Sindola Inn by OYO Rooms

The rooms are decent, though a bit cramped, and the owner was very helpful. The staff, though, were so rude that I’d have given this place one star without the owner. They hung up on room service calls and shouted at me just for showing that I had a booking. The receptionist even said she’d throw the OYO board out. If that sounds fine to you, this is the place.

The rooms are tiny, and some have edges sticking out by the doors that kept hitting our legs as we moved around. Water pressure was very low, and it sometimes got shut off until we called to have it turned back on. Wi-Fi is only in the breakout area, not the rooms. The minibar is there but empty, so they get drinks from outside. At the restaurant, the choices were limited, the food wasn’t good, service was slow, and staff sometimes forgot our orders. The worst issue came at checkout. We’d ordered it while at breakfast, so we weren’t in the room when the owner inspected it. He then showed us bedsheets, duvet covers and towels with oil spills, rust marks and what he said were blood stains, plus a torn duvet cover, and blamed us. At first he also pointed to an ink mark like an M on a duvet cover, but when we found the same mark on another towel, they admitted it was the hotel symbol. We were charged around 7000 bucks for the items. We hadn’t eaten in the rooms, nobody was injured, and we had nothing that could have caused rust marks. He said the stains wouldn’t come out in laundry and that the rules required payment. Makemytrip told me those kinds of marks weren’t chargeable. We called the police to resolve it. Makemytrip also advised me to put in writing that the listed items had spills and stains. I did, while making clear that we hadn’t caused the damage. The night before, we got back around 3AM after a party and found the hotel gates shut. No one was at reception, and the phone rang for half an hour. The staff meant to be there were asleep. When I called the owner, he got furious about the late call and said we shouldn’t be returning at that hour. When we argued, he tried to threaten us with local goons. The owner was rude about feedback too, easily offended and saying we expected five-star facilities at a small price restaurant. We travel often and have had better service and facilities at places around the same price across the country.

The owner was friendly and understanding, and the rooms are good for a reasonable OYO price. The AC, TV and water heater all worked well. But outside food and drinks weren’t allowed, so we had to call him to bring in things we’d already bought. The bathroom taps and shower had very weak pressure. Reception closes at 10:30pm, and then the hotel is locked from inside, so you can’t get in if you’re late. We were really irritated to be stuck outside in the rain at 3 in the morning.

We spent 4 nights and 5 days here, and the kids had a great time in the pool and around the hotel grounds. The rooms were clean and good, and the location worked well for reaching Bag a, Anjuna,Vagator,calangute and candolim, all within 4 to 7 km. The owner Tripurari couples and staff were excellent, caring and responsive. They welcomed and looked after us so nicely. I’d give it 5 out of 5.