About Shivam Hotels
Shivam Hotels sits at 14 and 15 Acharya Prafulla Chandra Road, directly opposite Sealdah North Station, and it suits two kinds of guest above all: readers who want the bookstalls of College Street on the doorstep, and travellers with a train to catch at Sealdah. The station is about 0.1 km away and walkable, so an early departure does not mean a long cab ride across the city. It holds a guest score of 3.5 out of 5 from 168 reviews, which points to a plain, practical base rather than a destination in itself.
This is an unstarred city hotel in the old educational quarter, not a resort and not a heritage property. Rooms come with air conditioning and the desk runs around the clock, which matters when a train arrives after midnight. Family rooms are listed among the facilities, so groups travelling together can ask for one space rather than two. Think of it as a working base: somewhere to sleep, wash and leave the bags while the city is explored on foot, by metro or by short cab rides.
Location and neighbourhood
College Street is Boi Para, the book quarter, where stalls and small shops run along the road past Presidency University and the University of Calcutta. The neighbourhood is a half-day stop for most visitors rather than a base, which is why hotels here are few and the streets keep a local character. Textbooks, second-hand novels and stationery line the pavements, and the Indian Coffee House upstairs in Albert Hall is the traditional place to sit over a cup of coffee and a long conversation.
The immediate surroundings are best done on foot. Sealdah station is a walk of about 0.1 km, and College Street with the Indian Coffee House is roughly 1 km away. Central metro is 1.3 km, close enough to walk in cool weather. Everything else needs a ride. Esplanade is 2 km, Park Street 2.5 km, and both take 15 to 25 minutes by road. Victoria Memorial is 3.9 km and 20 to 30 minutes. Traffic decides the real time, so allow a margin.
Mornings here belong to commuters and students. Sealdah empties and fills in waves, tea stalls open early and the bookstalls set out their stock. Evenings are calmer around College Square pond, where locals walk and sit out. During Durga Puja the quarter changes completely: pandals go up, roads fill after dark and walking becomes the fastest way to move. Christmas and New Year bring crowds to Park Street, a short ride south. Check the current year's festival dates with West Bengal Tourism before fixing plans.
Rooms and facilities
The 24-hour front desk is the most useful facility for anyone arriving on a late train, since Sealdah is a short walk and there is no need to negotiate a fare first. Business travellers get air conditioning, a telephone and a wake-up service, plus copying at the desk. Families can ask for a family room, which is listed, and rooms with a sofa bed appear among the facilities. Room service means a meal can be taken upstairs after a long journey rather than hunted for in the dark.
Kolkata is hot in April and May and wet from June to September, so air conditioning is not a luxury here. Rooms also list fans, which help in the cooler months when the compressor is unnecessary. Monsoon downpours can waterlog streets quickly, and an address this close to a station is a real advantage when traffic stalls. Towels and toiletries are provided, and bathrooms are listed with a WC, so basic supplies are covered. December and January highs sit in the mid-20s °C.
Ask about check-in and check-out times when booking, since no fixed hours are published and arrival times vary with train schedules. Confirm whether parking is available on the day, and whether a sofa bed or family layout is free for the dates wanted. It is worth requesting a room away from the road, as the station approach is busy from early morning. Also confirm what room service covers and until what hour it can be supplied.
All 12 listed facilities
- 24 Hour Front Desk
- 24H. Security
- Air conditioning
- Family rooms
- Fan
- Parking
- Room Service
- Sofa bed
- TV
- Telephone
- Toiletries
- Wake-Up service
Getting there
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport is about 12.4 km away in a straight line, near Dum Dum, and the drive takes roughly 40 to 65 minutes depending on traffic. Early morning is usually quicker. A prepaid taxi or an app cab from the arrivals rank is the simplest option with luggage. Jai Hind Bimanbandar metro station on the Yellow Line serves the airport, and the network is expanding, so check Metro Railway Kolkata for current services before relying on it.
Sealdah is the easy arrival. The hotel stands opposite Sealdah North Station, roughly 0.1 km away and walkable, so passengers from the eastern lines can simply cross with their bags. Howrah station is 3.3 km away, a road trip of 15 to 30 minutes across the river and longer at peak times. Kolkata station at Chitpur handles some long-distance and Bangladesh trains and lies north of here. Insist on the meter in a yellow taxi, or book an app cab.
Two metro stations serve the address. Sealdah is about 0.1 km away on the Green Line, the East-West route running from Howrah Maidan under the Hooghly to Esplanade, Sealdah and Salt Lake Sector V through the river tunnel opened in 2024. Central, 1.3 km away, is on the Blue Line, India's first metro, which runs north to south via Esplanade, Park Street, Maidan, Rabindra Sadan and Kalighat. Between the two, most of the centre is reachable. Check Metro Railway Kolkata for stations and hours.
| To | Distance | By road |
|---|---|---|
| Park Street | 2.5 km | 15–25 minutes |
| Esplanade | 2.0 km | 15–25 minutes |
| Victoria Memorial | 3.9 km | 20–30 minutes |
| Howrah station | 3.3 km | 15–30 minutes |
| Sealdah station | 100 m | walkable |
| Kolkata airport (CCU) | 12.4 km | 40–65 minutes |
| Sealdah metro | 100 m | walkable |
| Central metro | 1.3 km | walkable |
Food and sights near Shivam Hotels
The closest sight is College Street itself, about 1 km away, with the bookstalls and the Indian Coffee House in Albert Hall. Even for non-readers it is a good hour of browsing. Marble Palace at 1.8 km is a private residence of 1835 in North Kolkata, and entry needs a free permit, so check current arrangements before setting out. Jorasanko Thakurbari, Tagore's birthplace and now the Rabindra Bharati Museum, is 2.2 km away and pairs well with the palace.
The BBD Bagh heritage walk is 2.1 km away, taking in Writers' Building, the GPO and the Calcutta High Court around Lal Dighi, with the Asiatic Society and Indian Museum in the same quarter. New Market, opened 1874, is 2.2 km off and useful for supplies and browsing. For food, Nizam's near New Market is credited with the original kathi roll, and the Indian Coffee House on College Street is a short walk. Flurys, Peter Cat, Mocambo and Trincas sit on or near Park Street.
Book buying is the local shopping, along College Street and its side lanes, with new and second-hand stock and academic titles that are hard to find elsewhere. For everything else, New Market is the nearest large market. Evenings here are quiet rather than busy: College Square pond is the place for a walk, and the coffee house stays open into the evening. Bowbazar is close by for a look at old city streets. For a longer evening, Park Street is 15 to 25 minutes by road.
- College Street & Indian Coffee House (1.0 km)
- Marble Palace (1.8 km)
- BBD Bagh heritage walk (2.1 km)
- Jorasanko Thakurbari (2.2 km)
- New Market (2.2 km)
A day from Shivam Hotels
Start on foot. Walk the 1 km to College Street in the morning, when the stalls are setting out and the pavements are still passable, and browse Boi Para before the heat builds. Carry on to the Indian Coffee House upstairs in Albert Hall for coffee and the old canteen atmosphere. From there, Central metro is 1.3 km away, or a short cab reaches the Marble Palace at 1.8 km, remembering that entry needs a free permit arranged in advance.
After lunch, take a cab to Jorasanko Thakurbari, 2.2 km away, for the Rabindra Bharati Museum in Tagore's family home. Then head south to BBD Bagh, 2.1 km from the hotel, and walk the heritage circuit around Lal Dighi: Writers' Building, the GPO and the High Court. The Indian Museum and Asiatic Society are in the same quarter. Carry water and pace yourself between April and September, when afternoons are hot and humid and the light is harsh.
Return, rest, then go out again after dark. New Market is 2.2 km away and its surrounding streets work well for an evening meal, with Nizam's the traditional stop for a kathi roll. If a longer evening appeals, Park Street is 2.5 km and 15 to 25 minutes by road, with Flurys, Peter Cat, Mocambo and Trincas along it, and Christmas lights from mid-December to New Year. For the return, book an app cab or take the Blue Line to Esplanade and change for Sealdah.
Booking tips and when to go
Book well ahead for Durga Puja, usually late September or October, when the city fills and rooms in the centre tighten. Christmas and New Year are the next busiest stretch, with Park Street lit from mid-December. Check the current year's dates with West Bengal Tourism. Trains drive demand here too, so ask for a room away from the station approach and confirm check-in and check-out times in writing when booking, since arrival hours vary and no fixed times are published.
November to February is the best time for this area. Days are dry and comfortable, mornings can be hazy with poor air quality, and walking College Street is easy. December and January are coolest, with highs in the mid-20s °C, and February is pleasant. March warms quickly. April and May are hot and humid, often above 35 °C, with evening storms. The monsoon from June to September brings heavy July rain and waterlogging, so plan indoor stops and short journeys.
Carry cash for taxis, markets and street food, though 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 or filtered water. At temples and religious sites, dress modestly and remove shoes where required; Kalighat temple is a short metro ride south. Most foreign visitors need an e-Visa before travel, checked on the official Indian Visa Online portal. Bengali is the local language and English is widely understood.
Shivam Hotels: questions
Where is Shivam Hotels located?
Shivam Hotels is at 14 and 15 Acharya Prafulla Chandra Road, opposite Sealdah North station in the College Street area of Kolkata. The bookstalls of Boi Para, Presidency University and the Indian Coffee House at Albert Hall are about a kilometre away, and Central metro station is roughly 1.3 km from the door.
How far is Shivam Hotels from Kolkata airport?
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport is about 12.4 km from Shivam Hotels in a straight line, and the drive takes roughly 40 to 65 minutes depending on traffic. Allow extra time in the morning and evening rush. The airport is served by Jai Hind Bimanbandar metro station on the Yellow Line, so check Metro Railway Kolkata for current services.
How do you reach Shivam Hotels from Sealdah station?
Shivam Hotels stands opposite Sealdah North station, so arrivals on the eastern side of the city can walk across in a few minutes with luggage. If you come into Howrah station on the west bank, the road journey to Shivam Hotels is roughly 3.3 km in a straight line, or 15 to 30 minutes by taxi depending on traffic.
What facilities does Shivam Hotels provide?
Shivam Hotels offers air-conditioned rooms, a 24-hour front desk, room service, parking and family rooms. Rooms come with a bathroom, towels, toiletries, a television, a telephone and a fan, and wake-up service is available. Guests who need copies of documents can ask at the desk, which stays staffed through the night.
Does Shivam Hotels have family rooms?
Yes, Shivam Hotels lists family rooms among its facilities, and a sofa bed appears in the listed room amenities. The 24-hour front desk at Shivam Hotels can confirm which room types suit a group before you travel. The address opposite Sealdah North station is convenient for families arriving by train with children and luggage.
When can guests check in at Shivam Hotels?
Check-in and check-out times at Shivam Hotels are set by the property, so confirm them with the 24-hour front desk when you book. Because the desk is staffed around the clock, late arrivals from Sealdah station or the airport can usually be handled with notice. Tell Shivam Hotels your expected arrival time in advance.
What can you see near Shivam Hotels?
College Street and the Indian Coffee House are about 1 km from Shivam Hotels, Marble Palace about 1.8 km, and the BBD Bagh heritage walk about 2.1 km. Jorasanko Thakurbari and New Market are each roughly 2.2 km away. Victoria Memorial is about 3.9 km, a drive of 20 to 30 minutes.
When is the best time to stay at Shivam Hotels?
November to February is the most comfortable season for a stay at Shivam Hotels, with cool, dry weather for walking around College Street and BBD Bagh. Durga Puja, usually in late September or October, is lively but crowded, and the monsoon months bring heavy rain and waterlogging, so check the current year's dates and the India Meteorological Department forecast.
How do you book a room at Shivam Hotels?
Book Shivam Hotels through the channel you normally use for hotels, or contact the property directly and ask for written confirmation of the room type, the check-in time and the cancellation terms. Confirm whether parking is needed when you book, since Shivam Hotels lists parking among its facilities.
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