Zostel Hampi (Gangavathi)

Mudhouses are perfect where we stayed , no need for AC . Self service everywhere except the restaurants which cater to westerners more than Indian although options are there. Local cuisine is missing . Water filters at regular intervals would help for environmental care .but the whole will buy bottled water? Business takes precedence over environment.

It was really disappointing. 1. The location is far from the main attractions of Hampi. The isolation of this place would have been an advantage if it were somewhere in the mountains, where people go to chill, work, or have a long trip. However, since Hampi only requires 2-3 days for exploration, this far location stay doesn't make much sense. You will have to return to the property by sunset because it's right beside a forest with the risk of animal attacks at any time. 2. The place is not suitable for solo travelers. The property is filled with families and friend groups, and you'll hardly see any solo travelers there. Also, they don't organize any events for people to engage with each other. 3. Miscommunication or lack of communication from the management: Ideally, in any hostel, the person at the front desk should give you a short intro and guidelines about the property. Here, they don't seem to care about it at all. They won't inform you about what's allowed or not allowed on the property, and there isn't even a basic guideline poster. The way they handle traveler stays ends up causing trouble for both themselves and the guests. If you extend your stay these people change your bed number and if you have your begs or any of your other belongings on your bed they will remove it. 4. Food: The property has its own cafe, and as it's far from the nearest restaurant, you're left with no choice but to eat there. The rates are expensive, the food is okay, but the waiting period is long. If you plan to order a salad or something, ask them what ingredients they will use. They might serve you a simple cucumber and tomato salad in the name of a Greek salad and charge you more. 5. Rude staff: Honestly, I've never seen such rude staff in any hostel. The property is run by a family, and except for one sensible person, the rest are quite impolite and make you feel as if you're staying there for free. On the check-out day, we had a small argument over a payment confusion that these people couldn't manage or keep track of. After settling everything, the person at the desk told us to never come back to their property. I was excited to hear that Zostel had opened a property in Hampi, but it ended up being a disappointment. I hope Zostel addresses these issues to make traveling a happier experience for people and not to go back with a feeling of frustration.