Suraaj Palace

Definitely overpriced and easy to skip. The rooms had stained sheets, and the carpets in shared areas smelled bad. They didn't even provide basic toiletries.

The wooden rooms have a nice feel, and the food tastes decent. Raju in the kitchen was very good. That was about the only bright spot in what was the worst stay of our lives. We paid everything upfront, and after that it felt like we had no say. The owner's dad, Mr.Dhanraj, showed up every other day and, to us, made it feel like we couldn't even move freely. Drinking and smoking weren't allowed anywhere on the property, and there was no option to order food from outside. They serve only vegetarian meals, which were expensive, and even when we had no other choice, they wouldn't serve outside food. The manager, Nila, was unwelcoming from the first day. She made faces and seemed to try to irritate us. When she brought food, she tossed it onto the plate with an unpleasant expression. We asked her about it, and she agreed she did that. We have a video of her saying so. They played chanting and mantras over a speaker, which we found creepy. We asked several times for it to be turned off, but Nila didn't care. The geysers were switched off after 10 am, leaving us with cold water the rest of the day. Breakfast was said to be from 8 to 10, but they only started preparing it at 9. If we arrived late, they scolded us. Even a small paper cup of coffee cost 50rs, and we have the bills. Don't book here, it's a bad trap. If you do, you may end up stuck having a terrible time.

I left as fast as I could. This is a Jain establishment, so they serve only vegetarian food, which I hate in hill stations. It's also far from town, and after 7 p.m. Leopards and Bison etc. are said to prowl around, so it suits someone who doesn't go out at night.

We had a great stay in this bungalow, set somewhere peaceful with a nice valley view. The service was awesome, especially from Mr Praveen and Mr Sebastian. It felt like a good experience, and they'll arrange a campfire if you ask.