DJ-RTW's profile and reviews

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Not really a resort and not really by the sea, The Raj somehow felt justified in charging almost 4,000 Indian Rupees ($105 U.S.) per night between Christmas and New Years. This small hotel, which resembles a hostel, had little that warranted its high rates but had many things that s hould actually bring down its prices. The hotel is near the airport so jets rumble overhead frequently; it is a fifteen minute bus ride away from the nearest town; the beach is a kilometer away with a good uphill slog when you return; the kitchen cook is pretty bad and the only alternatives are at the beach (didn’t feel it would be safe to walk back from the beach at night after dinner or drinks as the road isn’t well lit); bed linens have moth holes while pillows must date twenty years; and the window air conditioner rattled all of the windows – which, by the way, didn’t open so that wasn’t an option. And, like everywhere in India – the entire place needs a good cleaning and a fresh coat of paint. The pluses are: free wireless Internet access (although it constantly goes down), a small unheated pool and the staff are friendly but really need customer service training as well as English-language training.

The high tourist season between Christmas and New Year has mistakenly lulled the owners of this hotel to believe they can charge very high rates for what they have on offer. We paid 3,000 Indian Rupees (or $80 U.S.) for our first night’s stay in this east coast city as we had trouble finding anything reasonable.

The first room we were shown had large patches of mold on the ceiling and the smell of rot and old smoke was overpowering. The second room we were shown was better although the smell of mold was still present. The room was in need of a good cleaning as well as some new paint.

The most annoying thing about this hotel, more than the noisy street and poor neighborhood, the lamp without an electrical plug, and the tepid-water shower was the unwanted early morning wake-up call by the laundry service asking whether we had dirty clothes for him! The noisy street made it impossible to return to sleep.

The lobby of the hotel is the only area that looks modernized while the other public spaces, including the elevators and restaurants sent visitors back several decades with old furniture and décor and dirt while providing a smell that only mold can provide.

Interesting old hotel that reminds travelers of colonial times. Our room was newly painted, except for the peeling bathroom, had a large balcony overlooking the main street as well as air conditioning – a must in this humid, hot city. Located on the main street of the tourist area, there were many restaurants and cafes nearby to supplement the so-so hotel restaurant where we had the continental breakfast (eggs or omelet, dried sausages, fatty bacon, cold toast) included with the price of the room.