2 Star Darjeeling Hotels
The Best Mid Priced Stays
Book a great 2-Star hotel
In the search box below, mention your dates, and hit the search button. Once you get the list of hotels, sort it by price (low to high). Now scan through the list looking for hotels with two stars. Also note the hotels marked with 'Deal'. Sometimes you may get much better hotels (like 3 stars) at very low prices that can match a 2 star price, and that is marked as 'Deal'.
Also see the guest review score, amenities etc and then select & book a hotel online at attractive low rate. You can also change the location in the search box and book hotels in places like Gangtok, Kalimpong, Mirik etc. This reservation service is provided by world's no.1 online hotel booking site.
Indicative Rates of 2-Star hotels
These hotels belong to the so called 2 Star category. I say "so called 2-Star" because most of these hotels do not offer any real star category facilities. The status is more self proclaimed out of public perception and tariff. The difference between them and the budget hotels would be that the 2-star hotel have rooms with better finish and more amenities, bathrooms will be certainly better having geysers with hot & cold shower, likely to have a multi cuisine restaurant with a bar, etc.
The tariff would typically range from Rupees 2,500 to Rupees 4,000 per night.
So you want the best of both the worlds - a good comfortable stay in a great location in Darjeeling while paying reasonable price. In Darjeeling, all the mid priced or so called 2 star hotels always claim to offer 'real value for money', because they lose nothing with such claims. You are the one at stake to lose money & time if you choose the wrong one. But there are ways to find them.
Below you will find my reviews of several mid range hotels that are among the best. My selection of hotels are based on my own experience and findings by considering the location, comfort, service, friendliness, ambience and amenities.
(Gandhi Road, About 10 minutes walk to Chowrasta Mall)
A very nice 2-star hotel with 10 very clean and nicely appointed rooms. The hotel occupies couple of top floors in a multi storeyed residential building. It's is owned by a Tibetan family. The attic rooms (super deluxe) offer excellent views of the snow peaks and the valley. The hotel has in-house restaurant and a library. The service is very friendly. The hotel has its own elevator and taxis come right up to the door front.
(Nehru Read, Yards away from the Chowrasta Mall)
This is a small boutique hotel having only four attic suit rooms on the first floor. As you walk up the Nehru Road towards the Chowrasta Mall, you will find this unassuming gem on the right just after you cross Glenaries. The ground floor is the reception area extending into the popular Shangri-la restaurant. It's a Tibetan family run business. The property which was an old British home, is now fully refurbished inside. However it has delicately retained its overall British aura.
(Lebong Cart Road, 1km from lower town or bus stand)
The property offers Service Apartments with one or two spacious bedrooms with nice facilities and full services like a mid-range hotel, but you additionally get comfort of a home with your own separate living room, private balcony and kitchenette. You can cook if you want. It's 1km away from the town and overlooking the lovely Happy Valley Tea Estate. So you are away from the crowd although at a convenient distance. In-house food is quite good but only vegetarian.
A family property of Amit Khatri, the hotel has 20 well appointed rooms most of which have been converted with wooden paneling on the walls and ceilings giving a warm and cottage like feeling. There is a restaurant at the ground floor offering Indian and Chinese dishes. The hotel is only 4-5 minutes walk from the Chowrasta Mall, on a steep uphill road but only several yards from Gandhi Road and right next to the Darjeeling Telephone Exchange.
(Bhanu Sarani, 5 minutes walk up the Mall Road)
It takes about 5 minutes along Mall road and then the right alleyway going past the Gymkhana Club to reach the Tourist Lodge. The main highlight is the spread of the property with its lovely private lawn at the back side, spacious well furnished rooms most of which overlook the valley behind. We had a clear view of the Lebong race course. There are main and annex blocks having over 30 rooms. The hotel offers several facilities including a large restaurant, bar and a meeting lounge.
(Gandhi Road, 10 minutes walk to the Mall)
A small hotel with only 12 rooms, but very well maintained and conveniently located. Nice clean rooms. The attic rooms and the common roof top lounge area offer magnificent views of the mountain range. The staff are all professionals and very courteous.
(AJC Bose Road, About 15 minutes walk to the Chowrasta Mall)
A family run business and an old heritage home of British days has now been converted into a lovely boutique hotel. The interior of the hotel is completely modernized with wood finish while from outside the old architecture of the building has been retained. The best part is that it has only 10 rooms and all of them have great views of the mountains and the valley. While AJC Bose road may sound alien to some, it is actually a few steps into a lane from Gandhi road.
(Robertson Road, 5-6 minutes walk to the Mall)
The location is quite convenient and service is friendly. Many shops and restaurants are within stone's throw distance. There are several types of rooms from standard to super deluxe and duplex suites. Upper floor backside rooms have view of the valley and township. Food at the in house dining hall is good.
(Gandhi Road, 7-8 minutes walk to the Mall)
Climb the narrow stairs passing another hotel on the way in the same building and you will reach this quality accommodation. Located centrally in an old building and right next to the upper Clubside Taxi Stand (across Gandhi Road Police Point), this hotel is run by the Dekeva Tibetan family which have been taking personal care to ensure that guests enjoy themselves.
The front rooms upstairs have great view of the mountains. This is one of the few hotels that features both under my
Budget Hotels as well as under the mid priced ones because Dekevas have cleverly kept the tariff right in the middle of the two categories.
(On Nehru Road, less than five minutes walk to the Mall)
Planters Club (actually the Darjeeling Club Limited) was established in 1868 as a place for entertainment for the British tea planters and their families. It offers large rooms and suites for regular and temporary members and tourists. If you are looking for colonial ambience with great aura of heritage and history, Planters club can be a great choice. The club offers some unique amenities like billiards room, table tennis etc. X Closed for renovation
(Nehru Road, On Mall)
This hotel has two sections or buildings that are located close to each other and located next to the Mall. The first block which is visible from the Mall entrance is the newer block having several well appointed rooms and a lovely lounge on the top floor with cushioned wicker sofas and delicate wooden interiors. But the hidden gem is behind this building which earns its fame as the heritage hotel and having a wonderful garden, cottage like settings and nice views of the valley in front. This is a lodging only hotel and doesn't serve food.
(Right on the Chowrasta Mall)
You can't stay much closer to Mall than this. It's only a few steps into the alley that leads from the Mall and below the Mall road on the left. As the entrance is from the narrow alley, it may not look much impressive from outside. However once you get in, the wood finished interior continues from the reception to all the rooms including the restaurant. Most of the rooms have great views of the valley. But the winning point of this hotel is its location, the Mall where tourists come all the way from wherever they are put up in Darjeeling.
(HD Lama Road, 10 minutes walk to the Mall)
Seven Seventeen is a traditional Tibetan style hotel run by a Tibetan family over the generations. Its interior decor, the bright contrasting colors, the low wooden furniture, the artwork at the stairway landings ... everything here reflects Tibetan traditions, style and culture. It has an in-house multi-cuisine restaurant, a bar, lounge, travel desk and a gift & souvenir store.
Related Articles
1) Visit
Darjeeling Hotels Guide to know about all the good hotels that I have discovered over the last many years of exploration.
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Visitors' Reviews/Comments
Ehtesham (November 2014)
Dear friend, thanks for all guidance. I wish to travel in first week of December with
wife. I have planned hotel budget around 2000-2500.May I expect your guidance as which will be best suited area to stay, where communication facility is frequent, mountain view should be from hotel and of course safe.
Raj (darjeeling-tourism.com) November 2014
You can consider one of the following hotel options: 1) Darjeeling Tourist Lodge, on Mall road, rooms from the main building have great views, cars come right up to the hotel 2) Shangrila Hotel - 4 excellent rooms with views, steps away from Mall, great restaurant below, needs 2-minutes wall from nearest taxi stand 3) Villa Everest: On Gandhi Road, almost all rooms have good views, cars come right up to the entrance 4) Swiss Hotel on Ganhdi road, 12-15 minutes walk to Mall, great views from some rooms, nice lawn. Cars come up to the hotel.
Santosh Kumar (March 2013)
Raj I have got your response to my earlier query and you have suggested me to book Shangrila but to my dismay there is no rooms available on the said date. On the same time I have got emails from Bellevue hotel (Mr Tashi Pulger) and he said that rooms are available. So just wanted to know about this hotel review (mind you this is not Olde main Bellevue, this is just Bellevue). I am not sure is it the same hotel with new name. I just wanted to know whether it has clean rooms with good view. I have got one more option Dekeling hotel. So please guide me out of the above two which is better? before I go ahead and book the room
Raj - darjeeling-tourism.com (March 2013)
Shangrilla has only three rooms and they are always in high demand, mostly from foreign tourists. One needs to book well in advance. Don't go for Bellevue ... it's not the same as Olde Main Bellevue although located right next to it. It belongs to the second brother who hasn't maintained it well enough. However there are couple of Mall facing rooms that I like ... huge spacious ones with great views but again not well maintained .... filthy carpets etc. Your next best choice would be therefore Dekeling out of the ones you have ... Pros.. clean rooms, have their own nice restaurant at the ground floor (Dekevas) ... Cons .. steep narrow stairway, not all rooms have views, hotel right on the clubside taxi stand, so a noisy environment. But overall a family run quality hotel.
Jane Hadley (February 2013)
Hi, You have been very helpful when my husband, Tom, was asking about how to get to Darjeeling - thank you! Again, I realise you are not a travel agent, but would you be able to suggest a good place to stay at Darjeeling or nearby? I am getting very confused looking at the places! Or, if you can recommend a tea estate to stay. We are looking for a modest budget, not luxury. Regards,
Raj - darjeeling-tourism.com (February 2013)
Hello Jane, While I do not have much idea about your expectations out of a hotel (like location, amenities, views etc), here are a few mid scale hotels that are my personal favorites:
1) Shangri-La Hotel: Great location ... steps away from the Mall, nice views and very convenient. Only three rooms but all rooms are well apointed and large, some with fireplaces. There is an in-house restaurant at the ground floor. You must book well in advance. Cons: 3-5 minutes walk required from nearest taxi stand since it is in a pedestrian only zone. But porters are available if you so need.
2) Villa Everest: All 10 rooms are well appointed and have great views. Family owned, very clean and nice service. They serve breakfast and meals in their small ground floor dining room. 12-15 minutes walk to the Mall.
3) Swiss Hotel: Close to Villa Everest. Excellent garden with view of the valley. Nice rooms. Either take rooms on the upper floor of the main building or the cottages by the side of the lawn.
I have also discussed all the great tea estates, their accommodations and offerings in great details in Darjeeling Tea Tourism. Please visit the page and go through the tea estate links, you should be able to choose one if you rather prefer a tea estate for your stay. By the way, you can also split your stay, first in a hotel right in Darjeeling town and then in a tea estate little further away to have a combined experience. All estates offer pick up and drop (transfer) services from any point to any point in the district, so it's easy. Most estates offer all-inclusive packages including meals & sightseeing. So beyond 2-3 night stay in a tea estate may become a bit expensive.
Rajshekhar Roy (January 2013)
Raj, Wish you a very happy and successful new year. We will need 4 nights of hotel booking and 2 rooms. Can you suggest something close to the mall and accessible to the taxi stand? I am trying to decide between Dekeling and Shangri-la for the hotel and have some specific questions where I need your help.
1. In your opinion which is the better one?
2. The attic suite in Shangri-La - can it sleep 4 people with 2 extra beds? We do not need to be in the hotel much otherwise.
3. I've got the prices for both hotels from them but is it possible to negotiate on this price?
Also, what will be the charges from NJP to Darjeeling by taxi? We can do it in an Indica.
Thank you for all the help. Regards
Raj - darjeeling-tourism.com (January 2013)
Hi, I personally prefer Hotel Shangri-la (not Shangri-la Regency) over Dekeling anytime. It's only steps away from the Mall and on Nehru road. It has three beautifully appointed rooms with nice views. You must book well in advance to get rooms here. They are on high demand. The rooms are large and can easily accommodate 4 persons. But I'm not sure if the hotel will allow that even with extra charges. In May, you can not negotiate the rates. It falls in the peak tourist season.
Note that Shangrila Regency located further down Gandhi road is also owned by the same owner (Ranjan Lama) who stays in the UK, but very active in personally taking care of his guests in these hotels. However, Shangrila Regency is not as good as Hotel Shangri-la. You can get some idea about the transport rates here: Darjeeling Transport Rates
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