Cheap(budget) accomodation in Paharganj area

Manicek

Hello,
I am planning to do my first trip to India at pariod 21.03 - 11 .04 2003 and would like to start my stay in Delhi. I found some option of cheap accomodation in Delhi (Paharganj) in Lonely Planet guide chapter "Place to stay - budget" therefore please I would very appreciate if anybody could help me and recommend some of hotel(hostel) mentioned at list below. I have not any specific requirements for luxury, I need only reasonably clean non AC room with shower(cold water), western style of toilet(flush), patent lock in doors(no padlock), without bugs, for example comparable with similar accomodation in Bangkok on Khaosan Road.(In 2001 I slept in same type of rooml/Khaosan Palace hotel/ for 8,- USD per night)

There I atach list of considered hotels so please if possible give me recommendation which from them are good.

Hotel Payal
Hotel Bajrang
Hotel Shivlok Palace
Hotel Sweet Dreams
Hotel Namaskar
Smyle Inn
Camran Lodge
Hotel Navrang
Hotel Rak International
Vivek Hotel
Hare Rama Guest House
Ajay Guest House
Hare Krishna Guest House
Anoop Hotel
Major´s Den
Hotel Satyam
Hotel Victoria Deluxe
Hotel Star View and Hotel Star Paradise.....perhaps already mentioned in your forum

Thanks for your help

Manicek

OK, thanks Mpop for your info.

timmy

There's a whole bunch of very good hotels in Arakashan Road (short walk from Main Bazar) for about Rs500. You get hot water and cable TV and room service at that price.

Hotel Ajanta is OK (although the housekeeping guys actually stand there and *ask* for a tip)... or next door, Hotel Yuvraj is, I think, a bit better.

__________________
Read my India Travel Blog from late 2004, or look at my Photo Gallery from my last two trips.

Rob_The_Pom

I generally stay at Smyle Inn, it costs about 150rps per night. It's clean, you get cable TV and hot water. The staff are also extremely helpful.

__________________
The solution to your troubles is at the bottom of a glass

indiamike

Usually I stay at the Rak International. It's around 250 for a single with cable tv, soft beds, and hot shower. Plus it's tucked away down a side street so it's pretty quiet.

You may also run into other members of this site like I did.

Switching topic a bit Vivek Hotel's rooftop returant, Sam's Cafe should be your choice of breakfast in the area. Real ham with your eggs and they also have steak if you want for dinner. Well buffalo steak that it.

Make a note of that above and you will thank me later.


Mike
ps....sorry to switch topics a bit but just a little hungry

Alan D

Just an update on Mike's post above.

The RAK were planning to add some air-con rooms when we were last there in March 2003.

These should be ready by now so anyone looking for a place in the hot season should be fine there - according to the manager the price was going to be about 600R's double plus the same facilities as exist in the other rooms. The RAK also has its own generator which is quickly switched on during power cuts.

indiamike

The rooms are still in progress and they will be adding a cybercafe soon. Unfortunately the good cook they had left awhile ago and the food is so-so.

Arun

These places sure are getting a bad rap - see today's Times of India - "Paharganj - A Den of Vice?" http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/a...how/575987.cms

__________________
Jai Hind.

AllanM

Paharganj must have changed in the past few months! Yeah, there were always Dutchy looking characters milling about in the evening, but come on they make it sound like a scene straight out of Taxi Driver! Why not do an expose on the red light disctrict that's a few km away? Maybe because it caters to the Indian market? Hmmm...

indiamike

To the average visitor you really won't notice all of these vices unless you go looking for them. The gambling one is a surprise to me.

Like every place it has it's good and bad.

The article mentions finding syringes in the deceased persons room. I cannot stress this enough, if your going to do hard drugs (and you shouldn't because you can wind up in prison) do not buy them in Paharganj. They will be so cut up and mixed with other ingredients that it's a recipe for disaster.

AllanM is talking about the red light district of GB road right up the street which most tourists don't know exists and is mainly for low budget prostitution. If you want a walking tour at night and close to Paharganj it makes for a interesting evening. More so to watch it unfold from the opposite side of the street. We don't mention it often here since it's not something to encourage.

How many young girls wish they can be prostitutes when they grow up? None.


Mike

Alan D

There's no denying it - hard drugs are on offer in Paharganj and probably because of my appearance, I get a lot of approaches from dealers.

The thing that does surprise me though, is that this is often very open, like guys calling across the street in earshot of about 50 people - makes one wonder!

A few years ago we saw the body of a young English backpacker being carried out of a Paharganj hotel. It had been his first night in India and he had overdosed in his hotel room. Very sad.

I was a bit more puzzled about the reports of prostitution in Paharganj as I've never seen any obvious sign of it in the Main Bazaar hotel area where most foreign travellers stay.

As for alcohol, only a few hotels actually sell it in the Paharganj area and as far as I know there is only one licensed vend in the area.

The fact is that the police in the news report were talking about a few hotels out of the hundreds in Paharganj, quite a low percentage for a hotel area anywhere I would think.

Perhaps the Times of India could do a report on prostitution and five star hotels next time?

volga_volga

Alan, I'm intrigued - what is it in your appearance to attract drug dealers? I have always been puzzled why I am never approached by drug dealers - never in my lfie incl in India. How do you need to look like?

In my experience the top notch hotels don't get that prostitution problem, at least it is NOT visible to guests (I stayed several weeks, for work, I got to know places) although I am a female guest my male collegues did not complain (or, rather complained abt lack of entertainment in India )

Alan D

volga_volga

A bit wasted, I suppose!

I think its the long grey hair and beard. I think the dealers think "Ah! Old hippy". They're totally wrong of course because if I had been taking what they're dealing I wouldn't be walking the streets of Paharganj at my age. Still, I get a kick out of smiling at these guys and politely saying no thanks.

And now for a confession - I've never been a hippy! My appearance has more to do with running a music store for 20 years.

Why aren't you being offered drug deals? I don't know - do you want to be offered drug deals or have the dealers got it right in your case?

Prostitution and five star hotels - well it happens all over the world but more hidden than budget prostitution. I'm sure the Times of India could knock something up quite easily. If you read the piece about Paharganj (apart from the drug scene) it's all a bit flimsy. I've never seen prostitutes or drunks in Main Bazaar. And like any cheap hotel area anywhere in the world you get what you pay for and sometimes you don't get what you pay for!

I don't know- we've just got to like the place after many transitory stays - I wouldn't want to live there for months. We know where everything is! We know people, even the touts, and they know us and generally leave us alone. Our son Chris couldn't handle the place though - everytime he went out on his own he got dealers, touts, beggars, scamsters - the lot!

volga_volga

I have just got an "undercover reporter" idea to dig up a story abt five star hotels and prostitution so far all hotel staff thought I was an air hostess i guess I would then qualify for the job

hold on, may be THAT was what all these "air hostesses" doing there? (and i mean no offence to real ones, just a bad joke)



Edit: I am NOT into it btw just feel stupid, its 1 april today

__________________
Tibetan Orphanage School in China
My other favourite place is Pakistan Travel Forum

indiawise

trvl in you have said it the way it is....

'...If there is not palpable excitement at the prospect of having you as a customer, then something is wrong, somewhere in the system.' I agree with you and usually I am sensitive to the vibrations of a place.
I run a hotel and know that whether its big or small certain 'qualities' are basic and what one should look for...