The people who wrote the website for elements hostel in Madurai should be politicians - the unique skill of stretching out the truth and throwing in the odd little white lie which is unnoticed because it is presented to professionally will be very useful in the political world.

The hostel is very clean and quiet. The dorms are spacious and comfortable, the rooftop garden is relaxing and there are kitchens and batrhrooms.

However, the website advertises this as self catering kitchens. If you have been travelling for ages eating only prepared food and long for something simple - there is a supermarket around the corner - forget it. There is no cooker and the fridges are switched off all the time. The kitchen amounts to a sink, table and chairs, and a few items of crockery.

Washing machine and tumble drier is advertised. Yes, there is a washing machine and drier, but you are not allowed to use it yourself. They charge like wounded bulls. Strangely, they... more