Aug15

Hotel Grand Plaza, Hyderabad

by Kev on August 15th, 2011 at 8:06 am
Posted In: hotels, travel
Hotel Grand Plaza, Hyderabad

Hotel Grand Plaza, Hyderabad

The Hotel Grand Plaza in Hyderabad sits opposite the public gardens to the north of Nampally railway station in Hyderabad and a short walk away from the shopping area of Abids Circle and its collection of shoe, sari and kurta shops, not forgetting the bizarre shopping experience that is Big Bazaar.

Here’s a link to Google maps for the hotel

Once again my friends Madhu and Savita’s blog, 10YearItch.com, provided me with the details about this hotel and we liked it so much I also want to recommend it. It was a toss-up between this hotel and another recommended one, the Amogh Yatri Niwas, but in the end I decided that Madhu/Savita’s advice had been faultless so far and the price of the rooms seemed a little better.

It’s August and there’s no real need to book rooms in advance so I didn’t book this one, but on the train as we neared Hyderabad I went online and checked that there were still rooms there; there was. Arriving at the reception I requested two double rooms (Rs1249 each = £18) only to be told that only one was available and it was too small to get two extra beds into. They didn’t seem to believe that I was able to almost book two rooms less than two hours ago and there’d been no arrivals since. Houston, we have a problem. They showed the excutive rooms which were double the price and suites that were even dearer. Finally they offered me one double at Rs1249 and one executive at Rs2000 (20% discount). These buggers are scamming me I thought.

I told them I’d have a cup of tea and decide what to do and quickly whipped out the netbook and reserved two rooms, bar actually paying for them. Taking the netbook back to reception and showing them my 99% booking I asked them to explain how they had two doubles available online. Perplexed the head manager stepped in an offered me two executive rooms, one at Rs2000 (Rs500 off) and the other at Rs1249 (Rs1249). Finally, we had a deal.

So, our time at the hotel didn’t start too well, but that was where any issues finished, after that we found that it was a great hotel. The rooms, being executive rooms, were quite large, having a table and chairs, TV, A/C and a bathroom which actually contained a bath, the first bath we’ve encountered on this trip.

We ate lunch in their restaurant, opting for a-la-carte even though they had an all-you-can-eat-buffet available and the food was really good, even being delivered with a smile from their courteous waiters.

Hotel Grand Plaza's restaurant
The restaurant

As we found the food really good we decided to eat there in the evening too and I decided to blow the budget on a Full Tandoori Chicken, just for me. For some reason it didn’t occur to me that this would actually be a full chicken, but regardless I let Jane have two pieces and I polished off the rest. Yum.

Tandoori Chicken (Full), only £3
Tandoori Chicken (Full) minus a piece I’d already tucked into, only £3

Being so impressed with the restaurant we didn’t bother trying to find somewhere else nearby: the value was good; the food was good; the seating comfortable; the waiters were professional and attentive.

In fact everyone at this hotel was so professional it felt like we were staying in a hotel that would demand far more than the Rs1249 of their cheapest double room, especially as breakfast was included in that price.

I think the best way I can compliment this hotel, apart from this article, is to say that whenever I come back to Hyderbad I won’t bother looking anywhere else. If you’re looking for a hotel in the Rs1250-Rs2500 I’d suggest you check this place out.

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Aug14

Indian Hospitality – Part III

by Kev on August 14th, 2011 at 5:21 am
Posted In: food, travel
Emilia's new bangles

Emilia's new bangles

If I had to answer a question on what’s been the best part of the trip so far then I’d have to say that spending time with people I’ve known online for a while, met through friends of theirs or the residents of the homestay would have to top the list. These are pretty strong words when you consider that we’ve so seen many sublime places like Ajanta, Ellora and especially the Golden Temple.

Yesterday we managed to meet up with one my fellow moderators on IndiaMike who wanted to show us the different sides to our current location, Hyderabad. Whilst a very social person he also appears to be a private man so I’ll refer to him as Mr S in this article. Picking us up in the afternoon Mr S’s driver showed us some of the sights as we headed to the old city as the girls wanted to buy some bangles. The traffic at points was just mad, I’m so glad I’m not the one having to drive, although perhaps it would be fun to have a go, just not with my own car.

Chowmahalla Palace
The Chowmahalla Palace

It's amazing what they carry on their bikes
It’s amazing what they carry on their bikes

Arriving in the thin alleyway filled muslim area we found the best bangles we’d seen so far on the trip, Emilia finding some stunning ones which matched her new Salwar Kameez and her eyes. Mr S took control over the negotiations and reduced the price far lower than I’d have ever got it and turned my money away when I tried to pay: Emilia’s a very lucky girl. Jane spotted some bangles too at a different shop but the starting price was high at Rs1000 (£15) and Mr S was called in to handle negotiations once more, yet again making sure my money stayed in my pocket. At a shop nearby I was forced by the girls to try on some shoes which a traditionally worn on wedding days but unfortunately (!) they didn’t fit me. Phew!

Bangles
Some bangles that caught the girls’ eyes

The bangles Jane got
The bangles Jane got

Leaving the market behind we set off to visit Mr S’s house, located in the upmarket area called Banjara Hills. The house sits near the top of the hill and is surrounded by houses owned by Chiefs of this and that, politicians and the like. The property prices here rival those of London. Taking in drinks and snacks on the rooftop, watching the distant lightening we spent a great hour or so having a chat.

Mr S passed the phone to me to have a chat with one of the IndiaMike regulars, a lady whom everyone loves. We had a lovely chat but it’s such a shame that I’ll have to ban her from IndiaMike when I return for being rude about my lovely new green Punjabi t-shirt, yeah, the one I seem to be wearing in every photo! She said I needed to get a new one and I described my latest t-shirt but still it was no good and it appears I need to look for a Bengali based one. (I’m joking about the ban of course, but maybe a minor infraction if she ever steps out of line 🙂 ).

We’d planned to go out for some biryani but Mr S had been invited to go out to dinner with his cousins as it was the festival of Raksha Bandhan where brothers and sisters get together and celebrate their relationship. A quick call and the okay was given for us to attend too. Before leaving the four of us got changed into the outfits we’d bought the other day.

The very popular Mr S’s mobile phone rang for the hundredth time and it was his friend and ours, the guy we visited in Gurgaon in the Indian Hospitality – Part II article. We had a lovely chat, sharing some laughs as we always do.

Mr S wanted to show me every side to this city so we did a quick tour of the area known as Cyberabad, past the offices of Microsoft, RBS and other major multinationals, past Porsche showrooms and other high end stores. We could have easily have been in the US or London.

On to the restaurant where we met some of Mr S’s relatives. The restaurant was still within the upmarket area of town and there we were wearing or more traditional clothes whilst all around us were wearing the latest fashions in jeans and designer tops.

During the evening we drank, we chatted – although still no-one really wanted to talk about cricket what with England beating India at the moment – and ate some lovely food, some biryani and some spicy shredded lamb that was just gorgeous. We were made to feel so welcome, everybody keen to hear where we’d been, what we’d seen and where we were going next. We had a great time. I tried to keep an eye out for the bill to pay my share but perhaps it was no surprise that it never ended up anywhere near me.

Mr S, if you’re reading this, thank you so much for a wonderful time, we really enjoyed ourselves.

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Aug13

Bhagwat Of Mansi Tours and Travels, Aurangabad

by Kev on August 13th, 2011 at 10:45 am
Posted In: travel
Bhagwat from Mansi Tours and Travels

Bhagwat, our driver in Aurangabad

Although we’re doing this trip by ourselves, as opposed to using a travel company, we decided that we had the need to get a driver whilst in Aurangabad. I got the number of a driver, Bhagwat, from my friends Madhu and Savita (10YearItch.com) who had used his services during their time in and around Aurangabad.

Initially, it didn’t seem that we’d be able to hire Bhagwat at all as I sent an SMS but he never responded. Later though he called me and answering the call on my netbook he and I just couldn’t understand each other. Finally I got across “Ajanta, 8am, Bagga Hotel, Jalna Road”.

So at 8am he arrived and his English was good enough to get along with, certainly better than my non-existant Hindi, we had a chat, did a deal and we were off on our way to Ajanta. I doubt he’s the cheapest guy in town but he’s trustworthy and more importantly a safe driver.

He took us to places we’d never have found easily by ourselves, to places where we got cracking deals on stuff we bought and he made us aware of certain issues we may face. He was always careful to make sure we knew exactly where to go and where to meet afterwards.

After a few chat with Bhagwat it seems he has an All India Permit to drive his tourist car anywhere in India and has previously travelled as far north as Amritsar and as far south as Kerala – that’s pretty much most of India. He’s previously done a one month tour covering 4000 miles, the equivalent of driving from London to Delhi.

I’ve no hesitation to recommend Bhagwat to anyone else as our times with him were trouble free.

Contact detail for Bhagwat of Mansi Travels:
Bhagwat Salve has three mobile numbers
– 09325048991
– 09421261313
– 09421267778
(You’ll need to work out how to dial India from your own country.)

His brother (I think, maybe it’s a cousin) can be called on 09764799720 if you can’t get hold of Bhagwat.

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Aug13

Ellora Caves

by Kev on August 13th, 2011 at 10:22 am
Posted In: travel
Ellora Caves

Ellora Caves

The caves near Aurangabad (Ajanta and Ellora) have been on the top of Jane’s ToDo list for some time. She could almost have crossed Ellora off the list 22 years ago when she visited Ellora whilst touring India with a friend. But in Aurangabad last time her friend fractured her collar bone and couldn’t visit the caves. So Jane went alone, taking a autorickshaw to Ellora by herself. Her stay didn’t last long as it was pouring with rain and whilst visiting the caves accompanied by her rickshaw driver she remembered the film A Passage To India and promptly left.

Ellora is promoted quite differently to Ajanta and there isn’t the air of commercialism there, which is quite refreshing as Ajanta was far too structured with permanent shops there. The caves are spread of a few kilometres so inside the grounds there are autorickshaws offering lifts from one end to the other, for a fee of course. Luckily we’d employed a driver for our three day stay in Aurangabad so he ferried us around.

Cave number 10 impressed us with its huge catherdral-like ceiling:

Ellora, Cave 10

Here’s some of the other images from the caves, some which are really long exposures due to the darkness inside

Ellora

Ellora

Ellora

Ellora

I found that the other caves weren’t half as impressive or awe-inspiring as Ajanta but that’s until you come to the masterpiece, the Kailash Temple. A large temple whose walls have been cut away from the rock that surrounded it in a project that lasted 100 years. Standing there looking at the temple and thinking about the design, planning and workmanship that went into it you can’t help but stand there with your jaw on the ground. Here’s some photos of Kailash Temple:

Kailash Temple

Kailash Temple

Kailash Temple

Kailash Temple

Here’s a few nice portraits we took at Ellora:


Kev and Jane

Amy

Emilia

Finally at the end of a hard, tiring day, I decided it was time for a rest in the grounds of Hotel Kailash where we had a meal before catching our overnight train to Hyderabad:

Kev has a rest

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Aug13

Daulatabad Fort

by Kev on August 13th, 2011 at 8:05 am
Posted In: forts, travel
Daulatabad Fort

Daulatabad Fort

I felt pretty stupid when I arrived at Daulatabad Fort as I’d see many pictures of it before and thought that the whole fort sat at the top of the hill, yet only about one fifth of it sits on the hill, the rest, the majority is thankfully at ground level.

Arched entrances to small rooms that led nowhere
Arched entrances to small rooms that led nowhere

Huge gate within the fort
Huge gate within the fort

The 210 feet minaret
The 210 feet high minaret

We explored the lower levels, the huge walls, past where the old temples and palaces used to be and cross the rickety bridge perched high above the moat. This is where the fort becomes really impressive when you see how much rock was cut away to guard the higher parts from attack.

The rock cut walls and the moat below:

The rock cut walls and the moat below

The rock cut walls and the moat below

Once over the bridge raiders would had to navigate a very dark – luckily I had a torch – windy route to get any further. As this low ceilinged extremely dark area was full of bats we didn’t go much further, instead heading up another staircase to see the view from the mid level. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not scared of bats but they stink, they really do.

Jane enjoys the cooling breeze

Jane enjoys the cooling breeze

It was already hot, with the sun beating down for another day, although the heavy clouds hovered above us. As our main focus for the day was our visit for the day was to the caves at Ellora we decided not to strain our legs any further and declined the steps to the top and the great view that we would have been rewarded with.

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