Kolkata / Puri trip – Puri portion

As for Puri, I took 12 hour sleeper train down to there from Kolkata and stayed at Z Hotel for almost 3 weeks. There have been other IM’ers referring to Z Hotel so I won’t go into too much detail here. It is wonderful ‘sanctuary’ from rest of India, if that is what you are looking for. There are lots of community spaces (garden, TV room, rooftop) within hotel grounds, staff is wonderful and fellow guests (mostly foreigners) are mostly engaging. If you happen to meet the owner, who stops by on occasion at the hotel, say “Hi from Paris” for me (is another story) – he is interesting guy who likes to discuss the world at large (politics, environment, Puri itself, etc.) and is into Grateful Dead music.

Puri itself has lots of good fish and seafood, decent beaches once you get around the fishing village ‘dumping’ grounds (or take moped or bus out of city and get to cleaner area), and a handful of Internet access places (I like Halla Gulla – they also sell CDs there and have a sweet pet dog that sleeps underneath the computer cabinets).

I met up with IM’er ‘Rangers’ via another friend and we talked about some environmental issues particular to Puri and Orissa. One issue is about trying to get the fishing villagers to stop crapping on the beaches. The Indian gov’t is supposed to have offered to build faciilties for them and would only charge 1RS per use, but even at that rate is too much for large families to afford, so meanwhile tourists not happy and hotel owners not happy. I also heard that fishing villagers are from another state altogether and somehow are voting twice, once in each state. Their voting bloc may be why the beach-as-a-toilet situation is at a standstill.

The second concern is that of the Olive ridley turtles who come to lay eggs in specific regions of Orissa. Their nesting grounds are being threatened by some plans to build a new harbor, as well as other issues. I’m no expert on either of these – so if interested you can read articles in various Indian papers and/or ask Rangers’ or other folk here at IM.

I found Puri to be a most relaxing place and I tried to do as little as possible so you will need to read up elsewhere to get more ‘active’ account on what to do there.

(I posted pic of Z Hotel garden and Puri beach in Kolkata forum as I started trip there)

Hi Man
How are u?and where are u at present?
Dave is still here at Puri,we met on the film festival.The festival was all fine.
Now we have one member from Taiwan thru HC.org
and Dave is showing her around puri and chilka lake.
If u have any good pictures from puri..will u mind sharing?
smiles
sanjay

Hi there Rangers! I am back in US and very sorry to have missed Puri film festival. I had to take train out the first night of it and get back to Kolkata. Also sorry never got to Rangers itself and the full moon walk. Hope you guys got good audience, appreciation and more press for film fest.

I put a few pictures of Puri under the Kolkata writeup area since was combined trip for me, but if no objection from higher powers will post those and a couple others here as well.

Nice to hear from u.thx for the pictures.

Dear all,

whats the tariff of Z hotel? we are planning to visit in march, will it be very hot? Plz give some idea about budget accomodation in puri

Z hotel is towards the CT road .It is frequented mostly by foreigners .You also can get decent accommodation towards Swargadwara .In march it would be quite hot and humid.Temperature would be in the range of 30-37 degree Celsius.

I paid around 800 bucks for a room with bath in the winter of 2008. The rooms with shared bath are much less expensive.

Dear Wonderwomanusa,

Can you give me an idea of the rooms? Were they decent or shabby? Actually I am a bit choosy about the accomodation. Since this hotel has got a different background (formerly palace) I was more interested in staying here.

Don't expect anything palace like.

It was a holiday home of the king and not a palace.

no, no I am not expecting anything palatial, but is it neat and tidy?

They re-paint the hotel after the monsoon every year... so the outside always looks quite spiffy. It's one of the cleanest hotels in India in this price range. No piles of built-up dirt in the corners.

My double room with bath was very large, and had windows on three sides. Mosquito nets on all beds, and no holes in the netting! New mattresses. Drying rack for wet clothing.

One of the things that always makes me smile is one shared bathroom/toilet with a window at squatting level -- a view of the trees now, but it seems to me that 20 years ago, I could see the sea from that space!

And the cook is very good, whether you are eating fish & chips or various curries.

thanks, when did u last visit this hotel? I talked on phone with the owner of the hotel, They said they will charge for a double room with attached toilet at Rs. 700/-. All romms have uniform charge. But I found from Indiamike members that there are small rooms also. Plz comment, how far is the hotel from sea beach, since I will be taking my old inlaws with me it is necessary that beach is nearby.

anybody having any idea of new victoria hotel at puri?

new victoria club is a good hotel. but, is loacted in the crowded swargadwar area. in my view, the location is a big negative. i stayed at the birla guest house, loacated towareds the new marine drive, great loaction & tranquil atmosphere. had a great stay there. i did the booking from ice skating rink, 1st floor, kolkata. can google to find more details.

thanks jaych1975,

can you give some more information regardng contact nos and tariff.