Smile Holiday Inn

The rooms are a decent size and look good. Everything else seemed fine, but the room cleaning service wasn’t very good.

You can see the temple from the room, and the beach is only about a five-minute walk away. The food tasted fresh and homemade, and the rates were reasonable. The rooms are nicely decorated, with plenty of light and air, and the cleanliness stood out. The owner is careful about every guest.

We got no room service, with only two staff looking after 50 rooms, and the food was poor and expensive. They hadn’t provided the promised sanitization, which felt risky during the pandemic. Drinking water wasn’t supplied either, though they sold 20-litre water for 80 rupees. The manager and staff behaved very badly. The hotel is in a dirty, crowded lane, and the shortcut to the beach takes you through an even dirtier lane, although the beach is about a 10-minute walk away. Most reviews seem fake because they don’t match our experience. I’d never stay here with family. Worst hotel in puri.

We were there from 22-12-19 to 26-12-19. The reviews we read beforehand made us worry we’d booked the wrong hotel, but we found them misleading. The manager was polite and helpful, the staff were normal, and the food was fresh, tasty and homely. Rooms and bathrooms were tidy and clean enough, and we had running water without trouble. The lift worked 24*7. There’s no beach view, but the beach is a straight 400-metre walk away, and the hotel is right beside goudiya math. They didn’t change our bed sheet during the stay. Also, the dining area for lunch and dinner is small, so you might wait a long time for a turn. They do deliver meals to rooms, with a 10% surcharge.