OYO 29114 Suraj Residency

The rooms and rates were average. There’s no restaurant in the hotel, so food is ordered from the restaurant across the front, and you have to pay first even when you have a booking. Anything you want in the room has to be ordered in cash. There’s no car park, though they let cars use the space in front of the entrance. At checkout, make sure they don’t ask to use your phone to leave their own five-star rating.

The general atmosphere was very good, but the area doesn’t feel suitable for families. In the evenings people come for drinks, and non-veg dishes are being prepared. Vegetarian food is difficult to find nearby. The way to the rooms is poorly lit, the area needs cleaning and maintenance, and the lift wasn’t working. The staircase and nearby spaces were dirty. There was no landline number, and neither the receptionist nor attendant was available. Better to stay at Bhakthi Nivas or Shirdi Ashram.

The rooms are spacious and good, though you should expect some service shortcomings. Only five or six people seem to be managing the hotel, restaurant, and bar, so all three departments are stretched. Without OYO support, the hotel’s infrastructure has also taken a hit. It may be that corona was tough on the business, but they’re trying to keep all three running. When I stayed recently, it seemed they’d ended their Oyo tie-up, which is why the hotel isn’t on OYO. It may once have been flourishing with that partnership. One practical tip: try bringing an iron rod heater for hot water in the morning.

Two things were really disappointing: they didn’t provide soap or a towel even after I asked, and the AC wasn’t available the whole time. They switched it off early in the morning, saying they don’t turn it on during the day and that it would only be available after 10 pm.