Staying in Howrah

TulsaisntFar

I'll be staying in the Howrah Hotel in Calcutta this June. Is this hotel to far from the center of town. How much and how long will a rickshaw take? Does anyone have any comments about the hotel. It was recomended in the hotel listings here.


It's right next to the railway station and i dont even think ill be taking the train......

Floodlights

I actually registered on Indiamike for the sole purpose of letting people know that the Howrah hotel is not all that other postings make it out to be. I am sure that there are many people who are happy with it, but as one of two women traveling to Kolkata, I wasn't very comfortable with it and decided to switch to another place.

The hotel is located right near the railway station, which is known as the poorest part of town. The hotel staff was nice, but the locks on the doors are a little hook latch and a curtain. It sort of had the feel of a brothel and the view from the window was onto squatters burning trash.

I'm sure that some backpackers would be happy enough here, but I didn't feel very safe, and I didn't think that the room was very clean (mostly bc of stained sheets).

I don't want to be unfair about the place, I'm sure it's fine for this price range, but I would recommend spending a bit more if you're concerned about safety. Kolkata is very poor and the most overwhelming city I'd seen in India (as compared to Mumbai and Delhi). It was nice (once I had switched hotels) to have a place away from the hustle and bustle (and shocking poverty) of the Howrah train station.

For those who wonder, I've traveled quite a bit and am used to simple settings. My main problem here had to do with the neighborhood and lack of locks, etc.

TulsaisntFar

Thank you for your reply

I like your post. The reason i choose this hotel is because i wanted to be far from the backpackers scene and into more of the 'gritty' kolkata. But your post definitely may have changed my mind. Do you have a preference of an area of the city you would stay on a future visit.

Floodlights

Well, the Howrah is certainly in the "gritty" area. And I didn't see many backpackers. You might be very comfortable there. It certainly wasn't a horrible hotel at all. I just believe that the current Indiamike description of it as an "8" is a stretch. If you're looking to save money and are comfortable with this sort of place then you should definitely consider the Howrah. I just thought it was a little unsafe for two girls--especially in a city where political strikes, which got a bit violent when I was there, effectively shut you into a hotel on occasion.

Feel free to ask more questions.

TulsaisntFar

Is staying here too far to be around downtown or sudder street and then come back to the hotel?

artwallah

I am due to stay there next week and am somewhat alarmed to read this thread. I am a single male, traveling with a married couple and this is my 5th trip to Indian, second time to Kolkata. Last time (winter 2001) I arrived by train, spent some time wandering around the station area, down by the river, and walked over the bridge to the other side; never felt unsafe. But perhaps things have changed? I don't think we'll be spending a lot of time around the hotel, we are only there for two nights, so have to see the sights in just one day. Anyway, I'll let you all know how it seems to me when I get back in March.
As I recall, a taxi over to Sudder St from there is not expensive, and there is a ferry across the river too.

TulsaisntFar

Thank you for your post, please post back after your trip, or during it! thanks

aivlysweetie

take a prepaid taxi over to the sudder area. the salvation army is a decent place to stay. they are very nice and helpful as they get a lot of backpackers coming through. ah i see this is an old thread. oh well.

Jorge Reverter

I have been in Howrah Hotel last end of November 2006 three or four nights. In another thread I have talked about my opinions of the hotel at this moment. Please use the local search here in Indiamike. The hotel was on repairs and everything was upside down, dusty etc. The single room with attached bathroom they gave me was unacceptable so, I've taken the best and biggest room in the hotel for 360 rupees, this one was Ok.

The area around the hotel is terribly dirty and smell like hell but finally I've got a lot of friends.

Obviously Howrah Station is close to the hotel but even to go from the hotel to the Railway Station at night was complicated because the dirty water, car, buses etc., Howrah Bridge is also very near and you can easily visit Flower's Market (really impressive). I've gone by walking to Choringhee area and Sudder Street visiting on my way the Victorian Buildings, is a nice walk, long but not too hard. I a Taxi it will take 20 minutes because the busy traffic.

Most probably I won't stay again in the hotel because the ambiance is around Sudder Street and New Market but if they have already finished the repairs is another option.


Jorge

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chapati

interesting to see that there are people that like to stay in Howrah. Its indeed an interesting area. the poverty around there is indeed quite bad. I am not sure but I thought the slum of the book "city of Joy" by Lapierre is in that area. Its dirty and chaos but it keeps fascinating me because there is so much to see. Its hard to just sit somewhere in Howrah without being asked for a taxi or some rupee. Ignoring beggars in Howrah is hard since they are very persistant.

superbimperial

I have been staying at the Howrah Hotel for the last week and found it to be ok. Sure it is in a fairly dirty part of the city and it is fairly rough around the hotel but I found there was less hassle from beggers then around Sudder St, perhaps it is because there are less tourist for then to beg from, only had two(in the whole week)come up to me as I walked through the bus stop. The ferry to Chanderpal Ghat is just R4 and gets you to near Eden gardens which is about 15min walk R30 taxi to Sudder st. The walk over the bridge is an interesting introduction to the city and leads through some interesting areas to the north of central Kolkata. Found a restaurant with really good food just around the corner from the hotel too.
They also arranged pickup from the airport which was helpful and lent me R20 to get the ferry across to the bank so I could change some money.
They are still doing some work on the place too, these things seem to take time in India.
Russ

fsg

I have just spent 4 days staying in The Broadwey Hotel opposite Chadni Chowk metro, takes you everywhere. Its a bit old fashioned with bucket water not a problem for me.

I felt entirely safe there the room was swept and the attatched cleaned every day.

room service v good too.

I have stayed in Sudder st area and certainly would avoid it

Room cost 560/-

The chadni chow area is 'real' Calcutta.

They reply promptly to emails and are keeping our excess baggage.

I have travelled many many times in India and this is the best run cheapish establishment I have come across.

No I am not employed by the hotel

ycl1688

fsg,

i think you are right with broadway hotel. good suggestion.

it is centrally located you can walk down motisil street, to
new market.

or walk to central ave to bentick street to chowringhee.

anyways as my frequent stays with my relative i stayed in that
area.

TulsaisntFar

thanks for the replies everyone

artwallah

Broadway Hotel was my first choice, but it was full, so Howrah was booked. Three of us were there for two nights Feb 9 and 10 and found it more than acceptable. It is a cheap Indian hotel, so you need to fight for towels, there is no hot water, rooms are spartan and people are sleeping in the halls and brushing their teeth there. But that is common. I found it very very clean, surprisingly quiet at night, and with a very friendly and helpful staff. They picked us up at the airport and drove us back (for a fee, of course). the building itself is fascinating, built in 1889 and with vestiges of art Nouveau tiles and hints of former glory. Yes, the area is grotty; a bus station on one side, a vegetable market on the other. But fascinating; we spent a lot of time in the morning walking in the market and watching them set up. The people were friendly as could be. Down by the river, 5 minutes walk, there are a lot of food stands and we got chapattis with fried eggs and chai before crossing the river on the ferry. I liked the place a lot, as did my friends, one of whom had only been in India for 2 days at that point.
The biggest disadvantage, I feel, is the lack of restaurants in the area, but we didn't really have time to explore thoroughly. Other problem is the distance from the main tourist stuff over on Chowringhee and across the river. But beggars were not so bad there and I'd stay there again, especially if I were going out on a train from Howrah station.