OYO Flagship 16691 Hotel Chakkaravarthi

A really bad experience. The receptionist wanted more money than the amount shown in the OYO app. The owner then told OYO customer care that they hadn't given me a room because I was drunk. After hours on the phone with OYO, I eventually got a refund.

Avoid this place if you don't speak Tamil. When I arrived with an OYO booking, the man at the counter said he was a matric fail and couldn't speak Hindi or English. They wouldn't honor the booking. There were no room boys to help with luggage, and no lift, though I was lucky to get a room on the first floor. The staff came across as arrogant and uncultured.

The street outside is very busy, and there's no car parking, but the hotel does have a lift and a restaurant on the ground floor. Rooms are compact but well maintained. It's close to Madurai Railway Station and Periyar Bus Stand, with Meenakshi Amman temple about a ten-minute walk away. There's lots of street food nearby. Good value, especially for single men.

The room was dirty, with no toiletries, and the place felt filthy and unhygienic. There was cigarette smoke everywhere, and the restaurant was a shame with appalling service. I paid ₹2000 for one night, though it wasn't worth even 500₹. OYO presents this as a hotel, but to be clear, it's a lodge. I booked through OYO a month ahead for three people, planning to visit Madurai with my parents. We arrived at 11 am and were told there was no room available for three, so they put us in a two-person room and promised to move us within an hour. Even after several reminders, it was 1 PM and they still hadn't upgraded us. OYO customer care couldn't help, apparently because the owner seemed like a local rowdy and they couldn't handle him. After more calls, including with Praveen at OYO, they suggested changing properties four hours after check-in. My parents are over 60, so we couldn't do that. I wouldn't recommend this place for a family. Booking id RPIU7840.