Ayu Villa

The view is the one good thing. The place was hard to find, with no hotel signboards, and there were too many flies and insects in the room. Service was very slow, and the food was both expensive and not tasty. For the service and location, it’s an expensive stay.

Our two-day family stay was relaxing and peaceful, and I felt at home. The cottage was the best I’ve stayed in. Rooms were hygienic, the bathrooms completely clean, and the food from the cooks was amazing. Service was fast, and the humble, polite staff were ready to help even at 3 at night. The whole arrangement was superb, and I can’t wait to visit again.

We left after just one hour because the conditions felt too risky for our two children and elderly parents. Two stray dogs were also roaming and sleeping outside. The route to Ayu Villa Mukteshwar is narrow and steep, unsuitable for a large car such as an XUV 700 or safari, and our car was damaged on the way. We had booked three rooms for eight guests, four adults, two elderly people, and two children aged 2 and 9, on 29th of March, and paid more than 21K. What we found was nowhere near the photos and descriptions on MakeMyTrip and other travel websites. In all three rooms, cleanliness and hygiene were terrible: no water in the bathrooms, broken flushes, dirty stained washbasins and mirrors, unmade beds, uncovered blankets, no cleaning, and tea stains on a table. One room was especially disgusting, with dirty bedding on the floor, a faulty commode, a badly stained table, and insects crawling on the floor. There was also a cigarette bud on one of the beds. Even servant rooms don’t look like that. I spoke with the owner, Mr. Abhishek, who was rude and highly unprofessional. After we complained, he didn’t even try to get the rooms cleaned. We asked MakeMyTrip to cancel because that’s where we booked, having trusted the reviews that described it as a 4* property. It was nowhere near even 1 star. Make my trip hasn’t helped or refunded our money, saying the owner denied the refund. We’ve had a one-hour conversation with them and received emails saying a ticket was issued, but there’s still no solution. More than 21k of our hard-earned money is stuck, and they won’t listen. These reviews and pictures on the websites and Google are absolutely fake, and I don’t recommend the property. Don’t be fooled by them. I’m attaching real pictures of its condition.

The cottages are supremely luxurious, with surreal views, and this was one of the best local experiences you can have in Mukteshwar. Mr. Pankaj and the whole staff made the stay warm and homely. There are lots of local activities, including Temple & Village Tours, pottery making, cycling, nature trails, live kitchen meals in picturesque locations, and personally crafted experiences. A wonderful place for couples and families to spend quality time. I’ll definitely visit again.