Shirdi Sai Baba Temple rooms

I am planning on going to Shirdi to the Sai Baba Temple and am considering staying at the Sai Baba Temple rooms. Sometimes at such religious places the standard is not so good, and I don't want to be stuck in a room where I am not comfortable.

Please give some guidance about what the Shirdi Sai Baba Temple rooms are like, as if they are not so good then I would consider bookings rooms at a near by hotel.

 

Hello, welcome to the forum!

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Overview

The Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan Trust is the official managing committee of the Shirdi Sai Baba Temple Complex. From the maintenance of the temples, to the day to day programs and even up to the facilities in the complex, the Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan Trust handles them all. One important aspect they have focused on for many years is providing affordable accommodation options for the devotees of the holy guru, Sai Baba. More than a thousand rooms can be booked from the Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan Trust for a comfortable pilgrimage experience. They have a wide range of rooms, from air-conditioned ones, to non air-conditioned ones, and larger ones for big groups. These room options can be divided into several buildings and below, we would highlight their features along with the facilities of that particular building.

Shirdi Sai Baba Temple Complex Accommodation Buildings

Building	Number of Rooms	Types of Rooms	Available to Book Locally	Available to Book Online
Sai Ashram Phase I	1,536 Rooms	Small and Big Rooms	Yes	Yes
Sai Ashram Phase II	192 Rooms	Dormitory Halls	Yes	Yes
Dwarawati Bhakta Niwas	334 Rooms	Small and Big Rooms	Yes	Yes
New Bhakta Niwas	542 Rooms	Small Rooms and Halls	Yes	Yes
Sai Prasad Bhakta Niwas I & II	165 Rooms	VIP, Small and Big Rooms	Yes	No
Dharamshala Complex	36 Rooms & 12 Halls	Dormitories and Halls	Yes	No
Sai Udyan	36 Rooms & 12 Halls	Hall, Small and Big Rooms	Yes	No
Sai Niwas	24 Rooms	VIP Rooms	Yes	No

The table above showcases the different buildings in the Shirdi Sai Baba Temple Complex, along with the number and type of rooms they have. As you can see, there are 8 sections or buildings, further divided into different rooms. The Sai Ashram Phase I has the highest number of rooms at 1,536 followed by the New Bhakta Niwas which has 542 rooms. From the table above, you can also see whether these rooms can be booked online, locally or both.

Shirdi Sai Baba Temple Complex Rooms

1. Sai Ashram Phase I - This building is about one kilometre away from the Shirdi Sai Baba Temple Complex. The management runs shuttle buses though that ply between the building and the complex for the ease and convenience of devotees. A single small room has three beds so suitable for a family of three or four. For an Air-Conditioned Room, the charge is at Rs. 200 and for a Non Air-Conditioned Room, the charge is at Rs. 500. For extra persons, you have to pay an additional Rs. 50 each. The rooms here are very basic but spacious and the attached bathroom has hot water available 24 hours in a day. However, water shortage is common in the rooms here and along with that, you need to use a bucket to flush the toilet in some rooms. Cleanliness is average too although it's not that bad at all. A good side of this building is that the canteen serves food 24 hours a day for very minimal rates. For those with private vehicles, the parking space here is huge but a bit far from the reception hall itself.

• Distance from Shirdi Sai Baba Temple - 1 Kilometre

• Rates - Rs. 200 for Non AC Room and Rs. 500 for AC Room (Three Persons)

2. Sai Ashram Phase II - This building is also about one kilometre away from the Shirdi Sai Baba Temple Complex. This building mainly has dormitory halls, suitable for bachelors or solo devotees. Shuttle buses also run between the building's outside premises and the temple complex itself. A bed in a dormitory costs Rs. 100 per night and there's no comfort of air-conditioning. The dormitory halls are well-maintained though but the shared bathrooms can be a bit dirty especially during peak pilgrimage season. For families, it's better to choose another accommodation option than this one especially if you have small children or senior citizens with you.

• Distance from Shirdi Sai Baba Temple - 1 Kilometre

• Rates - Rs. 100 for a Single Bed in Dormitory Hall

3. Dwarawati Bhakta Niwas - This is probably one of the best buildings to choose as the facilities and services here are top notch. Located just about 600 metres away from the Shirdi Sai Baba Temple, the Dwarawati Bhakta Niwas has 334 rooms to choose from. They have small rooms and big rooms, either air-conditioned or non air-conditioned. The rooms here are very spacious and can accommodate up to three persons. The ground floor though has a Non AC General Room which can accommodate up to 10 persons for Rs. 50 each. The remaining four floors have an assortment of both AC and non-AC rooms. An AC Room costs Rs. 1,000 per night while a Non AC Room costs Rs. 500 per night. Extra persons (Maximum of 2) have to pay Rs. 50 each. Rooms here are very clean and well-maintained with 24 hours hot water in the bathroom through the use of solar heating. Each room has an attached balcony where you can view the lawn premises of the building. For dining though, you need to venture out for proper meals although there's a small canteen here serving some tea and milk to guests.

• Distance from Shirdi Sai Baba Temple - 1 Kilometre

• Rates - Non AC General Room for Rs. 50 per person, AC Small Room at Rs. 1,000 per night and Non AC Small Room at Rs. 500 per night

4. New Bhakta Niwas - The New Bhakta Niwas has 542 rooms that guests can rent out. It is about 1.5 kilometres away from the Shirdi Sai Baba Temple Complex proper. There are shuttle buses operated by the management that bring the devotees from the building to the temple. Or you can opt to ride an auto rickshaw which can take you to the temple premises for merely Rs. 10. Some of the cheapest rates for rooms can be found in this building. Their Small Non AC Room is at Rs. 125 per night and has three cots but can accommodate up to 4 persons. A Small AC Room is at Rs. 600 per night and has three cots but can accommodate up to 4 persons. If you are part of a big group, you can rent their General Hall which can accommodate up to 50 persons and costs Rs. 500 per night. Rooms are well-maintained too especially the AC ones. Bathrooms have hot water and have separate toilets. Some rooms even have LCD television. There's a 24-hour canteen serving milk, tea, coffee and biscuits to guests but for proper meals, you have to venture out of the building.

• Distance from Shirdi Sai Baba Temple - 1.5 Kilometres

• Rates - General Hall at Rs. 500 per night, Non AC General Room for Rs. 50 per person, Non AC Small Room at Rs. 125 per night and AC Small Room at Rs. 600 per night

5. Sai Prasad Bhakta Niwas I & II - Rooms in the Sai Prasad Bhakta Niwas I and II can only be booked locally. They have about 165 rooms available for rent for devotees. For the Sai Prasad Bhakta Niwas I, you can choose between three rooms, namely: VIP Room (Rs. 150/Night), Small Room (Rs. 100/Night) and Big Room (Rs. 200/Night). For the Sai Prasad Bhakta Niwas II, you can choose between three rooms, namely: VIP Room (Rs. 300/Night), Small Room (Rs. 225/Night) and Big Room (Rs. 400/Night). Rooms in both buildings are new so they are quite maintained. Bathrooms have hot water too although not available for 24 hours. The buildings are located about a kilometre away from the main temple complex, on its northern side.

• Distance from Shirdi Sai Baba Temple - 1 Kilometre

• Rates - VIP Room at Rs. 150 per night, Small Room at Rs. 100 per night and Big Room at Rs. 200 per night in Sai Prasad Bhakta Niwas I and VIP Room at Rs. 300 per night, Small Room at Rs. 225 per night and Big Room at Rs. 400 per night in Sai Prasad Bhakta Niwas II

6. Dharamshala Complex - The Dharamshala Complex is located on the southwest of the main temple complex, about 500 metres away. The building has both dormitories and halls to cater to large groups of devotees. Of course with such accommodation options, bathrooms and toilets are on a common basis so you need to share them with other devotees. Cleanliness of the rooms here is not that assured especially since peak darshan season. On the other hand, for such low rates, as low as Rs. 13 per person per night, you can stay in this complex. There's a canteen as well serving small snacks and beverages to staying guests. You can only book a bed for this complex personally so do keep that in mind,

• Distance from Shirdi Sai Baba Temple - 0.5 Kilometre

• Rate - Single Bed at Dormitory for Rs. 13 per night

7. Sai Udyan - Sai Udyan is merely 5 minutes away from the Shirdi Sai Baba Temple Complex. It has about 36 small and big rooms plus 12 halls for devotees. Rates are very minimal too but a downside is that you cannot book the rooms online, only in person. A Small Room here costs just Rs. 50 per night and has 2 cots but can accommodate up to 4 persons. It's a must to bring your own bedsheets here though as the cots don't come with them. Unlike the other buildings, the Sai Udyan is fairly small so it's more quiet although it's not spacious. For families who like serenity though, this is a good option as the noise is at the minimum.

• Distance from Shirdi Sai Baba Temple - 0.5 Kilometre

• Rates - Small Room at Rs. 50 per night, Big Room at Rs. 100 per night and Hall at Rs. 400 per night

8. Sai Niwas - Sai Niwas has VIP AC rooms for rent for devotees. It is about a kilometre away from the Shirdi Sai Baba Temple Complex but shuttle services are available. If you have the money to spend, Sai Niwas is a good option especially for married couples or families. Their VIP AC Room costs Rs. 800 per night and can accommodated up to 3 persons. For an extra adult, you need to pay Rs. 200 and for an extra child, you need to pay Rs. 100. The rooms here are probably the most luxurious, having their own LCD television and neat bathroom. There is hot water facility in the bathroom for 24 hours in a day too. Spacious, clean and comfortable, these three features best describe the Sai Niwas rooms.

• Distance from Shirdi Sai Baba Temple - 0.5 Kilometre

• Rates - VIP AC Room at Rs. 800 per night

Conclusion

These are your accommodation options provided by the Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan Trust. If you need to book a room online, then your best options are the first four mentioned, namely: Sai Ashram Phase I, Sai Ashram Phase II, Dwarawati Bhakta Niwas and New Bhakta Niwas. The last four options, Sai Prasad Bhakta Niwas I & II, Dharamshala Complex, Sai Udyan and Sai Niwas only have local bookings available. When it comes to the rooms, the Dwarawati Bhakta Niwas and Sai Niwas have the most expensive rooms. But if you're looking for comfort and convenience, they are your best options. Generally, the rooms in the different buildings are meant for basic accommodations. They are not luxurious or elegant but just simple rooms which will do for a short stay.

I hope this helps.

 

Adding to what briannagodess has informed, I visited Shirdi on 1-Dec and stayed at Dwarawati Bhakta Niwas. Rooms are very spacious and clean. Toilet was clean and hygienic.
It is basically a no frill hotel. The only downside is there is no restaurant here, hence you have to go out for food. Only tea/coffee available at the ground floor canteen. There are good restaurants available within 5 minutes of walk from the Dwarawati Bhakta Niwas. There is also a park in front of the hotel. Overall a thumbs up from my side for Dwarawati Bhakta Niwas.