Himachal Pradesh Ups Guest House Tariffs, Launches Public Online Booking

The Himachal Pradesh government has announced a significant increase in the tariff for 24 specially designated rooms in its state guest houses, marking a move to open these accommodations to the public through an improved online booking system. The General Administration Department (GAD) has set the new room rate at Rs 3,000 per day, effective immediately, after completing technical enhancements to the Him-Atithi portal. The selected rooms, which are now accessible for public booking, include several at Himachal Bhawan in New Delhi and Chandigarh, as well as Willy's Park Circuit House in Shimla. This adjustment in tariffs, up from Rs 1,200, follows an initial proposal of Rs 4,000, which was later revised down. The pricing includes all applicable taxes. The online booking process, which opens three days before the desired stay date, requires full advance payment. Accepted payment methods include net banking, QR codes, UPI, and major credit and debit cards. Under the new cancellation policy, a 10 per cent deduction applies for bookings cancelled more than 24 hours prior to the noon check-in time, while cancellations within 24 hours will result in forfeiture of the full payment. Notably, if the General Administration Department cancels a booking, guests will receive a complete refund. Other rooms in the guest houses retain the previous tariff, and booking confirmations are handled in batches throughout the day. The introduction and enhancement of the Him-Atithi system aim to streamline public access to these government facilities, updating users via portal notifications and SMS alerts. (With inputs from agencies.)