Cupidtrails-Himalayan Castle

We booked through Airbnb because the listing photos looked amazing, with a breathtaking view. Arriving was a shock. The property smelled bad and was messy, dirty, and stained. We had trouble breathing from the dirt, not the altitude. It badly needs maintenance and a deep clean. The host isn't local and lives thousands of kilometers away in South India. I was there with my wife, parents, and two-year-old son, and the situation was a huge hassle for us. We complained, and the maintenance person cleaned up, but the smell remained and the stay was still unpleasant. We had booked four nights but cancelled. I’d tell others to save their time and money and book elsewhere. If nothing else is available, I honestly think sleeping in a car would be better than spending a night here. The owner/host was rude and later left a ridiculous review saying I was a bad customer, apparently because I contacted Airbnb customer service for help. @Adarsh, the pictures don't lie. You lost my business by ignoring customer feedback. I didn't make a scene when we arrived, I was just very disappointed and asked the maintenance person to clean. You're arrogant, insensitive, and inconsiderate. Stay humble and be real. Look at the pictures. Enjoy! :)

The view over Manali city is amazing, and the caretaker was responsive and helpful. They can bring your luggage up and down during the stay, and can also help get food delivered from Mall Road. The owner clearly mentioned the hike, so I expected it. It takes about 15 minutes and can leave you breathless once. If you're young and only plan to return to the room once a day, it's manageable. Otherwise, I'd skip this place. The rooms could use fresh paint and some maintenance, and there were flies inside. Maybe that's because of the rainy season, but a screened balcony door would help keep them out. A water filter on every floor would be useful too. It was a good stay overall, mainly thanks to that city view.

The view is the best part, with main Manali and the mountains right there. Rooms were large and clean, and the washroom had a good amount of space. The caretakers were helpful and could get us whatever we needed. It's close to the bridge, but getting there means walking around 100 stairs. The ground floor was messy and smelled bad. Still, it was a good experience.

Getting to the place is a challenge, so be prepared for that. Once there, we found the rooms weren't what the photos had shown. Only one had a view; the other had no windows and no sunlight or ventilation. The cleanliness was awful. We only saw the caretaker on the first day, then he was nowhere to be found and had an excuse for every request. I had a really bad experience in Manali.