Hotel Raj Palace

About Hotel Raj Palace

Hotel Raj Palace is a three-star hotel on Biswa Bangla Sarani in the Airport and Dum Dum area, the part of north-east Kolkata that wraps around Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport. The address suits late arrivals and early departures above all: the terminal is 3.7 km away in a straight line, a road trip of 15 to 30 minutes. Guests landing after midnight or leaving before dawn skip the long haul into the centre and get a bed on the airport side of the city.

The property is a straightforward three-star hotel rather than a resort or a heritage address. Its listed guest score is 2.5 out of 5 from 11 reviews, a modest record that is worth weighing against the convenience of the location. Read recent guest comments before booking, then confirm the points that matter for the trip: the room category, breakfast timing and the check-in and check-out times.

Location and neighbourhood

The hotel sits in the Airport and Dum Dum belt, the stretch of VIP Road, Kaikhali, Baguiati and Dum Dum Cantonment that exists largely for the airport. Expect arterial roads, flyovers, service lanes, budget guest houses and a steady flow of taxis. New Town, the planned business district, is close by. This is not the Kolkata of colonnades and old bazaars. It is the practical, car-dependent edge of the city, and it works best for people with a flight to catch.

Very little is walkable in the usual sense. Biswa Bangla Sarani carries fast traffic and crossings are spaced out, so plan on taxis or app cabs for almost everything. Eco Park is 2.8 km away, the metro at Jai Hind Bimanbandar is 2.6 km and Karunamoyee is 5 km. The airport, at 3.7 km, is the one destination where the short ride genuinely matters. Ask the front desk to arrange a cab rather than flagging one down on the main road.

Mornings here belong to departures: luggage in the lobby, cabs idling outside, early breakfasts. Evenings are quieter once the commuter rush toward the city eases, and the roads empty faster than in central Kolkata. During Durga Puja, usually late September or October, New Town and the Eco Park area draw large evening crowds and the approach roads slow down. Check the current year's dates and allow extra time for any airport run.

Rooms and facilities

Business travellers get the basics: Wi-Fi, a meeting room, a safe, free newspapers, a concierge and a 24-hour front desk that copes with odd arrival times. Laundry and dry cleaning services help when a trip is extended at short notice. Luggage storage is useful when a flight leaves hours after checkout. Lifts and wheelchair-accessible areas make the building easier to manage with equipment or heavy bags. For short working stays near the airport, the combination is workable.

Families and late arrivals should look at the restaurant, the cafe and breakfast on site, which removes the need to hunt for food after a delayed landing. Free car parking suits anyone arriving by road, and bicycle hire is listed for short local trips, though the main road is not a friendly place to cycle. Smoking areas are set aside. Ask which room categories fit a family and what the front desk needs in advance for a group.

Kolkata's heat and monsoon shape what to ask before booking. April and May often push past 35 °C, and the monsoon runs roughly June to September with waterlogging after heavy downpours, so confirm air conditioning, hot water supply and how the building handles heavy rain. Confirm check-in and check-out times with the property directly, since these are set by the hotel and can shift with demand during Durga Puja and the Christmas season.

Getting there

From Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport the hotel is 3.7 km away in a straight line, which usually means 15 to 30 minutes by road. That short hop is the main reason to stay here. Use the prepaid taxi counter or an app cab, keep the booking confirmation to hand for the driver, and allow extra time in the evening peak and during festival weeks when the approach roads fill up.

From Howrah station the straight-line distance is 12 km, with 40 to 65 minutes by road depending on traffic on the river crossings and through the centre. Sealdah is closer at 10.3 km, roughly 35 to 55 minutes. Both journeys are slow in the morning and evening peaks. If arriving by train with heavy luggage, an app cab booked in advance is easier than negotiating at the rank after a long trip.

Metro is an option for light luggage. Jai Hind Bimanbandar station on the Yellow Line is 2.6 km from the hotel, and Karunamoyee is 5 km. The area facts note that Dum Dum on the Blue Line is the interchange for the city. Lines and station lists are still being extended, so check Metro Railway Kolkata for current stations and hours before relying on a route, then take a short cab ride to the station.

Food and sights near Hotel Raj Palace

Eco Park in New Town, opened in 2012, is the nearest large sight at 2.8 km. It is a big urban park with lawns, water and long walking paths, best in the late afternoon and in the cool season. Families and anyone with a long layover will find it an easy outing. Confirm current entry arrangements and opening days before setting out, as these can change.

Kumartuli, the potters' quarter at 9.6 km, is where Durga idols are built, busiest from July to September in the run-up to the puja. Jorasanko Thakurbari at 10.3 km, Tagore's family home and birthplace, is now the Rabindra Bharati Museum. The Marble Palace at 10.2 km is a private residence from 1835 that needs a free permit, so check current arrangements. All three sit in North Kolkata and can be paired in one trip.

For food, Tangra at 9.5 km is the home of the city's Chinese community and its Indian-Chinese cooking, and Tiretta Bazaar nearby holds a Chinese breakfast market early in the morning. The hotel's own restaurant covers ordinary meals. For a city classic, Nizam's near New Market is credited with the original kathi roll. Shopping means New Town's malls. Evenings are quiet locally, so plan a ride for anything livelier.

• Eco Park (2.8 km)
• Tangra & Tiretta Bazaar (9.5 km)
• Kumartuli (9.6 km)
• Marble Palace (10.2 km)
• Jorasanko Thakurbari (10.3 km)

A day from Hotel Raj Palace

Start early with breakfast at the hotel, then take a cab north to Kumartuli, listed at 9.6 km, while the workshops are active. Carry on to Jorasanko Thakurbari at 10.3 km to see the Tagore family house and museum, and add the Marble Palace, listed at 10.2 km, with a cab between stops rather than a walk. Confirm museum closing days and the permit arrangement before setting out.

Return for lunch and a rest, since the heat between April and September is punishing at midday. In the afternoon head to Eco Park, 2.8 km away, and give it a couple of hours of walking in the cooler part of the day. In winter this is comfortable; in May, wait until late afternoon. Carry water and keep the front desk number for the return cab.

In the evening, choose between the on-site restaurant and a ride to Tangra, 9.5 km away, for Indian-Chinese food. Anyone with an early flight the next morning should stay local, pack before dinner and ask for a wake-up call. The 3.7 km run to the airport takes 15 to 30 minutes by road, but allow more in the morning peak.

Booking tips and when to go

Book early for Durga Puja, usually late September or October, and for the Christmas to New Year week, when Kolkata fills and availability tightens. Confirm the current year's festival dates before fixing plans. Rush hours on the airport road and the city approach are real, so build margin into any same-day flight or train. Confirm check-in and check-out times with the property when booking.

November to February is the best stretch for this area: dry, comfortable days with December and January highs in the mid-20s °C. February is pleasant, March warms into the low 30s, and April and May are hot and humid with evening storms. The monsoon, roughly June to September, brings the heaviest rain in July and waterlogging after downpours, which can slow airport runs. Check the India Meteorological Department forecast before travel.

Carry cash for taxis, markets and street food; cards and UPI are widely accepted in hotels, malls and restaurants. Insist on the meter in yellow Ambassador taxis or use an app cab. Drink bottled water. At temples such as Kalighat and Dakshineswar, dress modestly and remove footwear where required, and check current entry rules with the temple authorities. Most foreign visitors need an Indian e-Visa before travel, checked on the official Indian Visa Online portal.

Hotel Raj Palace: questions

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