Sudder St - What's your verdict?

Thoughtcrimes · Oct 31st, 2007, 22:24

Sudder Street: A charming, inexpensive place to lodge/visit/hang out or a seedy tourist trap attracting some of the city's worst elements (drugs, criminals & con-artists)? As a visitor, is it worth staying in one of the hotels there or best avoided altogether?? I ask because I've heard some wildly different opinions and wanted to understand that neighborhood better...

machadinha · Oct 31st, 2007, 22:32

Handy for cheap and central accommodation (not very cheap in Kolkata anyway, but that's life). The tourist restaurants are handy so you can go someplace else.

Didn't much like it, but it suffices for what it is. There's a few more upscale establishments as well btw, some of them renowned I believe, doesn't have to be a budgeter's ghetto. Beggars know it and will be persistent here; take a few steps and you'll find yourself in Kolkata though.

(ps Thinking some more: I know even seasoned Asian traveler friends of mine find Kolkata always hard as a point of entry. Poverty there, and especially in this area, is very much in-your-face, with people living -- and dying -- on the streets and so on.

Again, just take some time to acclimatize and walk around a little to discover the many faces of what is renowned to be a vibrant, intellectual, artistic, food-loving and proud city, which arguably faces some of the worst demographic problems on the planet, and has done so for a long time.)

wonderwomanusa · Nov 1st, 2007, 13:33

I've stayed on Sudder Street on every visit to Kolkata for over 30 years; it was gentler in the old days but otherwise much the same.

At this point, I always stay on Sudder Street because I know where everything is from that point; I've got enough to do instead of learning my way around from another neighborhood.

Thoughtcrimes · Nov 2nd, 2007, 00:45

Yup. For the past year or two I've been fascinated with the city and am finally going there next month, but my initial impression of Sudder St. from reading about it was "stay away." However, now several trusted sources have told me that the Astoria Hotel is actually one of the better budget hotels in Kolkata but at this point too little too late - it's booked solid for the month of December

The Broadway Hotel is also booked btw, even though that's another part of the city. Don't know of other good alternatives yet...

atala · Nov 2nd, 2007, 20:48

Sudder Street is not bad nowadays. It is getting a bit more intense in front of New Market. all you have to handle are women-with-baby beggars. I like the food stands in front of New Market (which is just down a block from Sudder Street), but do find it hard to enjoy my Dosai and Rava Idlis while being hassled by beggars. But it is a way to learn to go thru the experience of Aversion and Liking at the same time. India is a lot of that. So Kolkata is very Indian, but in a very friendly and sweet way. Bengalis are very sweet people.

You are going to like them. And all the others too, the Biharis that came to make a living there and crowd the alleys, and all the others.

Compared to other metros, Kolkata is relatively less expensive, except for the shortage of medium range Budget hotels.

Oct 31st, 2007, 22:24	#1
Thoughtcrimes Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Boston, MA. Posts: 55	Sudder St - What's your verdict? Sudder Street: A charming, inexpensive place to lodge/visit/hang out or a seedy tourist trap attracting some of the city's worst elements (drugs, criminals & con-artists)? As a visitor, is it worth staying in one of the hotels there or best avoided altogether?? I ask because I've heard some wildly different opinions and wanted to understand that neighborhood better... __________________ "I hate know-it-alls. Nobody even knows ten percent of it all." - Thomas Sowell

Oct 31st, 2007, 22:32	#2
machadinha Not Your Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 10,019	Handy for cheap and central accommodation (not very cheap in Kolkata anyway, but that's life). The tourist restaurants are handy so you can go someplace else. Didn't much like it, but it suffices for what it is. There's a few more upscale establishments as well btw, some of them renowned I believe, doesn't have to be a budgeter's ghetto. Beggars know it and will be persistent here; take a few steps and you'll find yourself in Kolkata though. (ps Thinking some more: I know even seasoned Asian traveler friends of mine find Kolkata always hard as a point of entry. Poverty there, and especially in this area, is very much in-your-face, with people living -- and dying -- on the streets and so on. Again, just take some time to acclimatize and walk around a little to discover the many faces of what is renowned to be a vibrant, intellectual, artistic, food-loving and proud city, which arguably faces some of the worst demographic problems on the planet, and has done so for a long time.) __________________ Reading tips, all picked up at IndiaMike : INDAX's A Comprehensive Guide To India / Dinoj Surendran's Desi Humor / ITHVC on Culture Shock & Travel Health / JetLag Travel Guides For the Undiscerning Traveller / India Travel Links

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Nov 1st, 2007, 13:33	#3
wonderwomanusa Maha Guru Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 3,203	I've stayed on Sudder Street on every visit to Kolkata for over 30 years; it was gentler in the old days but otherwise much the same. At this point, I always stay on Sudder Street because I know where everything is from that point; I've got enough to do instead of learning my way around from another neighborhood.

Nov 2nd, 2007, 00:45	#4
Thoughtcrimes Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Boston, MA. Posts: 55	Yup. For the past year or two I've been fascinated with the city and am finally going there next month, but my initial impression of Sudder St. from reading about it was "stay away." However, now several trusted sources have told me that the Astoria Hotel is actually one of the better budget hotels in Kolkata but at this point too little too late - it's booked solid for the month of December The Broadway Hotel is also booked btw, even though that's another part of the city. Don't know of other good alternatives yet...

Nov 2nd, 2007, 20:48	#5
atala Senior Member, 8 yrs in India Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Switzerland, just back from India 2008 Posts: 691	Sudder Street is not bad nowadays. It is getting a bit more intense in front of New Market. all you have to handle are women-with-baby beggars. I like the food stands in front of New Market (which is just down a block from Sudder Street), but do find it hard to enjoy my Dosai and Rava Idlis while being hassled by beggars. But it is a way to learn to go thru the experience of Aversion and Liking at the same time. India is a lot of that. So Kolkata is very Indian, but in a very friendly and sweet way. Bengalis are very sweet people. You are going to like them. And all the others too, the Biharis that came to make a living there and crowd the alleys, and all the others. Compared to other metros, Kolkata is relatively less expensive, except for the shortage of medium range Budget hotels.

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