Visitors' Reviews/Comments
Kumkum Chowdhury (September 2022)
I am planning to visit Darjeeling in October with my elderly parents. Will you please suggest which hotel will be good to stay for senior citizens - Alice Villa hotel, Omega Residency, Golden Orchid or Magnolia Residency. I can't decide which one should I choose.
Raj (darjeeling-tourism.com) September 2022
Alice Villa would be a good choice... cars can reach right up to the hotel, the Chowrasta Mall is just a 4-minute (little uphill) walk through the Bhutia Market, and Keventer's is only a 2-minute walk along Robertson's Road on flat terrain. Golden Orchid and Magnolia Residency are on Zakir Hussain road and require a good amount of walking from the nearest taxi stand. Omega Residency is on a very congested and steep HD Lama Road.
Amritava (December 2019)
Hi Raj, I am planning three nights in Shangri la and two more nights in somewhere near to Gandhi road /Kunga/Kaventer with Kanchenjunga view and in budget. Also my mother cannot climb stairs repeatedly. So which to book Broadway, Dekeling, Capital, Fairmont... Regards.
Raj (darjeeling-tourism.com) December 2019
Hi, all four have stairways to negotiate... although Broadway doesn't have many steps to reach up to the reception level (where there are few rooms too), but the better rooms are at upper levels which requires another flight of stairs to climb. There is also a steep section of the road before you reach the entrance to the hotel, so unless you have a car, that would be difficult to negotiate for an elderly person. The next two hotels have steep stairways. Fairmont too requires steps to climb but comparatively lesser if you take rooms in the lower floors.
Kedar (February 2017)
Hello Raj, Firstly, many thanks for keeping this site well updated. It's really very helpful for visitors like us who plan to travel to Darjeeling. Well, I am planning for a trip to Darjeeling in May 2016 along with my family (including one senior Citizen). I need your valuable suggestion for booking a hotel which probably has all good facilities + an elevator and accessible by a vehicle till the hotel keeping in view the Sr.Citizen with us. I am looking for a 3 or 4 star hotel. Thanks in anticipation.
Raj (darjeeling-tourism.com) February 2017
Hi, you can consider hotel Viceroy.
Maneesh Goenka (November 2014)
We are 2 couples and would like to visit Darjeeling and Gangtok in Jan 2015. we will be reaching Darjeeling on 26.1.2015 morning and plan to be there till 28.1.2015 morning. thereafter will go to Gangtok (after breakfast at Darjeeling on 28.1.2015) and will be in Gangtok till 31.1.2015 morning . After breakfast will leave for Bagdogra to take flight to Ahmedabad. I am 61 years old therefore like would like to stay in hotel in the main area so that walking is minimum. Can you suggest area at Darjeeling and Gangtok. which toy ( morning or afternoon ) you would suggest for us. will they operational during that period ? Thanks & regards
Raj (darjeeling-tourism.com) November 2014
In Darjeeling stay at the Chowrasta Mall area and in Gangtok near MG Marg. Note that both Mall in Darjeeling and MG Marg at Gangtok are pedestrian only zones (restricted to motor traffic). So find a hotel which is accessible to cars like Windamere in Darjeeling. It will of course depend on your budget. Take a toy train in the first half and certainly not the last one. Yes, they should operate in January.
Anirban Chaudhuri (October 2014)
Dear Raj, I am planning to visit Darjeeling in mid-November with my parents and intend to spend a week there. We shall be travelling there in a group of 4 and would prefer family suite or 2 inter-connected rooms for accommodation. My mother uses a wheel-chair and has very limited mobility - hence the accommodation should allow her easy access (besides open space and a good view). Can you please help me with your suggestion on a suitable hotel accommodation? We would prefer to stay near the mall and can afford the best options. I really liked your website and the quality of information that it includes. Thanks for coming up with this much needed initiative. Thanks & Regards,
Raj (darjeeling-tourism.com) October 2014
Consider Windamere. Some units including Observatory house has rooms with connecting door. Try to take Rimzing Namgyal and Cooch Bihar rooms in Observatory house. I stayed in Rimzing Namgyal once and so did Sharukh Khan in 2004 :) Btw, The resort offers great privileges and discounts to Darjeeling Tourism Card holders. Here is my review of Windamere ... go through the section on Observatory House as well and talk to the hotel for all amenities you can expect. Nothing in Darjeeling goes better than this.
Dr. Tabish Javed (October 2014)
Respected Sir... I spent the whole night yesterday till 4 am going through your website. It is really interesting, informative and I salute you for the pain taken to write such a detailed reviews. Now., coming to myself...I am planning to visit Darjeeling in 2nd week of December along with my parents. My mother has some walking problem and she could not walk long distances and steep slopes .I would like information about hotels in Darjeeling which meet my requirements...
1. Is very close to mall road
2. Where cars can reach
3. Had good views with rooms
4 no steep slopes to reach hotel rooms
Kindly...help me with these. Reading your reviews , I came to conclusion that hotel shangri la is very good hotel .my concerns are how much we have to walk from car stand..? Is the pathway to rooms very steep.. Also please let me know whether we can take public vehicle like rikshaw and autorikshaw to travel within mall road. Eagerly waiting four your reply.. Thanking you in anticipation
Raj (darjeeling-tourism.com) October 2014
Hotel Shangrila is a good hotel and very close to the Mall, but it may not be suitable for a person having problems walking. One will need to walk either from clubside stand which will require an uphill walk for about 4-5 minutes for a normal person, or from Gorkha Bhawan on a relatively flat terrain for about 8-10 minutes. Plus the hotel has some steep flights of stairs to climb.
Note that the entire mall area is pedestrian only zone. You can not take a car or any vehicle along Mall road except for a few designated stretches which can be accessed by car only to reach a hotel or for leaving the hotel.
With all your requirements, Darjeeling Tourist Lodge could be a close match. It's located off mall road and quite close to the mall, cars can reach right up to hotel entrance, great views from main building rooms etc. Take a ground floor room to avoid stairs. A drawback is the gradient of the lane that leads down to the mall road. Walking back up may be a bit cumbersome, but with care and slow pace should be manageable. Also it requires a bit of walk to the shops and restaurants, and walking on mall road at night is not advisable.
Another good option is Hotel Golden Heights enclave... attic rooms have great views and so does the lounge. Most importantly the building has an elevator and cars can come right up to the entrance. The hotel is about 10 minutes walk to the mall. Unlike the Tourist Lodge, this hotel is much closer to lot many shops and restaurants, and therefore very convenient.
Soumen Pal (September 2014)
I will travel to Darjeeling at end of october-2014 with my wife, kid (1.5yrs) & parents (70 & 77). As my parents are not very well and have problem in walking, I request you to suggest me few hotels where we can 1) approach to gate by car 2) have good view from room/hotel(so parents can enjoy without much walking) 3) "if possible" near shopping point (parents may explore if they wish) 4) budget within Rs 1200 but extendable to Rs 1600 if facilities overrules the excess cost. Thanks in advance,
Raj (darjeeling-tourism.com) September 2014
Hi, October is in high season and most good hotels with such facilities would have rates higher than your budget. You can consider the following that may come close ... (note: they offer good discounts on Darjeeling Tourism Card):
1) Golden Heights Enclave (Attic rooms and lounge offer great views), they have elevators as well.
2) Hotel Fairmont, upper floor rooms have good views, but no elevator.
Soumen Pal (September 2014)
Dear Mr. Raj, First of all many thanks for your prompt & useful reply. As correctly mentioned by you getting a hotel with good view and easy access for aged people will be tough. Hence I will definitely extend my budget to Rs 2000- 2300. With this in mind and based on your recommendation on below mention web-page, I did though of opting either of below options
(1) Darjeeling Tourist Lodge [Standard double bed room Rs 2000 + Taxes in main building] - As I will prefer the Kanchenjunga view from the covered private balcony and probably enjoying with family in lawn. Also its vicinity to mall will be added advantage. However have few doubt for your clarification, as you have past experience for this place
a. Do standard double bed room have balcony with good view, as default?? Or I need to mentions specifically.
b. Will the standard double bed room will be on ground floor (to avoid stairs)
c. Is the lawn good for spending time with family & kid ??
d. I feel reaching Mall will be easy from here. Want your suggestion ??
e. I may opt for larger double bed room, only if we get advantage of good view. However, large room size is not a priority (as I feel standard double room are OK in size) but view is.
(2) Golden Heights Enclave (Attic rooms) - Will select based on your suggestion. However have few doubts.
a. The attic rooms are quite costly & out of my budget. So do other rooms provide good view from balcony/large-window ?? (which I doubt will be in standard room in my budget)
b. Do they have a lawn like "tourist lodge" where we can spend time with family ?
c. What about the ease of reaching Mall (as compared to tourist lodge) ??
As I am planning to complete my booking by today (owning to limited room availability for the days), will greatly appreciate your quick response. Please also suggest me if Darjeeling Tourism Card fetch me good discount as I will need 3-double bed rooms and large vehicle for NJP-Darjeeling transit & site seeing.
Raj (darjeeling-tourism.com) September 2014
In tourist lodge main building, the standard rooms do not have balconies, but most have views through windows. Some are in the ground floor, but you can ask for floor preference only during check-in if available and not at the time of booking. Lawn is nice. Reaching the Mall is easy (about 5-6 minutes walk), but walking back up (the stretch between Gorkha Bhavan andthe lodge) can be difficult for elderly people, but doable with breaks. Mall road becomes dark and deserted after 7pm, so you should ideally be back by then although the shopping areas remain open until 9pm in high season.
In Golden Heights, other rooms do not offer views of Kanchenjunga, but views of valley & town. The lounge on the top floor is very nice for sitting and spending time. There is no lawn. You will have much easier access to the main shopping areas and restaurants (on Nehru Road) and no issue in getting back late. Mall is also easily accessible by walk.
The tourism card won't work in Tourist Lodge, while Golden Heights Enclave offers attractive discount on the card considering high season. For 3 rooms, you will need 3 cards. The card also fetches good discounts in many great restaurants, shops, tours and transports. You will get details in my site.
Partho Ghosh (November 2013)
Hi Raj, Firstly nice site with apt information. I with my family members ( total 5 adults + 1 infant) am coming to Darjeeling on 15th - 18th Dec. Please suggest us a mid priced hotel ( upto Rs 2000 per room). There is a preference that my father and me have recently had leg injuries so wont be able to walk much. So nearness to Mall and the travel modes will be really helpful. Looking forward to your response. Cheers
Raj (darjeeling-tourism.com) November 2013
Hi, You can consider WBTDC Tourist Lodge (main building) ... taxi reaches up to the entrance, 2 minutes walk to the mall. Otherwise consider Hotel Olde Main Bellevue or Sunflower (you can negotiate rates). They are both right on the Mall, but the only problem is taxis won't come up to the entrance as Mall is a pedestrian only zone. You need to walk a bit (couple of minutes) from the nearest taxi point (you will get porters though).
Nirmalendu P. Ray (November 2013)
Dear Sir, I am going to Darjeeling with my aged mother who is around 90 years old along with others and planning to stay at Hotel Broadway Annex. We also carry with us a wheel chair for my mother, though she is not ill but unable to walk around. So, it will be easier to her to stroll with chair. So, if we approach the hotel from Chowrastra mall as you have mentioned the slope is relatively gentle, will we be able to reach with the wheel chair without any hassle? Kindly reply at your earliest. Thanking you.
Raj (darjeeling-tourism.com) November 2013
Broadway Annex in my view is not suitable for persons having mobility issues. The walk along Zakir Hussain Road which leads to the hotel from Chowrasta Mall is uphill. The road has several bends. While you may be able to manage pushing the wheelchair, it's not a good idea at all.
Syamal Banerjee (July 2013)
Advice on the following :1)tour by end week of sept, 2013. 2)weather conditions, specially rain, 3)good budget hotel on mall & booking procedures, 4)I am a sr. citizen & so walking restricted up and down hills, 5)we are 3 in total with 2 females of 60+, thanks
Raj (darjeeling-tourism.com) July 2013
Monsoon should start receding by end of September, but there are still some chances of showers. But overall it's a good time to visit. Unfortunately, there are no great budget hotels right on the mall. The good ones are all 2/3 star categories. However you can consider The Bellevue Hotel. Another one right next to it is Main Olde Bellevue hotel which is much better but that's a 2-star category hotel. Both these hotels are right on the Mall. You should call them up directly and ask for off season discounts. Another option would be the annex building of Darjeeling Tourist Lodge. However, that will require some walk along the Mall road. You will find contact information of the hotels in the links above.
Subrata Saha (November 2012)
I plan to visit Darjeeling in 1st week of Feb, 2013 for 4 days with my family - wife, son and daughter. My son (22 yrs )is a physically challenged person and is wheelchair bound.I do not intend to go for any kind of sightseeing, but just relax and move around in the mall area, visiting restaurants like Keventers, Kunga, Glenary's, etc. I would prefer to stay near the mall with room having good Kanchanjhangha view in a mid-budget hotel. While ground floor is preferable to me, I can at best settle for a 1st floor. I have read that Golden Heights Enclave has a lift. Considering my requirements, could you please suggest. Thanks
Raj (darjeeling-tourism.com) November 2012
Hi Subrata, Golden Heights Enclave is a relatively new hotel and occupies couple of floors in a multi-storied building which also has residential floors. The building does have elevator and the taxis do reach up to the entrance of the hotel. The Mall would be about 10 minutes walk from here. I personally think Hotel Anand Palace would be a better option for a Physically challenged person. It's conveniently located opposite to the Big Bazaar Mall (S.M. Das Road) and offers nice amenities including elevators. The cars reach up to the entrance. The Mall is about 7 minutes walk from here. It may be a little costlier than Golden Heights enclave, but the convenience of shops and restaurants are definitely better. You can go to their websites and compare.
Subrata Saha (November 2012)
Hi Raj, Thanks for your promt reply. I have gone through the website of Hotel Anand Palace and also gone through its reviews in Tripadvisor. The reviews are not great. Could you please suggest me some other good hotels very near to the Mall/Chowrasta with excellent Mt. Kanchanjhanga view from the room, preferably in the ground floor or at best in the first floor. However, reaching to the hotel building/reception area from the road/gate of the hotel should be a smooth affair with the wheelchair. For a convenient stay, in view of my special requirements, I may be able to pull my budget slightly in the given circumstances. Moreover, since I am visiting during lean period (Feb'13 - 1st week), I think there will be good discounts on offer. Thanking you once again and with regards,
Raj (darjeeling-tourism.com) November 2012
Hi Subrata, I suggested Anand Palace just for convenience, and later noted that you are looking for Kanchenjunga view. Anand Palace won't offer any views at all... I agree. But don't always go by TripAdvisor reviews (particularly for Indian hotels) ... you will be surprised how misleading they can be at times.
Golden Heights Enclave offers excellent views of Kanchenjunga and the valley from its attic rooms at the top floor. The restaurant here also offers sweeping views. By the way, this hotel too has its elevator.
Another great hotel for views is Villa Everest on Gandhi Road (12-15 minutes walk to the Mall). All 10 rooms offer nice views. They have couple of rooms in the ground floor, but there is a short flight of stairs (3-4 steps) to the reception (ground floor) level. Another hotel with possibly the best view of Kanchenjunga is Hotel Dolphin, located at the end of Mall road and close to Raj Bhawan. In fact there is a Kanchenjunga Viewing area (public gallery) right next to the hotel. So you can understand how good the position of the hotel is. They too have couple of rooms at reception level and first floor with wonderful views. One negative here can be the service (quite unprofessional). Mall is only 7-8 minutes walk, but the place around the hotel gets quite desolate after dark. You will get my detailed reviews of all these hotels under The Hotels Guide menu option.
Subrata Saha (December 2012)
Hi Raj, Thanks for your detailed reply. I took time to go through your website. I had seen the same earlier also, but mostly the 'Restaurants' section. I must admit that yours is one of the best websites on Darjeeling I have seen. I was even more impressed with the care and passion you have replied to my queries.
From your trailing e-mail and after visiting your website, I feel that VILLA EVEREST could be a better choice compared to Dolphin considering all aspects including my requirements. I have seen the photos of Villa Everest; those 3-4 steps would be very much managable. Just the following few queries:
(1) What could be the Tariff (EP basis) for a ground floor view room in Villa Everest during 1st week of February(2013);
(2) Would the hotel allow 4 members in one room ( I am ready to pay for one extra bed);
(3) From your website I also came to know about Swiss Hotel with good Kanchanjangha view from rooms. They have 4 bedded cottages. What would you suggest between Villa Everest and Swiss Hotel; among other things considering the tariff as well.
Let me tell you that I am going to Darjeeling for a short break (since my daughter will have to miss her college) to celebrate my 25th anniversery; so I may not mind stretching my budget a little bit for a comfortable and memorable vacation. It should be an enjoyable vacation for my children also. You have mentioned that the Mall is about 15 minutes walk from Villa Everest, but clarified that the road is not steep. In that case it would not be difficult to push the wheelchair of my son, I believe. Thanking you once again and with best regards
Raj (darjeeling-tourism.com) December 2012
Hi Subrata, I haven't checked out the room rates of Villa Everest in recent times. During Feb, they should offer good discounts. I guess a double room should be available for about Rs. 1500 per night (approx). I don't think they will allow 4 adults in a room even if you pay for one extra bed. Actually the rooms are not that big to accommodate 4 persons either. It won't be comfortable even you manage to squeeze in.
I didn't suggest Swiss Hotel because it's further down from Villa Everest along Gandhi Road and further away from the Mall. Also not all rooms have views although you get great views from the open lawn. The taxi can reach its private car park which is right adjacent to the lawn. There are a few cottage type rooms on one side of the lawn that should be easily wheelchair accessible. However the upper floor in the main building that has great view rooms would not be easy to access by a physically challenged.
With some effort, you should be able to push the wheelchair up the Nehru Road to the Mall. You might need a hand though. Regards,
Subrata Saha (December 2012)
Hi Raj, Thanks a lot. I have now been at least able to narrow down my choice to two hotels viz. Villa Everest & Swiss Hotel, with a fairly good idea of the pros & cons of both. Probably it would have been best if I could do spot booking after seeing both the hotels. Would it be advisable to go to these two hotels during 1st week of Feb ( 3 nights - 3rd to 5th Feb'13 ) without prior booking; shall be thankful for your advice on this. Best Regards,
Raj (darjeeling-tourism.com) December 2012
Subrata, While there is all likelihood that the hotels would have rooms available around that time, I won't take chances when my family is around, particularly when you have such limited choices. Between the two, I would go for Villa Everest considering all your requirements and constraints. While booking, call them up and do verify with the hotel about the kind of views & amenities you are looking for. Regards,
Subrata Saha (December 2012)
Thanks Raj ! As suggested, I will go for advance booking. I will surely mail you once I am back from Darjeeling and narrate my experience. My heartiest thanks to you for your help and advice over the past few days. Wish you a very happy, healthy & peaceful New Year. Warm Regards,
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