Maharishi Ayurveda Rishikesh — Hotel in Uttarakhand

I was hesitant to write this review because my two therapists - Mamta and Seema - were absolutely amazing. So talented, super kind, very personable, and caring. They were the highlight of this experience and I have zero complaints about them. They give their heart and soul to this center and were the best (and only good part) about my experience.

My review is about the rest of the center. This is my third PK / third center, in other words, not my first rodeo. I stayed nearly a month at the Maharishi Ayurveda Rishikesh in Feb 2025.

-There is incredible noise pollution nearly all hours of the day thanks to the two different construction sites right next to the facility. As soon as the construction is over in the evening, the nearby club would start blasting music. Occasionally I would be woken up in the middle of the night randomly by fireworks that were so loud they sounded like bombs. The treatment rooms are right behind the lobby and during my treatment I was often distracted by either the very loud construction noises or people having loud conversations in the lobby including the staff. Of course the center is not responsible for the noise of its surroundings but should inform guests ahead of time as it makes for an extremely unpleasant and not calming experience.

-The kitchen staff was so nice and attentive and lovely, but unfortunately the food was extremely repetitive and bland. I’ve eaten incredible Ayurvedic meals at two other PK centers before so I know better quality and variety food that still adheres to the standard is possible. I was so disillusioned by and sick of the food that I was hardly eating by the end and lost 15lbs. I also ordered a sandwich from room service one day that seemingly had raw vegetables - huge mistake eating this as it gave me insufferable cramps for weeks.

-I felt that some comments made by some staff members were at times minimizing, condescending, and dismissive. I have a medical condition that requires certain precautions to be taken and didn’t feel those were always respected despite informing the center in advance.

-The power went out at least 10 times a day on average, which also included the internet. On one day it was out for over 5 hours. Extremely unreliable and when the WiFi was working the connection/signal strength was quite poor.

-communication was very difficult to arrange and very inconsistent ahead of the stay with the management. While there I realized that my personal information (eg menstruation, bowel movements etc) was being shared with nearly all the staff (since apparently everyone had access to the main WhatsApp chat used to communicate with guests) which made me quite uncomfortable.

-I found the rooms to be quite dated and way older looking than how they appeared in the pictures online. It was a significant difference in terms of quality for price paid.

-The bed in my room was extremely hard to the point that it felt like sleeping on concrete or wood. I asked for an extra mattress to be provided which when it finally was, I found mold all over it after taking off its cover sheet.

-I was surprised that unlike the two other PK experiences I had previously, this center charges you extra for the supplements and herbs prescribed to you during the stay. There was no mention of this at the beginning of the stay and it caught me very much off guard at the end (and just felt in poor taste since the center was already charging quite a bit compared to other places).

the city itself was not very relaxing or peaceful (yes I realize it’s India). Constant honking and excessive air pollution worsened my health. The Air Quality Index in rishikesh was quite awful when I went, likely not helped by all the ongoing construction.

-there was zero programming except for early morning yoga. It would have been really nice to have other yoga timings and/or lectures on different Ayurvedic topics like most other centers have.

-note that there is no pool despite listing one in the google maps entry

Had I known about all of these things I would have...

I did a panchakarma here for 15 days with my mom and a friend and then stayed another 3 nights afterwards. This was my first panchakarma experience, but I was with a friend who had a lot of knowledge of Ayurveda and had done several panchakarmas. We had two different doctors and one of them didn't volunteer much information on what they were getting from reading your pulse (and neither used any other diagnostic methods), but they were happy to answer questions. My friend filled in the gaps in information that we didn't get from the doctors, and this definitely improved our experience. That said, the therapists were excellent and the treatment quality was very high. I had Seema and Anusha as my therapists (and Mamta on their days off) and they were both awesome - so sweet and loving and skilled at their work. They took such great care of me and even taught me some Hindi over the 2 weeks! They made my panchakarma experience that much better. The entire staff, including the kitchen, housekeeping/grounds and front desk were friendly, sweet and helpful. They also added to the experience and made you feel very comfortable and at home. The location of this clinic is phenomenal. It's in Tapovan, and it's walkable to so many things - great cafes, restaurants, yoga classes (although the clinic has its own yoga class at 6:30 am every morning), and of course the Ganga. Although, you shouldn't be doing too many extracurricular activities during your panchakarma if you want the maximum effect, so if you can't resist temptation maybe a different clinic location would be better. It was nice to have the option to go walk around and shop (no eating out - stick to the kitchen meals for the panchakarma), although it was extremely hot when I was there and that deterred me from shopping the exploring I would have done in better weather. The setting of the clinic was really peaceful and lovely and its outdoor sitting areas were as well. The place has really nice energy. The rooms are comfortable and have air conditioning and fans, and are spacious and well decorated. You end up spending a lot of time in the room during a panchakarma, so this space is important. Coming from the United States, I thought this was nice lodging, either 4 or 5 stars for India, although I only stayed in 2 other places so don't have enough experience to truly judge. The clinic was even able to arrange a 5-day TM (transcendental meditation) class for us on request, and the lovely teacher came all the way from Delhi to do that for us (costs extra). I think I added years to my life from doing the panchakarma, and I highly recommend doing it! At the time I did it, it was 10,000 rupees per day for a single occupancy room (which is a must for a pancha karma) including food and lodging. Rishikesh is a special place and warrants some dedicated time after you finish your health treatments, so make sure you save a few days just to experience some...

I recently had the pleasure of staying at the Maharishi Ayurveda Center in Rishikesh for 12 days, and I can honestly say it was a wonderful experience! From the moment I arrived, I was greeted with warmth and genuine care by the staff, who truly made me feel valued throughout my stay. It was clear that everyone was dedicated to ensuring I had a positive experience.

I underwent a series of panchakarma treatments, which left me feeling rejuvenated and healthier. Each session was tailored to my needs thanks to the expert evaluation of the Vaidya Dr. Chandan. Gunjan Ji and Sangeeta Ji were in charge of my treatments every day, and I can say that they were one of the highlights of my stay at the center since they always greeted me with smiles and even offered a little prayer before each treatment, which added a personal touch that I cherished.

Another special highlight was the daily pooja led by Shekhar Ji, the priest. Each morning, I had the opportunity to participate in this beautiful ritual, which is an essential part of Ayurvedic practice. I found immense peace during the ritual, feeling energized and spiritually uplifted before beginning my treatments. The daily blessings created a deeper connection to my healing journey, making it a truly enriching experience.

I also want to extend my heartfelt thanks to a few wonderful staff members: Ajay Ji, who kept my room clean and tidy, also making sure I always had everything needed; Balwant Ji, the general manager of the center, who went above and beyond to assist with anything I needed, from arranging taxis to providing great advice on local attractions, and making sure everything run smoothly at the center; Chef Ravi, the head chef, who took the time to show me how to prepare the delicious vegetarian dishes served at the center with the hope I could recreate them once back home; and last but not least Devendra the center's Yoga teacher who help me start the day energized.

The atmosphere at the Maharishi Ayurveda Center is incredibly welcoming and nurturing. I traveled alone to the center, but I always felt safe and cared for during my stay. I had such a good experience that I decided to extend my trip for an extra two days before returning to the U.S.

Rishikesh is a beautiful town set against the backdrop of the Himalayas, known for its spiritual significance and the flowing Ganga River. The serene surroundings and vibrant culture truly enhanced my overall experience.

I genuinely recommend the Maharishi Ayurveda Center, and I can’t wait for my next visit. Thank you to everyone at the center for making my...