Hotel Kailas describes itself as a boutique hotel but that it not quite how I would describe it. We stayed in a cottage room which was quite roomy but basic. It was reasonably clean but the bathroom had seen better days. The restaurant was more like a canteen with lots of coach parties in, the food was ok. The location was very good for the caves, only a few minutes walk away.

From the outside, the hotel looks great - pretty little cottages with patios, nicely spread out over well-maintained grounds. Inside, it's a different story. The biggest problem is the big window that has no glass - only a wire mesh. In our cottage it was facing the wind, and the strong draft made any attempts to sleep an absolutely miserable experience. We finally had to use a floor mat held in place by a rolled-up winter coat wedged between the "window" and the curtain rod to keep the wind from blowing it in. That took care of the draft, but it was still cold. Trying to figure it out, we found another open window about 12 feet up! That one had glass and could potentially close, but there was no way to reach it, so we gave up and went to sleep. We had asked the manager for a heater, but he said there were none available.

Then there's the food. Veggie burgers and chips were OK, but when we ordered a simple palak paneer, we got an absolutely inedible mess. It was not simply bland -- rather, it had NO flavor AT ALL. Like water. With a dash of black pepper thrown in -- that was all you could taste. After complaining to the manager, other Indian dishes were actually very good, but your mileage may vary.

On the pro side, the hotel is almost next door to the Ellora caves entrance - very convenient. And if you walk out the back, through a hole in the fence and down a path, you will come to a small and well-hidden ashram with a sanctuary housing nine black stones with eyes painted on as its idols. I was told the ashram houses 20 monks, and the man I spoke with spoke enough English to be understood and was keen to speak to me. It also has a small children's park with a slide, a seesaw and some swings, which our two year old enjoyed. Overall, a convenient hotel, but I would not recommend staying there in winter.

My partner and I very much enjoyed our stay at Kailas. We booked a cottage with a "caves view" which I would recommend to others as well. Although all the cottages are situated in beautiful gardens, the cave view cottages have unimpeded views of open space, while the others have views of neighboring cottages. The cottages themselves are simple, but with comfortable western style beds/mattresses, tables and chairs and private terraces. Everything was incredibly clean. We were very content with the balance of comfort and simplicity.

The owners are friendly and helpful. They make just about anything you wish for become possible. There is an adequate restaurant on-site.

Value for money is in balance. We will stay here again in the future and for a longer time. The atmosphere is a restful haven, and the Ellora Caves are about a five minute walk from the hotel grounds.

If you plan to visit in the high season (December-January) advance (3-4 months) reservations are recommended, any other time of the year a week or two in advance should be enough. At least this is what the owner advised me when queried.

There are two things I can call out as "excellent" for this hotel. One, its location really is about a two minute walk from the entrance to the Ellora Caves. And two, there is plenty of hot water in the shower. Now, for the rest ... That hot water is in the shower only. The sink offers only cold. The shower is open to the bathroom, so the bathroom gets pretty soaked. The only bath amenity offered was a bar of soap (and a single worn towel), so be sure to bring your own shampoo and anything else you may need. My "cave-facing" room - for which I paid extra - faced the far-distant cave only from the louvered window high up on the bathroom wall. Save your money and get a regular room. The room came with no radio, no TV, no alarm clock and mediocre lighting ineffective for reading. Breakfast was included. The tea was excellent, the toast burnt and the eggs pretty much inedible. I did not try dinner in the restaurant because it was deserted during the whole evening, save for a group of workers watching TV. The grounds of the hotel are absolutely dark, so a flashlight/torch might be helpful. Through no fault of the hotel (I think!) a nearby religious group was chanting all day and all night. They stopped only to set off fireworks throughout the night. Turning on the fan in the room, not otherwise needed, helped to deaden the sound but did not completely. A good night's sleep was not possible.