Kolkata to Darjeeling in four days

We are visiting Kolkata in June for three weeks. We plan to visit Darjeeling for three/four days. We may be able to stay in Sterling resort in Ghoom but suggestions are welcome. Although we are seasoned travelers, this will be our first visit to Darjeeling. There are quite a few Darjeeling experts in this forum. I will appreciate suggestions regarding:

1. The quickest train route from Kolkata to Darjeeling.
2. Best places to stay other than Sterling Resort. I need at least two rooms, preferably a two-bedroom suite.
3. Best indian and western restaurants.
4. Places we must see in three days.

Thanks!

Subhasis

Qiuckest way to reach Darjeeling from Kolkata is take a train to NJP(New Jalpaiguri ) and then to Darjeeling by road(either from NJP itself or from Siliguri-6/7 km from NJP).
You can also go for the TOY train but that is time consuming-takes about 7 hours as compared to 3 hrs by road.But its great fun being in toy train if u can spare the time.
Try to reach NJP early in the morning(for trains log on to the Indian Railways site and have prior reservations)
Famous eateries include Glenary's(confectioners),Keven ter's...
Places to visit:Tiger Hill(sunrise),War memorial and Batasia loop.
Tea Gardens,Zoo and HMI
Rock Gardens and Gangamaya park(the road to these places
have a gradient of almost 40 degrees)
Ghoom monastary.
And finally the Chowrasta....
Other places are also there-your hotel manager will be able to suggest you better.

The fastest train to NJP will still be an all day or an overnight affair, take your pick. For the limited time you've got I'd recommend flying up to Bagdogra, which is close to NJP and then getting a car to drive you the rest of the way. Should be USD $25 or $30? Something like that. Worth every penny; again because you're on a timetable.

Almost covered by CH. Good info.

1. The quickest train route from Kolkata to Darjeeling.

Darjeeling Mail (Shealdah to NJP)

2. Best places to stay other than Sterling Resort. I need at least two rooms, preferably a two-bedroom suite.

Is there any special purpose for staying at Ghoom? If not, there are so many choice in Darjeeling itself and Ghoom is not far away. For staying options in Darjeeiling:
http://www.wbtourism.com/darjeeling/where_to_stay.htm
(My all time favorite is Darjeeling tourist Lodge.)

3. Best indian and western restaurants.
Those two, mentioned by CH are my favorite but ‘Park’ is also a good restaurant.

4. Places we must see in three days.
Allow me to add another one, which is not mentioned in most of the guidebooks. “Jagadish Chandra Bose Orchid Research Center” – situated on the way to Lal Kuthi and Peace Pagoda.
You can hire a local jeep for the local sight seeing (took 500 Rs last year). There are two standard packages – Seven points and five points.

- Somnath

1. Darjeeling Mail
2. Heart of Darjeeling is "The Mall" (aka Chowrasta); Try any hotel there. No recomendation in particular.
3. Sorry on this.
But, I do recomend "Keventers", at Cowrasta; a famous place.
4. I'LL RECOMEND ONLY THOSE, U MUST NOT MISS:
Sunrise at Tiger Hill;
Ava Art Gallery;
HMI.

The Park serves excellent Indian food, in a really convivial atmosphere. Highly recommended.


The New Elgin Hotel is good, and great value, even though it is 'top of the range'.

Thank you all for your suggestions. Due to the time constraints, we decided to take a flight from Kolkata to Bagdogra and from there take a car/taxi to Darjeeling. We will definitely try to do some of your suggestions including Tiger hill-sunrise, and orchids. I will let you know how it goes in a future post.

We do not have any preference for Ghoom, Somenath. Ghoom-Sterling is the only RCI (Resort Condominium International) affiliated Indian resort in Darjeeling. I am trying to reserve Sterling resort through our RCI membership. It looks like a very high demand resort in the RCI system. I may not get an exchange in such a short notice. Darjeeling tourist lodge or New Elgin, as you and Judi suggested, would be our alternatives. WB tourism site does not explain the room choices other than "single bedded" or "double bedded". I have to call them and hopefully get to talk to them. Price for DTL seems very reasonable. Hoping for the best.

Please feel free to PM me for any query about US travel particularly east coast if you ever need.

This website may help you:-

http://darjeelingnews.net/

ddutt I have misplaced ur phone number, could u please pm me the same? Thnx.

Jyotida

There is some problem in my PC the PM is not working. So do the smilies ,vB code & shoutbox. (have to write the HTML code to insert the smilies ) Once the problem is sorted I will pm you.

Dear Biswassb,
You can try Sunflower hotel in Mall
Room tarriff-1200-3000 + 10% service charge
Cheap but good-hotel alice villa-Rs.660-1200 +10% sc

all the hotels are in mall

Restuarant
HASTY TASTY-vegeterain
GLENNERY'S-continental,Chinese,Indian
SHAGRILA-Tibetan,Indian,Chinese

..on a good day, I remember when the train picked up speed after coming down to the flatland.. and we were overtaken by an gentleman in lungi on a bicycle.

But good fun .

Thanks. I am happy to let you know that I got a confirmed one week reservation at Sterling Ghoom resort for one BR condominium through the dilligence of RCI staff in Indianapolis. It will cost me about $200 for the whole week because of the exchange. Some of the other resorts like Windaymere and Mayfair etc. are charging about that much for a room per night. I will post my review of Sterling-Ghoom in July hopefully.

Hello Biswassb,

Please do let us know how your trip went. Im presuming your trip to Kolkata and Darjeeling is now over.


Mod Note
Please check the date of the thread before making a post!