Hotel Review: Protea Hotel - Kruger Gate, Kruger

Strengths: Proximity to Paul Kruger Gate of Kruger National Park
Weakness: Expensive

I visited the Protea Hotel Kruger Gate in mid September 2010. This hotel is located about 90 miles from the Mpumalanga Nelspruit Airport (pronounced as MUM-ALANGA) and it takes about an hour and forty five minutes to cover that distance. It is advisable to rent a car and not take a cab as it is 5 times more economical and saved you ZAR 800 one way.

When you drive through, remember you will pass through Whiteriver and Hazyview and then you will come to Paul Kruger Gate of the Kruger National Park. The Protea Hotel Kruger Gate is about 100 metres before the Paul Kruger Gate of Kruger National Park. There are Protea Hotels in Hazyview and Nelspruit as well, but I strongly suggest that you stay in Protea Hotel Kruger Gate due to the proximity to the Paul Kruger Gate of Kruger National Park.

This hotel is best suited for a 2 night stay if you are going for a safari into the Kruger National Park (obviously you need to be a die-hard wildlife enthusiast, else there is no point coming to Kruger in the first place). There is no other reason for staying here, other than visiting Kruger. The Protea Hotel Kruger Gate (or almost all hotels in and around Kruger) is very expensive priced at approximately INR 13000 per night. This rate is inclusive of breakfast and dinner. The room facilities are as good as any other 4 Star hotels. I would not rate it is as a 5 Star as my experience was a bit below the best as there were some leakages in the bathroom and the Air Conditioning was a problem – and they took a lot of time to fix it. But I am guessing that this was a one off occurrence.

The breakfast is awesome and could be rated as one of the best I have ever had, however the dinner was a bit weird for my traditional Indian Palette. There is a variety of meat which is served (and very little chicken or mutton which significantly reduced my options). It is really great if you eat all types of meat including Pork, Beef, Deer, Kudu and several other varieties which I was scared to even touch. So I did not rate the dinner option very highly, however I realize that this is specific to my taste only and others may find it pretty good, and I think the other tourists who were present found it awesome. The good part during dinner was that they have a tribal group of teenagers performing some traditional African songs and this was quite an experience as I think it was the first time I was listening to traditional tribal African music.

The Protea Hotel Kruger Gate has a Travel & Tours desk which organize day trips to the Kruger National Park. You have several tour companies to select from and I would rate Echo Safaris as one of the best. They have a full day tour from 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM for ZAR 750 per person where they take you out in an open air jeep and it is very cool. Their guides are also very good and know exactly the places where you will be able to spot the wildlife.

The Protea Hotel Kruger Gate has 2 very nice restaurants, one of them with a sit out area overlooking the Kruger National Park and if you are equipped with Binoculars you will be definitely be able to spot some wildlife from the restaurant deck itself. It is an awesome place to unwind with Pizza or wine or whatever it is you like. The swimming pool at the Protea Hotel Kruger Gate is very small and is more of the kiddies pool and the water was freezing cold in mid September – so I did not enter it at all. The Internet is very expensive at ZAR 100 for 1 hour which means you are shelling out INR 700 for 1 hour of Internet. The Protea Hotel Kruger Gate has a store on premises where you can but stuff like souvenirs and batteries for your camera and Kruger National Park memorabilia.

I strongly recommend that when you visit South Africa you need to spend a maximum of 2 nights in the Protea Hotel Kruger Gate. The first day can be a full day Kruger National Park Safari and the second day will be chilling out at the hotel, going for a massage etc. Any more days spent in the Kruger National park area and I am sure you will get bored, unless you are a die-hard wildlife enthusiast.

Attraction Review: Kruger National Park

Let me state right at the outset, than planning a trip to Kruger National park is rather expensive (comes to approx INR 9000 per day per person) and you should do it only if you are a genuine wildlife enthusiast. If you do not care too much for wildlife, then you are better off skipping a visit to Kruger National Park as you will not get your money’s worth and may even find it a bit boring driving around the park for a full day. However if you are a Nature and Wildlife Lover and you have an hi-tech SLR camera and binoculars at hand, then you will have a gala time.

To experience Kruger National Park, it is better to fly down to Nelspruit Airport in Mpumalanga province and drive down to the Paul Kruger Gate of the Kruger National Park. As soon as you enter the Paul Kruger Gate you have the Skukuza Base camp at about 6 miles distance and it is best you make a booking here for your stay at Kruger National Park. I stayed at the Protea Hotel Kruger Gate which would be a more expensive option, but very convenient as the Protea Hotel Kruger Gate is located barely 100 metres from the Paul Kruger Gate of Kruger National Park. I also did not want to let go of the luxuries of a regular hotel.

As we had a car with us we had an option of driving into Kruger National Park or being a part of the Hotel organized Tour (organized via Echo Safaris). I would recommend an organized Open jeep tour with a driver guide due to the following reasons.

(1) The driver guides know which are the specific spots to find the animals in Kruger National Park. Our driver knew exactly in which part of the park we would see elephants and this is something I would not know if I was driving down
(2) The drivers are connected to other drivers via the car intercom / walkie talkie system, hence if one of the drivers spots a rare animal such as a lion or a leopard, he announces the same on the Intercom and other drivers immediately drive to that area. This is another useful feature of the organized safaris which the individual drivers will miss out on
(3) If you need to use the loo at short notice then the drivers know where the tourist stand alone loos are located – you may face a problem with this when you are on your own

However do note that the organized packaged tours are expensive and cost ZAR 750 per person, so you will end up shelling out quite a bit if you are in a big group – but do take it, as it is an experience in itself. You are taken in an open air jeep which is usually a 6 seater and it is very comfortable.

You must always start your drive / tour of the Kruger National Park as early as possible preferably before 6:00 AM so that you can see the sunrise which is magnificent and also it is easier to spot the rare animals such as the Lion and the leopards earlier in the morning when it is very cool. The chances of spotting a lion / leopard reduces drastically after 10:00 AM when it starts becoming very hot. Elephants, Giraffes, imphalas, kudu, deer and hippos are all easy to find while lion, leopards and rhinos are difficult to spot.

The gates of Kruger park close at 6:00 PM so please make sure you come out before that. There are several stops and restaurants at Skukuza Base Camp and you can make that your stop for lunch and tea.

Do have a nice trip.

Hotel Review: Taj Awadh, Lucknow

Strengths: It is a Taj Property, so a minimum amount of class & luxury is ensured

Weaknesses: Not centrally located, a bit on the expensive side

I stayed for 2 nights at the Taj Awadh for approx. Rs.5500 per night. This was a discounted rate which I got through my company. I guess the regular rate is somewhere in the range of Rs.7500 to Rs.8500 per night – which is more on the expensive side and if cost is your only concern you are better off staying at the Park Inn, Clarks Awadh or Gemini International which are centrally located from all areas of Interest and are more economical as well.

The Taj Awadh is located about 45 minutes from the airport and you will need to hire a cab to get the hotel. It is located in the Gomti Nagar area in Lucknow. This is not a central location and Hazratganj, Chowk, Residency and other attractions ate a good 20 minutes away. The hotel building is itself very beautiful, calm and serene. It is located in very quiet surroundings and the staff is very friendly and courteous. The interiors of the hotel are beautiful though if you look closely you can see that the hotel has not been maintained well in the last few years. When I last visited about 4 years back in 2005 (when I was studying in Lucknow) the hotel was in much better shape and was abuzz with activity.

The room was great and had all the amenities of a regular 5 Star accommodation. The hotel looks a bit like a palace and has only 2 storeys. All rooms overlook a beautiful garden which is will done up and is very beautiful. Room Service is prompt and the food is great, the breakfast buffer had a lot of variety (it obviously does not compare with Taj Lands End Mumbai) but was great none the less.

The dissapointment was the very poorly maintained swimming pool. It was pathetic to say the least, full of dirt and leaves and you are not able to swim in it at all. The gym was also not well maintained. However they have a very good spa offering a range of massages. My wife tried out one of them and found the experience very soothing and relaxing.

If being centrally located is important and being economical is not that important – I would definitely recommend this hotel. Other than the swimming pool, my experience was great. (I however has a soft corner for Lucknow as a city and Taj as a Brand – hence I would be a bit biased, but have tried to provide as honest a review as possible)

Hotel Review: Mariott, West India Quay, Canary Wharf, London

Strengths: Good location (not central though)

Weaknesses: Expensive

I stayed for 2 nights in Marriott West India Quay in Aug’07 on a Business Trip to London. I paid GBP 195 per might which is awfully expensive compared to any standards and does not add up from a value for money perspective. In half that amount is you get some other hotel offering similar facilities services but it will not have the Mariott Tag on it. In such 5 Stars you just land up paying for the brand and not only for the services they have to offer.

The hotel is in Canary Wharf, which is significantly far from central London. From Heathrow it will take you about an hour and a half to get here and you will have to changeover from the Picadilly Line to the Jubilee Line. In addition the Mariott West India Quay hotel is a significantly long walk from the Canary Wharf Station and if you are tugging along suitcases this may again be a problem. The hotel the is bang opposite the West India Quay station of the DLR (Docklands Railway) so it would be great if you could take the DLR and not the Jubilee Line tube if you have to access this hotel (unless obviously you are coming by cab).

The hotel is awesome absolutely 5 Star, and I had no issues with any of the services. The Corporate offices of Barclays (where I was working then), Citibank and HSBC are a 5 minute walk away and hence most of them people living here are on Business Trips. The room had everything you could ask for from a 5 start hotel. However I did not get a room overlooking the wharf so I was a bit disappointed. Remember to ask for a Canary Wharf facing room when you do your booking so you will have a great view especially in the evening.

The restaurant and the buffet breakfast were awesome as well and no complaints on that front. In I short stay there I visited the gym which had a variety of equipment but I do not think they have a swimming pool.

This hotel is a great pick if it is for a Business Trip paid for by your company and if your office is in canary Wharf. Would never recommend it for people who need to travel to central London frequently.

Hotel Review: Copthorne Tara, South Kensington, London

Strengths: Hardly any

Weaknesses: Not a central location, Not close to tube station, Expensive compared to the services offered

The Copthorne Tara Hotel is a part of the Millennium Group of Hotels located in South Kensington London. Getting to this hotel is a pain. You will need to take the Piccadilly line from the airport and it will take you between 50 minutes to an hour to reach the South Kensington station from Heathrow. After alighting at the station you have a 15 minute walk through a great but lonely neighborhood to reach the Copthorne Tara Hotel. You will be in trouble if you have heavy suitcases and will be forced to take a cab which will be an added cost as well.

The primary drawback about this hotel is the not so central location and you will need to take a tube and keep doing the 15 minute walk to the Tube station to reach any of the touristy areas such as South Bank, London Eye, any of the Museums, Central Business District, and Buckingham Palace etc.

I booked at the Copthorne Tara hotel in Aug’07 through RCI. I stayed there for 1 night and paid Rs.6000. After taking a look at the average room, I felt that this hotel is very overpriced for the services offered. The room was not very well done up for a 4 Star Hotel. It was not well maintained and the bathroom was not clean as well. The bed made creaky noises every time you rolled over and the view from the hotel room on the 6^th floor was very pathetic as well. There was a problem with the TV and it had limited channels as well. The Wi-Fi was not working and there was no place to access the Internet – so all in all I hated the experience completely.

Room Service was very average and the restaurant and bar on the ground floor did not have anything great o offer. The only good thing was that the Copthorne Tara hotel was located close to Bombay Brassiere which was about a 10 minute walk away which is a great restaurant for Indian food.

I would not recommend staying here at all. If you are a tourist you are better off staying somewhere central London in some of the cheaper accommodations near Tower Hill, Borough etc. and if you are a corporate traveler you have a variety of options to choose from.

Hotel Review: Accord Metropolitan, Chennai

Strengths: Great Value for Money & Centrally located

Weakness: Poor Service & no proper ancillary facilities such as gymnasium & swimming pool

The Accord Metropolitan Hotel is located on G.N.Chetti Road in the T-Nagar Area of Chennai. This hotel is centrally located and is very accessible from all the major areas of interest in Chennai. You can travel to most parts of Chennai within 15 minutes from the Accord Metropolitan Hotel.

I stayed here in May, 2010 and the ride from the airport is about 45 minutes. I had done a corporate booking and the corporate rate is about Rs.2500 per night and the retail rate offered to regular customers is Rs.3500 per night. This is great value for money compared to the facilities offered at the hotel and on the cost versus front this hotel definitely scores much better than other hotels in the area such as GRT Grand, Chola Sheraton etc.

However the check in process is a pain. There are trainee staff who just did not know the check in process, hence I was waiting at the check in counter for over 15 minutes waiting to check in. When I finally got my room keys they goofed up my luggage. The key card in the Accord Metropolitan is incorrectly printed. There is an arrow indicating the way in which the card needs to be entered, and you need to do the exact opposite to actually open the door to your room. All in all the check in process was a pain and given than I had just gotten of a 2 hour flight after a tiring day, I was extremely irritated.

The room was great and even though the hotel is rated 3 Star would still rate it as a 4 Star room. There was no flat screen TV (just a regular one), but everything else was perfect. The room is spacious and big, has a sufficiently large study table and a very comfortable bed. There is a leg rest as well which makes reading of the huge relaxing chair very comfortable. The bathroom was very clean had a lot of free stuff such as the dental and sewing kit which I really did not expect given the per night charge of Rs.2500.

The breakfast was also complimentary, but the spread was pretty average and the service was poor. Even though the breakfast is to start at 6:00 AM, it had not been properly laid out till about 6:35 AM which delayed the start of my day. The service was also not upto the mark. The hotel has a gym and a very small swimming pool and both are not well maintained.

Check out process was a pain as well, and the trainees manning the check in / check out desk had no clue on how to swipe a Credit Card. I had to actually teach them. They took a good 15 minutes to check out again.

Service is poor, but it is very economical for the central location and hence all in all I would recommend this hotel.

Hotel Review: Chancery Hotel, Lavell Road, Bangalore

Strengths: Centrally located, very suitable for long stays, value for money Weaknesses: Nothing specific, matches up to a good 4* hotel

I stayed in this hotel thrice between Feb’10 and May’10. This hotel is located in Central Bangalore at one end of MG Road bang opposite Chinnaswamy Stadium. For such a centrally located and easily accessible are the single occupancy room rate of Rs.4500 + Tax is very attractive. (for double occupancy the charge is Rs.5500 + tax)

It will take you about 45 minutes to an hour from the new Bangalore Airport in Devanhalli to the Chancery Hotel. The first time I stayed there I also had an airport pick up included free in the price of the hotel. The hotel interiors are done up fairly well and the staff in friendly and you immediately get the feel that this is a decent 4 Star hotel.

The rooms are specious, on all 3 occasions I had a fax machine and Wi-Fi Internet in the room. The Television in the Chancery Hotel is not a flat screen one (which was a bit disappointing) and is a bit difficult to operate. I liked the eco friendliness of this hotel and the attempts they are making to Save Water and promote renewable sources of energy. Room service is good and prompt, although it is a bit on the more expensive side. I think all the tariff plans come with a complimentary breakfast. The spread is very good, though I found the restaurant staff a bit below the mark as compared to the reception and room service staff.

The gym in the hotel is very good and very well equipped as compared to the other hotels I have stayed in. It is open till 9:00 Pm which may be an inconvenience; however the variety of equipment is good which makes sense if you are interested in longer corporate stays. The Chancery Hotel also has a salon and spa, which offers relaxation massages. They are fairly priced and worth a try.

Another plus point is that there are many good restaurants nearby and on MG Road. Oh Calcutta, the famous Bengali food joint is only about a five minutes walk away and is worth a try. There are several good hotels close by such as ITC Windsor Manor etc., however I would think that the Chancery Hotel offers the best value for money.