murshidabad accommodation advice

stevec

At the end of last year the wonderfully sited Manjusha Hotel, on the river next to the Hazarduari Palace complex, had ceased functioning. The restaurant was closed and the hotel was mothballed. A pity, because its views, ambience and gardens are absolutely spectacular. Murshidabad did not offer anything similar. The owner? manager? of the Manjusha, Mr Sarkar, was really helpful and friendly, organising a taxi back to Berhampur for my wife and I. It would be great if the Manjusha were to return to life again.

The govt Tourist Bungalow back in Berhampur, right on the National Highway, was dusty, stunned and dysfunctional. Some other hotels appeared to be more interested in rupee-based romance than accommodation. We chose the Samrat Hotel for its excellent non-a/c rooms and great (f poorly lit) restaurant. It was also set back from NH 34, a constant snarl of trucks. The management there were also very helpful in organising a car for us to go around Murshidabad. Here the fragments of the past are so extensive, and so widely spread, that a car was necessary. An absolutely fabulous place.

mousourik

Just spoke to Mr. Utpal Sarkar of Manjusha Hotel at Murshidabad. It was never closed down and is operational in full swing. The phone number of the hotel is : +91-3482-270321.

I'm not sure, Steve, wherefrom you got this information. Must be from other hoteliers who have vested interest in Manjusha being closed down.

stevec

hmmm .... my information came from a Mr Sarkar himself, at the Hotel Manjusha, on the afternoon of Monday 10 Nov. Yes, the hotel was unlocked, and we did look at a room: lunch was brought to us from a street stall to the outdoors restaurant, because we were told it was closed down; but Mr Sarkar did indicate with some degree of emphasis at the time that the hotel was not functioning at that stage. As I said, it was a disappointment for us.

dcamrass1

Glad to hear that the hotel is open,plannining to go the north part of West Bengal October November and working our way down to Kolkata and was thinking mabe to have a stop over there. Last year had a very pleasant time there.

JuliaF

I don't understand your experience at all stevec.

I stayed there last Dec/Jan and it was fully functioning and fully occupied!

Good hotel and great location, recommended.

stevec

I guess we were just "out of season"! As usual travelling in India, things have a way of working out, and we were very happy with the accommodation we ended up with in Berhampur, which has an excellent Dutch cemetery, BTW.

mousourik

Just came back after a short day trip to Murshidabad, would like to reassure everybody that hotel Manjusha is functioning well and was/is not closed down.

Jorge Reverter

Good news about Hotel Manjusha, the location, price and the kindness of Mr. Sarkar gives a 10 to this hotel moreover Murshidabad is one of the best sites I've been in India.

Jorge

mreich

I would like to stop over for a few days rest and peace in the countryside between my arrival in Kolkota and my stay in Varanasi. Murshidabad sounded ideal and so does the Hotel Manjusha. It will be over the Christmas-New Year period. What are the rooms and "amenities" like? Toilets? Food? I just want a reasonably clean, comfortable restful place. Any better suggestions for a stopover on the way to Varanasi? What's the weather like in the area over Christmas?

mousourik

Murshidabad is a small town. So don't expect too much there. Manjusha hotel : rooms are clean, toilets are okay, food is fine. Temperature will be around 15 degree celcius at night. The location of the hotel is fantastic. What i said is from the point of view of a kolkatan. Some foreign members - Jorge Reverter, dcamrass1 - have stayed there. You can seek their opinion.

Regarding the idea of a stop-over, i'm not sure whether you can come there directly from Varanasi. You may have to come to Kol and then go back to Murshidabad. There is one railway station near Bahrampur - it's Khagraghat Road. Check whether any train connects it to Varanasi. If so, then you'll have to come to Baharampur and then go to Murshidabad.

JuliaF

I'd suggest you book ahead if you're planning to be there at this time. I was there last New Year and the hotel was fully occupied.

Great place

mreich

I'm not very experienced with chat groups but I want to thank everyone who replied. If I don't manage to get to Murshidabad, which sounds very attractive, can anyone suggest a quiet Bengali stopover on the train between Kolkota and Varanasi?

JuliaF

How about Bishnupur, with the terracotta temples? It's well worth seeing, and a pleasant relaxed place. If you could get up to Durgapur by bus you could then pick up a fast train to Varanasi (or at least MughalSarai, I'm not sure)

lots of info about Bishnupur in this thread

Another possibility, which I've never been to, might be Parasnath, just inside Bihar. It's a Jain hill to climb
I've heard of people getting the train (Rajdhani - fast train)there from Kolkata and then picking up the same train 24 hours later (to Delhi, but would probably stop at Varanasi or MughalSarai).

dcamrass1

Can only say that we will be making our way south from the north part of West Bengal this October towards Kolkata and if it works out will take time out in Murshidabad,looked up a previous post and rooms 201 -203 have a lovley view of the river and garden and have a small balcony,so peacefull in the morning. Worth a stay

somnath biswas

We are planning a two day trip to Murshidabad with office colleague in January '10. Any idea about 'Youth Hostel' run by Govt. of West Bengal. The reason is we are 20 odd number which may not fit in one hotel.