Dorm vs Shared vs Private Room: Which Should You Book at Our Rishikesh Yoga School?

"Dorm, shared or private: what is the difference?" is one of the first things people ask us on WhatsApp. It is our third most common question. That makes sense. You will sleep in this room for anything from a weekend to seven weeks.

This guide shows our real rooms in our own photos. It lists the price of each room for every course. And it tells you honestly who each room suits, so you can choose once and stop worrying about it.

Written by Mayuri Shewale, E-RYT 500 (Yoga Alliance) and founder of Swaastik Yog School in Rishikesh. I lead every 200-, 300- and 500-hour batch on our campus in Tapovan, and I see how students settle into each room type. Every price below comes from our current published price list.

What is the same in every room?

Your room type changes where you sleep. It does not change your training. Every student takes the same classes with the same teachers and gets the same certificate.

On our teacher trainings, every room price includes:

• Your full course and certificate
• Your room on campus
• 2 sattvic vegetarian meals a day (brunch and dinner)
• Evening chai, herbal tea and RO drinking water
• Mats and props
• Printed course materials that you keep
• Wi-Fi
• Weekend excursions
• All taxes

Not included in any room: airport transfer, laundry and personal expenses. Retreats are a little different. They include 3 meals a day and come with a shared room as standard. Aerial and sound healing courses also include your stay and sattvic meals; ask us for the exact list for your course.

Dorm vs shared vs private: side by side

	Dorm	Shared room	Private room
People in the room	4	2	Just you
Gender	Single-gender	Single-gender (never mixed)	Only you
Washroom	Shared by the 4 people in the dorm	Attached, shared by 2	Attached western bathroom with hot water, yours alone
Cooling	Fans	Fans as standard (ask us about A/C)	A/C
Beds	Bunk and single beds	Two single beds	One large bed
Wi-Fi	Included	Included	Included, strongest signal
200-hour price	$440	$880	$1,100
Best for	Tight budgets, social people, deep sleepers	Friends of the same gender, people who want calm without the full cost	Light sleepers, couples, people who need quiet to rest or study

Men and women stay in the same building, but rooms are always separate. You will never be put in a mixed dorm or a mixed shared room.

What is the dorm like?

Our dorm is a bamboo cottage on the campus. It sleeps 4 people in a mix of single beds and bunk beds, with fans for cooling. The 4 people in the dorm share a washroom.

The dorm is the cheapest way to do your training. On the 200-hour course it costs exactly half the price of a shared room, with the same course, meals and certificate.

The dorm suits:

• Students on a tight budget, including many young travellers
• People who like company and want to make friends fast
• Solo travellers who feel safer sharing a room with other women (or other men)
• People who sleep well with a little noise

Who should skip it: very light sleepers, loud snorers, and anyone who needs a lot of time alone to recharge after a long day.

What is the shared room like?

A shared room is a twin room for 2 people of the same gender. It has two single beds and an attached washroom. The room in the photo also has bedside tables, a wardrobe and a mirror. You share the room and the washroom with just one other student.

If you travel with a friend of the same gender, you can book a shared room together. If you come alone, we pair you with another student of the same gender.

The shared room suits:

• Two friends of the same gender who travel together
• Solo students who want a quieter room than the dorm, but still like having someone to talk to
• People who want an attached washroom without paying for a private room

A note on cooling: private rooms have A/C. Dorms have fans, and shared rooms have fans as standard. If A/C really matters to you, tell us before you book and we will give you a straight answer for your dates.

What is the private room like?

A private room is yours alone. It has a large bed, A/C, an attached western bathroom with hot water, and the strongest Wi-Fi on campus. Some private rooms also have a wall TV.

The private room suits:

• Light sleepers and anyone who needs real silence
• People who know they rest better alone
• Students who want to study, journal or video-call home in peace
• People who feel the heat and want A/C
• Couples (see the FAQ below)

How much more does each room cost, course by course?

These are our current list prices in US dollars. Each price covers the course, your room and your meals.

Course	Length	Dorm	Shared	Private	Private vs dorm
100-Hour TTC	14 days	$275	$660	$880	+$605
200-Hour TTC	22 days	$440	$880	$1,100	+$660
300-Hour TTC	22 days	$660	$990	$1,485	+$825
500-Hour TTC	51 days	$880	$1,650	$2,200	+$1,320
Aerial Yoga TTC (50-hour)	7 days	$195	$385	$550	+$355
Sound Healing Level 1	2 days	$220	$295	$355	+$135
Sound Healing Level 2	2 days	$260	$355	$390	+$130
Sound Healing Level 3	6 days	$355	$445	$470	+$115

Retreats work differently. The 3-day, 5-day and 7-day retreats cost $100, $200 and $250 with a shared room and 3 meals a day. A private-room upgrade is available. Ask us for the price.

Want to see how these prices compare with other schools in town? Our Rishikesh yoga teacher training price index for 2026 breaks it down.

Is the private room worth the extra money?

It depends on how you sleep. Teacher training days start early. On the 200-hour yoga teacher training, Day 1 begins at 6:00 AM, and the timetable is full. Good sleep is what keeps your body and mind fresh for three weeks.

Here is a simple way to decide:

• If you sleep anywhere and want to save, take the dorm. You keep $660 on the 200-hour course.
• If you want calm and an attached washroom but still want to save, take a shared room.
• If you have ever lain awake because a roommate was moving around, take the private room. On the 22-day 200-hour course it costs $30 a day more than the dorm.

To see what a full training day looks like hour by hour, read a day in the life of a 200-hour yoga teacher training.

Are the dorms women-only? Is it safe for solo women?

Our dorms and shared rooms are gender-separate. Women share rooms only with women, and men share only with men. Men and women live in the same building, but never in the same room.

A few more facts that matter to women travelling alone:

• The school is founded and headed by a woman, and I am on campus throughout the course.
• Female staff are on campus at all times.
• The school has a written code of conduct covering teacher–student boundaries. You can ask for it before you book.
• The shala, dining area and rooms are all on one campus in Tapovan, so you do not travel to class each day.

Read more on our women-led yoga school page and in our guide is Rishikesh safe for solo female travellers?

How do I deal with noise and privacy in a dorm or shared room?

Sharing is easy when everyone follows a few simple habits. These tips work well in any shared room:

Problem	Simple fix
Early alarms	Use a vibrating watch, or keep your phone on vibrate under your pillow.
Snoring or late talkers	Bring good foam earplugs. Pack a spare pair.
Light from phones	Bring an eye mask. Agree on a "lights off" time on the first night.
Washroom queue in the morning	Agree on a shower order. Some people shower at night instead.
Changing clothes	Change in the washroom, or bring a sarong to use as a screen.
Valuables	Bring a small padlock and keep your passport and cards locked in your bag.
Needing alone time	Use the garden, the bamboo common hall or the balcony between classes.

What should I pack for each room type?

Most packing is the same for everyone. Our full yoga teacher training packing list for India covers clothes and yoga gear. For your room, add these:

Item	Dorm	Shared	Private
Earplugs and eye mask	Must	Recommended	Optional
Small padlock	Must	Recommended	Optional
Quick-dry towel and flip-flops for the washroom	Must	Recommended	Optional
Toiletry bag you can carry to the washroom	Must	Recommended	Optional
Multi-plug or power bank	Recommended	Recommended	Optional
Small torch or headlamp (red light)	Recommended	Optional	Optional

Laundry is not included in any room price, so pack quick-dry clothes you can wash by hand.

Can I see the real rooms before I book?

Yes. The photos on this page are of our own rooms on our Tapovan campus. They are not stock photos and not AI images. Message us on WhatsApp and we will send you the room photos for the room type you are thinking about.

If something matters a lot to you, such as A/C, a lower bunk or a ground-floor room, tell us when you book. We will tell you honestly whether we can do it for your dates.

How do I book my room?

Booking works the same way for every room type:

1. Choose your course and your batch dates.
2. Choose dorm, shared or private.
3. Pay a 10% deposit to hold your seat, by card link, PayPal or bank transfer. At list price on the 200-hour course that is $40 for a dorm, $85 for a shared room and $110 for a private room.
4. Pay the rest when you arrive at the school.

Teacher training batches are capped at 12 students, so book early if you have your heart set on one room type. You can move in the day before your course starts. Start on the registration page, or compare every course and date on our courses page.

Frequently asked questions

Is the course different if I stay in a dorm?

No. Dorm, shared and private students take the same classes with the same teachers, eat the same meals and get the same certificate. Only your room is different.

How many people sleep in the dorm?

Four. The dorm is single-gender, and the 4 people in it share a washroom.

Are rooms ever mixed-gender?

No. Dorms and shared rooms are always single-gender. Men and women stay in the same building, but always in separate rooms.

Which rooms have air conditioning?

Private rooms have A/C. Dorms have fans, and shared rooms have fans as standard. If A/C matters to you, ask us before you book and we will confirm what we can offer for your dates.

Can couples stay together?

Yes, in a private room. Dorms and shared rooms are single-gender, so a couple who wants to share a room should book a private room. If you are both taking the course, message us and we will confirm the price for two.

Can my partner stay with me if they are not doing the course?

Yes. Book a private room, and we add $200 for your partner's stay and meals for the length of the course.

I am coming alone. Who will I share with?

We place you with other students of the same gender. Our batches are international, and a majority of our students are women.

Are meals and Wi-Fi included in every room?

Yes. On our teacher trainings, every room includes 2 sattvic meals a day, evening chai, herbal tea, RO water and Wi-Fi. Retreats include 3 meals a day.

Still deciding? Read about life around the school in our Tapovan neighbourhood guide and what to expect at yoga teacher training in Rishikesh. If you only want somewhere to stay without a course, our guide to ashram stays in Rishikesh may suit you better. Ready to train? See the full details of our 200-hour course in Rishikesh.