Schindhia guest house

canyoncamper · Sep 4th, 2005, 06:30

I've seen some good things said about Schindhia guest house. anyone have contact information for them. Also current rates? We're first-timers heading over in October. Thanks for all the other hints and ideas!

dokidoki · Sep 4th, 2005, 07:21

i have entered it into the hotel listings!

canyoncamper · Sep 5th, 2005, 00:36

I must have missed it! Thanks

Ah_Seng · Sep 5th, 2005, 22:52

www.scindhiaguesthouse.com

You can write to them. I'v just gotten myself a room with them.

Ah_Seng · Sep 30th, 2005, 21:32

Absolutely a great place to stay. Kush is a terrific manager who picked me up from the train station and got me a good price for a 2 hrs boat ride on the ganges. The rooms are great esp with the balcony looking over the ganges river. I would stay at Schindia GH again if i ever go back to varanasi.

Erato · Oct 1st, 2005, 17:53

My friend and I had a bad experience at Scindia two years ago. The hotel owners seemed very nice when we checked in, but it went downhill from there. Our shower taps were literally giving electric shocks when you touched them. When we told them, they were less than willing to fix them, saying it wasn't their problem. Finally after much discussion they said they would take a look. We left our key with them when we went out the next morning. Upon our return at 8 pm, the person who had our keys was gone. "At the market" we were told, and were also told there was no spare key. We had to wait for literally 2 hours in the lobby for their return just to get into our room. When we voiced our displeasure over this, we were yelled at and told it wasn't their problem (their favorite phrase). Upon entering the room at 10 pm when our key was finally returned, we found that the shower had not been fixed. At this point we were afraid to take any more showers as the electric shocks were quite scary. We asked if they could bring us buckets of hot water in the morning. They said ok. The buckets never arrived, which resulted in more shouting from them the next morning when we asked for them. We never once raised our voices to them. Looking back, not a big deal, but at the time it was problem after problem with much rudeness from them, something I did not experience at another other hotel after three months of travel in India. Perhaps it was because we were two females (who look younger than we really are) on our own....

zoya · Oct 1st, 2005, 21:39

i also wrote to Kush (manager SChindia) about reserving room for my parents but he said its too much for them to climb so many floors and the steps in the ghats were also very steep for my aged mom. So he was honest about it. But i am disappointed that upon asking, he did not refer me to any other good hotel, he could have done that since my parents cannot not stay in his. Acts of kindness will go a long way in establishing goodwill. But, oh well! WIsh there was web site wherre there are reviews about hotels where one could choose for ones aged parents.
Thx

tinroofer · Oct 14th, 2005, 10:42

How close is Schindia Ghat to Dashashwamedha?
Is it a stones throw, a quick dash, a long stroll?

LuAnnandJawahar · Oct 14th, 2005, 21:19

a fairly short walk along the river. Go to the right out of the front door.

We can't imagine the owner yelling, he's such a subdued person. Are you sure it was Scindhia? Managers come and go--if someone was rude, hopefully they are no longer employed there.

Steep steps will be an issue in almost any guest house on the ghats--maybe all of them.

The electric shock thing is not uncommon actually. Anybody know anything about wiring bathrooms? What's the issue here, as it is really rather disturbing!

wonderwomanusa · Oct 15th, 2005, 11:41

>The electric shock thing is not uncommon actually. Anybody know anything about wiring bathrooms? What's the issue here, as it is really rather disturbing!<

There was a similar situation at Ringo's in Delhi some years ago -- the first year they offered hot showers. The electricians had grounded (earthed, for the Brits among us) the hot water heaters on the water pipes.

Ringo's has fixed the situation since those days; perhaps Scindia House will fix it also.

jarman_ah · Jan 5th, 2006, 18:54

I saw the beginning of this thread a few months ago, and decided a few minutes ago to top it for a poster who asked about guest houses like Scindhia; I admit I was distressed to read all about the shouting and the bad management, because I can honestly say that we had a totally happy and trouble-free experience at Scindhia, and, after a couple of nights talking to Kush, I can pretty-well guarantee that it wouldn't have been he who did the shouting.... he must have been on holidays and left the front desk to his brother-in-law, or something!

That was a distressing experience that erato related, and it needed to be told; however, in fairness to Scindhia, I must say that it is almost certainly a very-atypical one; these are nice people, and Scindhia Guest House is a great place to stay.

tinroofer · Jan 27th, 2006, 08:26

I agree with Jarman_ah.
I had a wonderful stay at Scindhia Guest House.
Kush was the best hotel manager of our whole 3 week trip to India (and we stayed at some great places).
Also note that the food was always hot and fresh.
It is a great location.

Darmabum · Jan 27th, 2006, 08:35

Gretchen (aka Wonderwoman) - I stayed at a guesthouse in Varanasi five years ago . . . the place had only been open for three months . . . I was going to stay through winter and really wanted hot water in my shower . . . about five boxes of unopened water heaters sat baking in the sun on the roof . . . I offered to pay the owner both for the heater and for installation . . . once installed the whole guesthouse staff and several guests watched my first shower . . . I just had to turn the hot water down when ZAP!!, first touch of the faucets and I got about 240 V . . . in the States there is a code for construction . . . in India, none . . . I just learned to take my shower with rubber sandals on. From then on, no problem. Scott

ononotu · Jan 27th, 2006, 20:43

We stayed at the Scindhia Guest House for 3 days in Jan '06. Nice people, great views from the balconies. Good location. Monkeys come visit on the balconies. We saw the Ganges dolphins from the balcony.

Food safe and OK. Power goes off in Varanasi from 9AM-3PM. Their generator powers only the lights and the ceiling fan so no hot water during the black outs. There is a computer to use (rent) to access the internet. Can arrange boats tours from Kush. Jump on the boat right outside the front of the guest house. Make sure you arrange with Kush to have some one pick you up from the train station. If you have never been to Varanasi, this place will seem hard to find and the touts at the train station are the worst.

Priced good for what you get. Bring a mosquito net as Varanasi has mucho mosquitos!

Definitely recommended.

wonderwomanusa · Jan 30th, 2006, 10:48

Scott, those un-grounded showers are a bit too much for me.

Now, the Z Hotel in Puri has the right idea ... they have solar-heated hot water! However, an unseasonal storm brought cloudy skies for a few days and that water was darned cold. I don't think any of the guests did more than "bird bath" until the sun came out again!

Sep 4th, 2005, 06:30	#1
canyoncamper Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Grand Junction, CO, USA Posts: 19	Schindhia guest house I've seen some good things said about Schindhia guest house. anyone have contact information for them. Also current rates? We're first-timers heading over in October. Thanks for all the other hints and ideas!

Oct 14th, 2005, 10:42	#8
tinroofer Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Canada Posts: 9	location How close is Schindia Ghat to Dashashwamedha? Is it a stones throw, a quick dash, a long stroll?

Oct 14th, 2005, 21:19	#9
LuAnnandJawahar Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Delhi/U.S. Posts: 664	a fairly short walk along the river. Go to the right out of the front door. We can't imagine the owner yelling, he's such a subdued person. Are you sure it was Scindhia? Managers come and go--if someone was rude, hopefully they are no longer employed there. Steep steps will be an issue in almost any guest house on the ghats--maybe all of them. The electric shock thing is not uncommon actually. Anybody know anything about wiring bathrooms? What's the issue here, as it is really rather disturbing! __________________ Reject violence.

Jan 27th, 2006, 08:26	#12
tinroofer Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Canada Posts: 9	Wonderful Place I agree with Jarman_ah. I had a wonderful stay at Scindhia Guest House. Kush was the best hotel manager of our whole 3 week trip to India (and we stayed at some great places). Also note that the food was always hot and fresh. It is a great location.

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Sep 4th, 2005, 07:21	#2
dokidoki Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Japan Posts: 43	i have entered it into the hotel listings!

Sep 5th, 2005, 00:36	#3
canyoncamper Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Grand Junction, CO, USA Posts: 19	I must have missed it! Thanks

Sep 5th, 2005, 22:52	#4
Ah_Seng Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 35	www.scindhiaguesthouse.com You can write to them. I'v just gotten myself a room with them.

Sep 30th, 2005, 21:32	#5
Ah_Seng Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 35	Absolutely a great place to stay. Kush is a terrific manager who picked me up from the train station and got me a good price for a 2 hrs boat ride on the ganges. The rooms are great esp with the balcony looking over the ganges river. I would stay at Schindia GH again if i ever go back to varanasi.

Oct 1st, 2005, 17:53	#6
Erato Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Toronto Posts: 28	My friend and I had a bad experience at Scindia two years ago. The hotel owners seemed very nice when we checked in, but it went downhill from there. Our shower taps were literally giving electric shocks when you touched them. When we told them, they were less than willing to fix them, saying it wasn't their problem. Finally after much discussion they said they would take a look. We left our key with them when we went out the next morning. Upon our return at 8 pm, the person who had our keys was gone. "At the market" we were told, and were also told there was no spare key. We had to wait for literally 2 hours in the lobby for their return just to get into our room. When we voiced our displeasure over this, we were yelled at and told it wasn't their problem (their favorite phrase). Upon entering the room at 10 pm when our key was finally returned, we found that the shower had not been fixed. At this point we were afraid to take any more showers as the electric shocks were quite scary. We asked if they could bring us buckets of hot water in the morning. They said ok. The buckets never arrived, which resulted in more shouting from them the next morning when we asked for them. We never once raised our voices to them. Looking back, not a big deal, but at the time it was problem after problem with much rudeness from them, something I did not experience at another other hotel after three months of travel in India. Perhaps it was because we were two females (who look younger than we really are) on our own....

Oct 1st, 2005, 21:39	#7
zoya Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: INDIA Posts: 4	i also wrote to Kush (manager SChindia) about reserving room for my parents but he said its too much for them to climb so many floors and the steps in the ghats were also very steep for my aged mom. So he was honest about it. But i am disappointed that upon asking, he did not refer me to any other good hotel, he could have done that since my parents cannot not stay in his. Acts of kindness will go a long way in establishing goodwill. But, oh well! WIsh there was web site wherre there are reviews about hotels where one could choose for ones aged parents. Thx

Oct 15th, 2005, 11:41	#10
wonderwomanusa Maha Guru Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 2,871	>The electric shock thing is not uncommon actually. Anybody know anything about wiring bathrooms? What's the issue here, as it is really rather disturbing!< There was a similar situation at Ringo's in Delhi some years ago -- the first year they offered hot showers. The electricians had grounded (earthed, for the Brits among us) the hot water heaters on the water pipes. Ringo's has fixed the situation since those days; perhaps Scindia House will fix it also.

Jan 5th, 2006, 18:54	#11
jarman_ah Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 373	I saw the beginning of this thread a few months ago, and decided a few minutes ago to top it for a poster who asked about guest houses like Scindhia; I admit I was distressed to read all about the shouting and the bad management, because I can honestly say that we had a totally happy and trouble-free experience at Scindhia, and, after a couple of nights talking to Kush, I can pretty-well guarantee that it wouldn't have been he who did the shouting.... he must have been on holidays and left the front desk to his brother-in-law, or something! That was a distressing experience that erato related, and it needed to be told; however, in fairness to Scindhia, I must say that it is almost certainly a very-atypical one; these are nice people, and Scindhia Guest House is a great place to stay.

Jan 27th, 2006, 08:35	#13
Darmabum Maha Guru Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: in the mountains of Idaho Posts: 754	Gretchen (aka Wonderwoman) - I stayed at a guesthouse in Varanasi five years ago . . . the place had only been open for three months . . . I was going to stay through winter and really wanted hot water in my shower . . . about five boxes of unopened water heaters sat baking in the sun on the roof . . . I offered to pay the owner both for the heater and for installation . . . once installed the whole guesthouse staff and several guests watched my first shower . . . I just had to turn the hot water down when ZAP!!, first touch of the faucets and I got about 240 V . . . in the States there is a code for construction . . . in India, none . . . I just learned to take my shower with rubber sandals on. From then on, no problem. Scott

Jan 27th, 2006, 20:43	#14
ononotu Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Texas, USA Posts: 30	We stayed at the Scindhia Guest House for 3 days in Jan '06. Nice people, great views from the balconies. Good location. Monkeys come visit on the balconies. We saw the Ganges dolphins from the balcony. Food safe and OK. Power goes off in Varanasi from 9AM-3PM. Their generator powers only the lights and the ceiling fan so no hot water during the black outs. There is a computer to use (rent) to access the internet. Can arrange boats tours from Kush. Jump on the boat right outside the front of the guest house. Make sure you arrange with Kush to have some one pick you up from the train station. If you have never been to Varanasi, this place will seem hard to find and the touts at the train station are the worst. Priced good for what you get. Bring a mosquito net as Varanasi has mucho mosquitos! Definitely recommended.

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Jan 30th, 2006, 10:48	#15
wonderwomanusa Maha Guru Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 2,871	Scott, those un-grounded showers are a bit too much for me. Now, the Z Hotel in Puri has the right idea ... they have solar-heated hot water! However, an unseasonal storm brought cloudy skies for a few days and that water was darned cold. I don't think any of the guests did more than "bird bath" until the sun came out again!