positive. This was a costly failure of transparency and care. Avoid it if your plans depend on local events or basic reliability. We won't return or recommend it. 1/5 stars. Stayed: September 2025, 1 night (paid for 2). Tour guide for American and French guests.