RN Haveli, roof room
Run by Mama and a couple of helpers, this haveli is just like staying in a family home. Actually, it is a family home. And a very basic one. Mama has a huge personality and will tell you to treat her like your Indian mother, and her house as your home. It's all rather sweet, and she is a lovely lady, but she doesn't get upstairs much, we think, and our room was a bit of a hovel. The bathroom was badly connected and emitted the smell of raw sewerage whenever the toilet was flushed (hmmm, to not flush the toilet and watch it all pile up, or flush it and dry retch...it's a tough one). The bed was hard, the windows had no glass, so it was a mozzie free-for-all, and the roof is made of corrugated iron which the local monkeys like jumping on from about 6am. Oh, and there was a bat flying round the room the second night when we went to bed. This is REAL.
Bathroom: private, but horrific
View: Bundi fort
Cost: A tiny 250 rupees
Recommended: We won't be doing this again. But go for the cleaner downstairs room if you want a basic and honest homestay experience.
Showing posts with label india. Show all posts
Showing posts with label india. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Udaipur, August 17-20
Jaiwana Haveli (aka Caravan Serai), room 30
A step up into the mid-range category and boy did we notice the difference. Rooms here are spotless with crisp white sheets, comfy beds and soft pillows. The bathroom was new, although amusingly, the toilet has been installed somewhat high, so when seated, you feel like you are a child again, with your legs dangling above the ground. Our room had a view of the Lake Palace out of one tinted window (we opened the window for a better gawk and the breeze, but look out for the mozzies). Apparently management (who, by the way, managed to strike the perfect balance between professional and friendly), were shortly to install LCD TVs in some of the rooms, which will make the Jaiwana even more of a bargain for the price.
Some rooms have views
Bathroom: private, spotless, lovely
Cost: 800 rupees. A steal
Recommended: Oh yes. Nowhere else we stayed came close to this for value and style.
Contact details: www.jaiwanahaveli.com
A step up into the mid-range category and boy did we notice the difference. Rooms here are spotless with crisp white sheets, comfy beds and soft pillows. The bathroom was new, although amusingly, the toilet has been installed somewhat high, so when seated, you feel like you are a child again, with your legs dangling above the ground. Our room had a view of the Lake Palace out of one tinted window (we opened the window for a better gawk and the breeze, but look out for the mozzies). Apparently management (who, by the way, managed to strike the perfect balance between professional and friendly), were shortly to install LCD TVs in some of the rooms, which will make the Jaiwana even more of a bargain for the price.
Some rooms have views
Bathroom: private, spotless, lovely
Cost: 800 rupees. A steal
Recommended: Oh yes. Nowhere else we stayed came close to this for value and style.
Contact details: www.jaiwanahaveli.com
Udaipur, 16 August
Lake Ghat Guest House (aka Lake Ghat Palace) room 8
A range of rooms are available at this haveli-style guesthouse. Its name change from 'guest house' to palace is stretching it a bit, though. We went for the cheapest room in the house, at 400 rupees, which was clean and well kept, with small windows giving a view of the lake. The bed was hard and lumpy, as were the pillows. The bathroom, too, was rudimentary with a cold shower, although it too was clean. If you want better rooms, they are available here, but bargain hard as we think the price asked for most does not reflect the quality. Management are a friendly family, and there's a good restaurant on the rooftop doing excellent dinners, although average breakfasts.
View: glimpse of lake palace
Cost: 450 rupees
Recommended? Yes, but try bargaining the price down for the more expensive rooms
Contact details: +91 294 2521636 Email: lakeghatanis@hotmail.com
A range of rooms are available at this haveli-style guesthouse. Its name change from 'guest house' to palace is stretching it a bit, though. We went for the cheapest room in the house, at 400 rupees, which was clean and well kept, with small windows giving a view of the lake. The bed was hard and lumpy, as were the pillows. The bathroom, too, was rudimentary with a cold shower, although it too was clean. If you want better rooms, they are available here, but bargain hard as we think the price asked for most does not reflect the quality. Management are a friendly family, and there's a good restaurant on the rooftop doing excellent dinners, although average breakfasts.
View: glimpse of lake palace
Cost: 450 rupees
Recommended? Yes, but try bargaining the price down for the more expensive rooms
Contact details: +91 294 2521636 Email: lakeghatanis@hotmail.com
Ajmer, 15 August
Hotel Ajmeru, room 301
Reasonable choice not too far from the train station - although not where the Lonely Planet says it should be on the map! Bad Lonely Planet, and poor us, who arrived at 11pm and traipsed around the neighbourhood in vain trying to find it, eventually having to throw ourselves upon the mercy of a local rickshaw driver to drive us across the road and around the corner 150 metres to the real address. Once there, reception was friendly, the room was ok, usual story with the stained sheets but clean, at least. Shower had hot water to have a bucket shower.
Bathroom: Private
Views:District, from balcony
Cost: 600 rupees
Recommended? Yes.
Contact details: www.hotelajmeru.com
Reasonable choice not too far from the train station - although not where the Lonely Planet says it should be on the map! Bad Lonely Planet, and poor us, who arrived at 11pm and traipsed around the neighbourhood in vain trying to find it, eventually having to throw ourselves upon the mercy of a local rickshaw driver to drive us across the road and around the corner 150 metres to the real address. Once there, reception was friendly, the room was ok, usual story with the stained sheets but clean, at least. Shower had hot water to have a bucket shower.
Bathroom: Private
Views:District, from balcony
Cost: 600 rupees
Recommended? Yes.
Contact details: www.hotelajmeru.com
Monday, August 25, 2008
Lucknow to Haridwar, August 8
Overnight train, 2 A/C class
Surprisingly, not too bad. We shared a carriage with a couple of soldiers heading up to Haridwar for training, so this train trip we weren't as concerned about security, at least. The train was much the same a our previous experience, basic beds, basic bedding, but this time we got some sleep. All in all, not too bad, but then, you can't always guarantee you'll get such good company.
Surprisingly, not too bad. We shared a carriage with a couple of soldiers heading up to Haridwar for training, so this train trip we weren't as concerned about security, at least. The train was much the same a our previous experience, basic beds, basic bedding, but this time we got some sleep. All in all, not too bad, but then, you can't always guarantee you'll get such good company.
Lucknow, August 7
Hotel Mayur, room 35
If you're not on a strict budget, read no more. If you are on a budget and are arriving late/departing early from the train station, this will do. But only for 1 night. The mattress was stained (noticed this as we asked for the sheets to be changed), walls were peeling and there were strange holes in the wall through to a ventilation duct. The whole room smelt vaguely of piss, while the hotel stair landings doubled as a rubbish dump, hosting such various items as old mattresses, beer bottles and broken furniture. Management were reasonably helpful and offer a 24 hour checkout. Our room had satellite TV though, a welcome addition after weeks of Indian only fare. We watched an old episode of Seinfeld at 1 in the morning. It was great.
Bathroom: Private (apart from the hole in the wall)
View: Street
Recommended? Exactly how desperate are you?
Contact details: Address: Subharsh Marg
If you're not on a strict budget, read no more. If you are on a budget and are arriving late/departing early from the train station, this will do. But only for 1 night. The mattress was stained (noticed this as we asked for the sheets to be changed), walls were peeling and there were strange holes in the wall through to a ventilation duct. The whole room smelt vaguely of piss, while the hotel stair landings doubled as a rubbish dump, hosting such various items as old mattresses, beer bottles and broken furniture. Management were reasonably helpful and offer a 24 hour checkout. Our room had satellite TV though, a welcome addition after weeks of Indian only fare. We watched an old episode of Seinfeld at 1 in the morning. It was great.Bathroom: Private (apart from the hole in the wall)
View: Street
Recommended? Exactly how desperate are you?
Contact details: Address: Subharsh Marg
Varanasi, August 5-6
Alka hotel, room 130.
Varanasi, holy? Hmmm. Heap of hassle, more like. First, we asked to be dropped at a different hotel, and were taken to completely the wrong part of town by the usual thoroughly corrupt taxi drivers hoping to persuade us to stay at the Hotel Sonmony (hotel located above one of the cremation ghats). This may be fine for you if you like the smell and sight of burning bodies outside your window, but we don't.
So we walked approx 1.5km upriver, through cow shit, human shit and piles of rubbish,the smell of piss wafting around us all the while, checking out a few other hotels. Most were horrific. Hotel Alka is a haven in comparison, and as one of the only decent ghat-side hotels, it gets busy; we heard several people turned away, including those trying to reserve ahead by phone. The room was small and basic, but reasonably clean, with a TV and ok bathroom with hot water (first hotel to claim hot water and actually provide it!) However, we would not stay here again if we had a choice. Staff were extremely rude and unhelpful. No one is allowed to check in until 12 midday at the earliest; despite people checking out earlier, they don't clean the rooms until late. They've also amassed a small collection of books, which you would expect to be available through a book swap scheme like most other traveller-friendly hotels. However, Hotel Alka do not swap; they sell the books people leave behind and will not even give you one book for two. We interpreted this as no need to leave a tip – we just left a book. If you do decide to stay here, do not make the mistake of eating here: the food is terrible and cups and plates are not clean. The pancakes in particular are stomach-churningly awful with the texture and taste of solidified glue. Instead, head to Godaulia Crossing and turn right to find the Palawi Restaurant with well-priced yummy food in a chilled-out setting by an old temple.
Bathroom: private
View: No view as window was frosted.
Cost: 700 rupees (approx 11 euros)
Recommended? Not really, but beggars can't be choosers, and it's the best of a very bad bunch in Varanasi at this time.
Varanasi, holy? Hmmm. Heap of hassle, more like. First, we asked to be dropped at a different hotel, and were taken to completely the wrong part of town by the usual thoroughly corrupt taxi drivers hoping to persuade us to stay at the Hotel Sonmony (hotel located above one of the cremation ghats). This may be fine for you if you like the smell and sight of burning bodies outside your window, but we don't.
So we walked approx 1.5km upriver, through cow shit, human shit and piles of rubbish,the smell of piss wafting around us all the while, checking out a few other hotels. Most were horrific. Hotel Alka is a haven in comparison, and as one of the only decent ghat-side hotels, it gets busy; we heard several people turned away, including those trying to reserve ahead by phone. The room was small and basic, but reasonably clean, with a TV and ok bathroom with hot water (first hotel to claim hot water and actually provide it!) However, we would not stay here again if we had a choice. Staff were extremely rude and unhelpful. No one is allowed to check in until 12 midday at the earliest; despite people checking out earlier, they don't clean the rooms until late. They've also amassed a small collection of books, which you would expect to be available through a book swap scheme like most other traveller-friendly hotels. However, Hotel Alka do not swap; they sell the books people leave behind and will not even give you one book for two. We interpreted this as no need to leave a tip – we just left a book. If you do decide to stay here, do not make the mistake of eating here: the food is terrible and cups and plates are not clean. The pancakes in particular are stomach-churningly awful with the texture and taste of solidified glue. Instead, head to Godaulia Crossing and turn right to find the Palawi Restaurant with well-priced yummy food in a chilled-out setting by an old temple.
Bathroom: private
View: No view as window was frosted.
Cost: 700 rupees (approx 11 euros)
Recommended? Not really, but beggars can't be choosers, and it's the best of a very bad bunch in Varanasi at this time.
Overnight train Satna – Varanasi, August 4
2nd class air-conditioned carriage
Sorry, no pics.
Our first experience of train travel in India, and what a shock to the system it was, after the organised pleasure that was Iran. This trip was slightly more expensive than what we paid for the same length overnight journey in Iran. However, instead of a private 4 person compartment including dinner and breakfast snack (Iran), we had a 4 berth compartment, with only a velcroed curtain between us and the corridor, no food and a distinct lack of security (at every station people would get on and take a brisk walk through the carriage looking for unsecured baggage to misappropriate). We had not brought chains, unlike many local travellers, and so we spent a relatively sleepless night. The whole experience convinced us to stick to day train travel if at all possible in India in future.
Bathroom: Used it once; held on for the rest of the trip as I didn't feel safe enough to walk along by myself at night.
Views: Varied
Cost: 1400 rupees for 2
Recommended? Only if you are short on money and time, otherwise, travel by day and stopover at a hotel for the night.
Sorry, no pics.
Our first experience of train travel in India, and what a shock to the system it was, after the organised pleasure that was Iran. This trip was slightly more expensive than what we paid for the same length overnight journey in Iran. However, instead of a private 4 person compartment including dinner and breakfast snack (Iran), we had a 4 berth compartment, with only a velcroed curtain between us and the corridor, no food and a distinct lack of security (at every station people would get on and take a brisk walk through the carriage looking for unsecured baggage to misappropriate). We had not brought chains, unlike many local travellers, and so we spent a relatively sleepless night. The whole experience convinced us to stick to day train travel if at all possible in India in future.
Bathroom: Used it once; held on for the rest of the trip as I didn't feel safe enough to walk along by myself at night.
Views: Varied
Cost: 1400 rupees for 2
Recommended? Only if you are short on money and time, otherwise, travel by day and stopover at a hotel for the night.
Khajuraho, August 2-3
Hotel Zen, Bodhi Dharma (Buddha) room
This hotel is located along the Jain Temple road, a handy spot for getting to the Western and Eastern temples. Rooms in several price brackets (negotiable in off-season) are located around a series of courtyards with lotus ponds (despite the resident fish, these are a breeding ground for hungry mozzies, which head straight to the non a/c rooms on the ground floor). We plumped for a room with air-conditioning, which was spacious and very clean. Apparently there is hot water, although ours was never more than lukewarm. Staff were extremely helpful when our television did not work, swapping it 5 times until we got one that did. However, the painted over bathroom window had a peephole scratched in the paint, allowing staff to have an illicit perve while you shower or toilet. We didn't catch anyone in the act, although a fellow guest did – female travellers in particular may wish to search for and locate the peephole and cover the window with something from the inside.
Overall, this hotel represents great value, although the restaurant is overpriced compared to others in the vicinity. They also charge an expensive 100 rupee pp booking fee for trains
Bathroom: private
View: Courtyard
Cost: 500 rupees (approx 8 euros)
Recommended? Yes, overall very good value and the cleanest Indian hotel so far.
Contact: jain temple road, khajuraho, tel 7686 274228 email oshozen62@hotmail.com ohozen62@rediffmail.com
This hotel is located along the Jain Temple road, a handy spot for getting to the Western and Eastern temples. Rooms in several price brackets (negotiable in off-season) are located around a series of courtyards with lotus ponds (despite the resident fish, these are a breeding ground for hungry mozzies, which head straight to the non a/c rooms on the ground floor). We plumped for a room with air-conditioning, which was spacious and very clean. Apparently there is hot water, although ours was never more than lukewarm. Staff were extremely helpful when our television did not work, swapping it 5 times until we got one that did. However, the painted over bathroom window had a peephole scratched in the paint, allowing staff to have an illicit perve while you shower or toilet. We didn't catch anyone in the act, although a fellow guest did – female travellers in particular may wish to search for and locate the peephole and cover the window with something from the inside.Overall, this hotel represents great value, although the restaurant is overpriced compared to others in the vicinity. They also charge an expensive 100 rupee pp booking fee for trains
Bathroom: private
View: Courtyard
Cost: 500 rupees (approx 8 euros)
Recommended? Yes, overall very good value and the cleanest Indian hotel so far.
Contact: jain temple road, khajuraho, tel 7686 274228 email oshozen62@hotmail.com ohozen62@rediffmail.com
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