Summit Le Royale Hotel, Shimla — Hotel in Mall Road Area

By far one of the worst hotels I've stayed in my life. The hotel is right up on the hill which has a steep path at a very high incline rate, which is very difficult to walk up and will take you a good 15/20 minutes. Normal taxis will not agree to drop you off to the hotel but drop you off to the lift on Mall road which is around 1 klms walk up the hill to the hotel. I booked a premium room. Which I got fooled by the pictures posted, not a single thing premium about this room or the hotel. 50 year old fitments. Dirty pillows and dirty bathroom with an old geezer. Even a run down lodge in a village has better rooms. On the second day while enjoying our lunch at a nice restaurant. I got a call from the manager (very rudely) telling me that I left the windows open and that monkeys came in and trashed the room. I quite sternly told him that we didn't open the windows and me and my wife made sure to check while leaving. As they had told us when we arrived about not keeping the windows. He further went on to attack me verbally on the phone saying he saw me opening the window. Which ofcourse was a lie. We rushed back to the hotel to find the room cleaned up. A bag of many fruits which we bought was empty. He barged into our room and told us we kept the windows open. Everything seemed very fishy to us the bags in our room were gone through. Nothing was missing but the fruits were all gone. But the strange thing was when I checked my suitcase someone's Gutka packets were fallen in them. I later realised they went through our bags looking for valuables, which they could blame the monkeys. Overall it was such a bad experience we didn't leave the room and waited to leave the next morning. Which ruined the end of our trip and our time in Himachal. I would advise you to please never book this hotel and see that horrible manager who is a complete crook. I paid 4800Rs a day without any breakfast provided. There are many beautiful hotels in Shimla which will give you a great stay. But make sure to never book this property. It should definitely...

I stayed here for one night on 26th October 2024. I reached sometime in the evening around 5:00 PM and a part of the cause of the delay was the long route that my taxi had to take to reach the hotel, and the narrow access road up to the hotel. Either I had missed reading any of the reviews talking about the difficult access to the hotel or nobody has actually mentioned it.

I was assigned room number 103 which is right next to the door leading from the restaurant to the kitchen. it was terribly noisy at night during dinner time, and even in the morning during breakfast.

The room and the bathroom were very spacious. Getting hot water in a hotel room in cold weather is very important for me and I got very good hot water here. So that was a big plus!

It is true that the hotel is just about a 5 minute walk from the Ridge and about a 10 minute walk from the Jakhu Ropeway. However, it is fine when you are going from the hotel to somewhere because that is a downward slope. Coming back to the hotel is extremely challenging because the slope is extremely steep, at least for me. and, due to the location of the hotel, it is not practical to take a cab back to it or from it.

As for the staff, they were all polite and friendly. As for Room Service, I had ordered coffee on the first day and had asked for it to be strong but it was mostly milk and so I had to ask the server to get me an extra sachet of coffee.

When checking out, the reception helped arrange a taxi for me to get to my next location.

There is nothing inherently wrong with the hotel, and even though the location is geographically close to the main points, due to the steep slopes it is a challenge to access it on foot and due to the narrow access road, it becomes challenging to even access it using a vehicle.

I would not recommend against booking this hotel but it is important to note the challenges with this hotel...

I like these type of properties. It has a personality. Dont mind staying there for long duration.

But i feel a bit sad that the property is not presented for the potential it has.

Keeping in mind the hard times of lockdown and nonfunctional months every property is trying to rise up to its full perfomance level

Even though having a great charm the unit lacks in fundamental hotel basics which can be surely improved and can get 5 star ratings.

Location is superb. 10/10 5 mins walk to the ridge, the mall road and church. The most beautiful and most important spot of heritage shimla

It was quiet a treasure hunt to reach the property by car. As shimla has many small single car tracks of which most of them are blocked

Our driver was quiet patient and the hotel staff efficient to help him navigate.

The best route to reach the hotel by walk is From the railway station towards mall direction there is a climb. Its so straight that you will reach the ridge. On the side of christ church the road take you further up. And a quick Right turn takes you the doors of the hotel.

Consider it as your first trek in the city.

Rooms. Compare it to a 25 year old house

Leave the windows open. You will have a furry friend and his family to share the room with you

Washrooms and room cleaning needs a lot more improvement.

. Hot water. Heater. Plugs. Phones etc works.

Bed linen. Basic quality. Floor under the bed - dusty. No bathroom mat outside the wash room. No floor mat by side of the bed. Its uncomfortable to have your feet on cold floor All can be sorted out

I will like to stay here again. Expecting the hotel performs with 100 percent strike rate. To earn a 5 star rating.

Bonus. Beautiful restaurant. Couldn't have breakfast as we left at 8 am and the food is not served...