Hotel Bhakti Dhama

Cleanliness was above average, and the rates were affordable. The rooms and service were pretty ordinary, though the location is a big plus, right behind Iskcon temple.

The one clear plus at Bhakti Dama Guest House in Vindravan is how close it is to Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir. My room was in the annex, though, and it was dirty. The bathroom was rusty and unclean, the old air conditioner was noisy, and service was almost nonexistent. A small tip seemed to get things moving, but the stay was still unsatisfactory. Getting there means taking a rough lane that is muddy or dusty depending on the weather. It is poorly lit and often has monkeys, dogs and rodents around. Rooms facing the road look out onto a construction site that runs through the night. In recent days, a concrete mixer was operating at night and kept me awake. For happiness in Vindravan, I’d look to the temples, and to checking out of this unfortunate property.

The central location, friendly staff and easy walk to ISKCON were the only positives for my family. The hotel is still under construction, which caused us a lot of inconvenience, and I wouldn’t stay here again. Our room wasn’t cleaned every day, and there was no hot water in the morning. Basic things were missing, including fresh towels and bathroom floor mats. The mattress was hard, pillows were thin, sheets were torn and the floors were dusty. The TV, phone and fridge didn’t work. The A/C only had an on/off switch, so there was no way to adjust the temperature.

They showed me pictures of one room, then gave me a different one. A very bad experience, and I’ll never recommend it to anyone.