First time here...first time going to India

Hello everyone. This is my first time on this site and I am planning to go to India in mid-October for up to 10 months. I would initially like to stay at Hotel Ajantha - Bangalore for a week or 3. Anyone have a web addy or an e-mail addy for Ajantha please, tried telephoning but the connection was bad, I would like to make reservation before I get there.
Another question. What would it cost to rent a 1 bedroomed flat/apartment in Bangalore, preferably near the M G road area. I am renting my house in London and will have approx. £320/$580/Rs25600 per month to live on. Any help would be appreciated.
Regards to all..........Terry

hi Terry, welcome to Indiamike! hang on here, someone from B'lore will jump in soon.

Hi,

For on line booking you can try this website:-

http://www.mumbaibombayhotels.com/ho...tha-hotel.html

Welcome to IM
No bangalore 'experts' are at sight Just read all the 'joke of the day' thread and some one will be back here by the time

Rs25600 plenty for a month (a nice 2B/H/K flat is available for any thing from 4 to 8 thousand rs)

I got Ajantha at BLR from the yellowpages directory.

Hotel Ajantha,
Contact: MR G ASWATH RAO
22A, M G Rd-560001. Phone: 080-25584321
bagilthaya@vsnl.com

Is this the one???

Hotel Ajantha in Bangalore is one place where you do have to reserve in advance, so you are wise to start working on it now. If you can't get through to them on e-mail, you could write them a letter about it, and ask them to write or e-mail back. Do not enclose money, however...

I wanted to stay there, but didn't call for a reservation until a day or two before I got on the train, and they were totally booked for the next 10 days; it was the end of November or early December.

I used to rent a double-bedroom flat in a pretty nice area of Bangalore (Indiranagar) for Rs. 9000 (this was about one and a half years back). I paid Rs. 90,000 as advance (refundable).

Single-bedroom apartments rents ranged from Rs. 3000 to Rs. 7000 depending on locality and facilities.

You may need to factor in rent inflation to get the current prices.

Forgot to mention that the above rents are for unfurnished apartment. Furnished apartments may be a little bit difficult to find (or maybe not; I wasn't looking for one). Add 50% to rent.

Since the question of advance reservation has come up I am curious what people's experience with such advance rates over the internet vs. the traditional arrive and bargain rates are. I am usually the worst at bargaining and I know occupancy has been high in Delhi and Bangalore lately..

Terry, you won't find people willing to rent you an apartment for a month. What you will find is some sort of accomodation with it's own entrance sometimes with a kitchenette and usually within a 2-5 km radius off MG road. Rs.5000-8000 is what you ought to budget for this monthly. Do a google for "househunters, frazer town" and contact them they will come up with something.

Thanks to all of you for your help and advice.

This really is a great site....thank you