JHARANA guest house

The owner, his mother, and the young man who helps them made my visit especially memorable with their kindness and support. I was traveling alone from abroad, didn’t know the local language, and had a limited budget, but their help made it possible to enjoy exploring Puri and further afield. I spent 10 happy days at this bright, clean, cheerful guest house. It’s quiet despite being in the middle of things, and felt like a real home from home. Swagadnar beach and Jagganath Temple are easy to walk to. The market and bus station take a bit more effort, and open up options for going further. Apart from a rickshaw from the station, I got around on foot.

Didi was very nice to us, and the rent was affordable. Jharna Guest House is in a great spot, with both the temple and beach within walking distance. I’ll stay here again next time I come.

The bathrooms were kept up well, and the place was hygienic. It’s also about 900m from Jagganath Temple. That eased some of my frustration, though I still can’t rate it five stars. When I arrived, I felt I’d made a big mistake. I thought a dormitory meant a room with 4-6 beds and a washroom. The receptionist said the ground-floor option was a mattress on the floor, while getting a bed meant sleeping in the second-floor gallery. Either way, people coming and going could see you, and there was CCTV in the gallery where I slept. I was alone, had no other option because cancellations aren’t refunded, and they had no other room. I only needed somewhere to sleep and leave my bag. I paid 1300 for two nights. Who wants to sleep on the floor or in an open gallery for that? The owner should only take dormitory bookings if guests can actually be accommodated in a room. A family room might be okay for a bit more, but one wasn’t available for me. The dormitory sucks.

The location also made the stay harder. The lanes around #Bali_Sahi road are narrow and crowded, and auto services can be unavailable or charge extra. I’d choose a hotel closer to the sea beach instead. I’m very disappointed with the service, especially Mr. Akash, the husband of Mrs. Jharana. The people there came across as rude. Maybe we were too accommodating, and they took that as a chance to change the terms to suit themselves. It felt like we were just a source of money, not guests. India is known for "Atithi Devo Bhava," but their approach seemed the opposite.