Mumbai Backpackers

The girls' dormitory was kept really clean, and the staff maintained it well. What bothered me was boys smoking in the open common area. Guests use that space to eat, relax, and work on their laptops, and the smoke made it uncomfortable to stay there for long. I hope management makes the common sitting area smoke-free or sets up a separate smoking zone.

I was put in an 8-bed mixed dorm with an AC that didn't work. By night the room was suffocating, and I could barely sleep. At around 3:30 a.m. I went to the front desk, but there was no responsible staff member available. The person there said he “didn’t know anything” and that every other bed was full, and offered no help. Basic ventilation and temperature control matter in a hostel. The failed AC and the lack of response overnight made this a very distressing stay. I wouldn't recommend it if basic comfort, safety, and accountability matter to you. This was the worst hostel experience I've had.

I booked Backpackers Hostel Andheri through MakeMyTrip two months ahead for the Lollapalooza festival. When I arrived, they refused to give me the hostel I'd reserved and made me move to Hotel Royal Classic, saying it was their “work extension property.” Nothing about that arrangement had been disclosed when I booked. They admitted they'd given the rooms to guests who paid more, then told me, “If you don’t want it, cancel and try finding another stay.” I had paid and reached my destination only to be left to find another hotel myself. There was no apology, solution, or sense of responsibility. Hotel Royal Classic wasn't what I booked, what was advertised, or what I paid for. To me, this was deliberate misrepresentation and price discrimination. If Backpackers Hostel can't honor confirmed bookings, it shouldn't be on MakeMyTrip. Travelers, beware: a booking seems to mean nothing if someone else pays more. Worst hospitality experience I've had. Avoid at all costs.

We turned up to find the rooms unavailable because, they said, they'd overbooked. They'd already taken our full prepayment and hadn't contacted us beforehand. While looking for other hotels, I found that the same beds were still bookable for the same dates, but at five times the price. It seemed they'd bumped existing reservations so they could take guests willing to pay more.