Where to Stay in Kolkata: The Best Hotels and Neighborhoods – Happy Frog Travels

Kolkata (Calcutta) is a huge city with very different neighborhoods. Since the city is so big, moving around is an issue. You don’t want to spend most of your time trapped inside a car. Trust us, it simply isn’t nice. That’s why choosing where to stay in Kolkata is so important.

We’ve been to the city several times and always have a blast. What can we say? The city of joy delivers! We always stay in the best hotels in Kolkata. It’s one of the things we love the most about the city. Kolkata has some of the best hotels in India.

You can stay in old world-class hotels, contemporary buildings, and architectural gems. Kolkata has it all! We believe that changing hotels is a great idea. We always do. You get to explore different sections of the city without wasting so much time in traffic. Besides, you get to experience more hotels.

Best Areas to Stay in Kolkata

Dalhousie and Esplanade

The area around Dalhousie and Esplanade is north of the center. It begins at the Tipu Sultan Mosque. Huge palaces populate the area. Walk from the 1803 Raj Bhavan mansion to the 1787 St. Johns Church. The 1862 Neo-Gothic High Court of Kolkata is two blocks south. The Eden Gardens begin here.

A walk along the river is mandatory. From the court walk to the coast and then north to Millenium Park. Exit and go to the Customs House and the General Post Office. The area is full of colonial buildings. Check out Dalhousie Square and go to Chandni Chowk metro.

Take it to Mahatma Gandhi Road. Visit the Kakhoda Mosque, Marble Palace, the Sri Ram Chandra Temple, and Jorasanko Thakurbari. You can spend days discovering this area. Get lost in the Bara Bazar and visit the Ramakrishna Swami Cultural Center. Have tea at the Indian Coffee House and go to the Bose Institute Museum.

We Recommend These Hotels in Dalhousie and Esplanade:

The LaLiT Great Eastern Kolkata

The Lalit Great Eastern Kolkata Hotel is one of the best 5 star hotels in Kolkata and India. Mark Twain called it the Jewel of the East. Today, it has 3 sections: Victorian, Edwardian, and Contemporary. Everything is luxurious, including the pool. The service is in a league of its own: inclusive, warm, and so elegant!

Polo Floatel Kolkata

For a different kind of accommodation in Kolkata book a room at the Polo Floatel. It’s a boat docked in the river. No worries, it doesn’t move, so you’ll be able to sleep. The rooms are big and have awesome city or river views. The rooftop restaurant is pretty cool.

New Market (Dharmatala)

The New Market opened in 1874 for the British colonizers who didn’t want to mingle with the locals. Today, the market has over 3000 shops that sell just about everything to everyone. It’s a fantastic place to experience the city, eat, and socialize. It’s in front of Shaheed Minar Ground.

Chowringee Road used to be the fanciest street in British Kolkata. The Indian Museum is the oldest and biggest museum in the country. From there, walk east to Janbazar. It’s an area full of mansions, shops, temples, and isles. Check out Rani Rashmoni’s house. She was the wife of the last Zamindar.

Maidan Park is the green area across Chowringee Road. It’s the largest park in India. The north of the park is full of military compounds. James Prinsep Ghat from 1841 offers epic views. Fort Williams is next to the river. You can visit the Command Museum.

We Recommend These Hotels around the New Market:

The Oberoi Grand

We love the Oberoi Grand for its historic flare and elegant service. The hotel’s history goes back to 1911. However, Mr. Singh Oberoi himself reopened it in 1939. The inner courtyard with a pool is a dream come true. Most rooms have balconies. Though it’s in the middle of the New Market, you won’t hear a sound.

The Elgin Fairlawn Kolkata

The Elgin Fairlawn includes original bungalows from 1787 and a mansion from 1936. Dominque Lapierre wrote here the book that gave Kolkata its nickname City of Joy. Bollywood Royal Shashi Kapoor met his wife here. The rooms are big and feature antique furniture. The restaurant in the courtyard is a must.

Park Street Area

The center of modern-day Kolkata revolves around Park Street. All types of shops, restaurants, palaces, and bars line the historic street. Since the sidewalk is wide, you can walk all along the street. If you want to experience hip and cool Kolkata this area is where to stay.

Park Street is to the south of the Indian Museum. Park Street Metro Station is next to southern Meidan Park. The historic Oxford Bookstore holds book presentations and has a coffee house. Moti Mahal serves some of the best Bengali food in the city. The first section of the street goes to Manzuma’s Sun Park.

Visit Saint Xavier College, which opened in 1860. Keep walking to South Park Street Cemetery. The 18th Century cemetery has ancient tombs and tall trees. The Scottish Cemetery is down the road. The legendary Flury’s bakery is on the corner. The Mother House of the Missionary of Charity is 10 minutes north. Mother Theresa’s tomb is there.

We Recommend These Hotels in the area around Park Street:

The Park Hotel

The Park Hotel opened in 1967 to great acclaim. The swanky hotel soon became the place to be. The famous Trinca’s restaurant is part of the hotel. The massive hotel’s club is one of the most popular in the city. It’s a hip hotel, but very noisy. The pool is cool.

The Harrington Residency

The Rooms at the Harrington Residency are extra big. The best ones have balconies with views. The hotel occupies an old building a couple of blocks from Park Street. It’s got high ceilings and antique furniture. The bathrooms are new.

Near Victoria Memorial

This is the best area to stay in Kolkata if you are short of time. Victoria Memorial is the city’s most famous landmark. The 1921 museum holds a collection of objects and paintings that tell the history of the city. There’s a statue of the controversial empress too.

The building is beautiful, and the gardens around it are even better. The Birla Planetarium from 1962 is the biggest in Asia and the second biggest in the world. Saint Paul’s Cathedral from 1847 is south. The largest church in the city is also the first church ever built in the British Empire.

The Academy of Fine Arts is on Cathedral Road. It’s one of India’s oldest and most important art associations. From there, walk to the Rabidan Sadan Nandan Sisir Mancha cultural center.  The 100-year-old Calcutta Club is next door. Walk south to Kokatta’s newest architectural masterpiece: Dhono Danyo Auditorium.

We Recommend These Hotels near the Victoria Memorial:

The Astor

The heritage Astor Hotel was built in 1905. It’s a couple of blocks from the planetarium, near Sri Aurbindo’s house. The property was recently refurbished and looks amazing. Be sure to ask for a room far from the nightclub. The suites are worth it. The onsite restaurant is delicious.

Taj Bengal

The contemporary Taj Bengal is a tall tower set in manicured gardens. One of India’s best hotel chains runs it, Taj Hotels. It’s got a massive pool, a gym, and a spa. You can eat at any of the 6 restaurants. The rooms on the top floors have memorable views over the city.

Salt Lake

Salt Lake is the result of draining a massive lake and converting it into real estate and smaller lakes in the 1960s. Hop on a tuk-tuk and discover the smaller lakes, malls, and coffee shops in the neighborhood. The biggest mall is Mani, close to Salt Lake Stadium.

Salt Lake is 10 miles (15 km) northeast of the center. The new metro will connect it to the center in no time. It’s a great place to set base and discover northern Kolkata. Take a taxi to Dakshineswar Temple, one of the biggest in the city. Then cross the river to Belur Math.

Come back and take the metro to Sovabazar. Kumartuli is south. The area is famous for its temples and pottery. Walk from Chapatala Ghat next to the river admiring the crumbling palaces. Then get lost in the side streets looking for temples. Mud and hay sculptures are made here for the city’s pujas.

We Recommend These Hotels in the Salt Lake:

Raajkutir Hotel

This boutique hotel is a fantasy come true! It’s got one of the biggest and prettiest gardens in the city, a gorgeous pool, and a sauna. Featured in architectural magazines, the Raajkutir Hotel managed by Taj is a contemporary take on a traditional palace. The onsite bar and restaurant are amongst the best in India.

Hyatt Regency Kolkata

The Hyatt Regency Kolkata is a contemporary building with a huge garden. The tall tower is next to Salt Lake Stadium, near the metro. The rooms are extra big and feature wooden floors. The bathrooms come with a shower and a tub. It’s got a big pool and 6 restaurants.

How Long to Stay in Kolkata

The longest we’ve been in the city was 15 days. We never run out of things to do in Kolkata. In all honesty, you can spend months in the city and never have a dull moment. However, we all have time constraints and live in a huge world. Thus the question: how many days are needed in Kolkata?

We believe you should spend at least 3 nights in the city. You will have to rush a bit but you will get to see the city’s top attractions. That said, we believe a week is better. You will have time to see and experience the city. Kolkata has an incredible vibe!

If you have more time, we strongly recommend going to Sundarban Tiger Reserve, some 80 miles (95 km) southeast. The biggest delta in the world is home to one of the country’s best national parks. We strongly recommend staying at the Hotel Sonar Bangla. The fancy property is next to the park.

Moving Around Kolkata

Moving around Kolkata is not easy. In all honesty: it can be pure hell! There are cars, motorbikes, buses, and trucks everywhere! Traffic is so bad that you can spend hours going from one point to the other. That’s why you must stay in any of the Kolkata neighborhoods mentioned above.

We walk a lot in the center, Dalhousie, Esplanade, Dharmatala, Park Street, and Salt Lake. You have to be extra cautious when crossing the street. The noise is super annoying too. We also take the metro whenever possible. It’s the fastest way of crossing the city. You can buy your token at every station.

Taxis and tuk-tuks are not expensive. You can hail one almost everywhere. Agree on a price and enjoy the ride. We’ve taken buses too. You can pay aboard the bus. A boat ride is a great way of seeing the city from the river. Go to the ghat and ask around.