Hotel Meridian

The local autos charge a hefty 260 rupees for a single trip to the frisking point, which is only the start of the actual pilgrimage route. At Hotel Meridian, the rooms were unclean and left me feeling uncomfortable and unsafe. I also saw what appeared to be children working as staff, which was unsettling. Staff were drying their own clothes in the kitchen, raising concerns about hygiene around food preparation. Given that, I can’t comment on the food quality, but I’d advise serious caution. I strongly recommend avoiding Hotel Meridian and finding accommodation that takes hygiene, responsible staffing, and food handling seriously.

The one good thing is the location, very close to the railway station, bus stand, and yatra parchi counter. Everything else made this my worst hotel experience so far. The rooms and washrooms were filthy, taps leaked, tables were never cleaned, and used cups were left behind. The bedding was marked, and I couldn’t tell if it had been washed after the previous guest. Bed, table, and cupboard were all broken and in awful condition. The staff seemed like local kids with no idea how to treat or speak to guests.

We didn’t stay the night. We were supposed to go to another hotel, but came here after a guy said he could offer a better deal. Once we arrived, he changed the price and quoted more. The washrooms were gross, with a dirty, leaking toilet. We asked five times for it to be cleaned and it still wasn’t. One of the three rooms we booked had muddy footprints, and there were no toiletries until we asked and waited. They offer a free shuttle to and from the temple base, but we waited 30-45 minutes for a trip that takes barely 15 minutes. When we asked for a taxi to continue our journey, the man left and switched off his phone. Another person who was helping just walked away, and the man at reception didn’t seem to care. The service showed no concern for guests’ comfort. I wouldn’t recommend it at all.

The owner and his son were sweet, good people and seemed very helpful. The hotel is in a good spot, opposite the railway station, but it needs immediate renovation and maintenance. When I booked, it was around 1650/- per night, which is way too expensive for the facilities. They need to lower the price if they aren’t going to improve the place.