Hotel Akash

About Hotel Akash

Hotel Akash sits in Howrah, on the west bank of the Hooghly, a short walk from one of India's busiest railway stations. It suits travellers whose plans turn on a train: an early departure, a late arrival, or a change of trains at Howrah. A two-star hotel at this address makes sense for a night or two rather than a long holiday. The position also works for anyone who wants the old riverfront, the flower market and the lanes of North Kolkata within easy reach.

The property is a straightforward two-star hotel, and it is best judged on that basis. This is a base for a city visit rather than a place to spend a day indoors. Guests book it for the address, and the address is strong on transport. A stay of one or two nights, timed around a train or a flight, is the natural fit. Longer visits work too, but most sightseeing then means crossing the river and coming back.

Location and neighbourhood

Howrah spreads along the west bank of the Hooghly, opposite the central business district, and lives with the rhythm of its station. The address, 17 Ic Bose Road in the Gulmohar Railway Quarters area, sits in a pocket of the old town shaped by the railway. This is not the Kolkata of colonnaded hotels; it is a working district of commuters, port traffic and small shops. The river, the bridge and the flower market at Mallick Ghat are all within a short walk.

Daily needs are handled on foot. Howrah station is 0.5 km away and walkable by road, which is the whole point of the address. Howrah Bridge and the Mallick Ghat flower market are 0.8 km off, also on foot. Everything on the east bank needs a ride: Esplanade is 2.7 km in a straight line and 15 to 25 minutes by road, Park Street 4 km and 20 to 30 minutes, the Victoria Memorial 4.6 km and 20 to 35 minutes. Traffic on the bridge approach decides the real time.

Mornings belong to the station and the ghats. Trains arrive from dawn, the flower market is at its most active early, and the bridge carries a steady flow of commuters. Evenings are quieter on this side; most visitors cross to Park Street or Esplanade for dinner and come back to sleep. In Durga Puja week the riverfront fills with crowds and traffic, and Kali Puja brings late-night noise. Kumartuli, up river in the north, is busiest from July to September as idols are made.

Rooms and facilities

Two-star hotels of this kind are used mostly by people in transit, and the useful questions are practical ones. For work, ask about a quiet room, dependable power and internet access before booking. Families should confirm how many people a room takes and whether a child can share existing bedding. Late arrivals should say so in advance, since a small property may keep limited hours at the desk. Asking directly settles these points.

Kolkata's climate shapes what matters in a room. From April to May the heat and humidity are relentless, and in the monsoon, roughly June to September, downpours are heavy and streets can flood. Confirm that the room has air conditioning and hot water, and ask for a higher floor if stairs or damp worry you. Winter, December to January, is mild, with highs in the mid-20s Celsius, and a fan is often enough. Ask about mosquito control in the wet months.

Before arriving, confirm check-in and check-out times, since these are set by the property and matter when a train lands at an awkward hour. Ask which identity documents are accepted, whether card payment works and whether a room away from the road is available. If a train leaves early, ask whether bags can be left at the desk and how long before departure you need to set off for the platform. Get the answers in writing where you can.

Getting there

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (CCU) lies near Dum Dum, about 17 km north-east of the centre. From the hotel, the straight-line distance is 13.4 km, and the road journey takes 40 to 70 minutes depending on traffic. App cabs and the airport's prepaid taxi counter are the simplest options, and the route crosses the Hooghly into Howrah. Allow extra time in the morning rush and in the evening, when the bridge approaches slow sharply.

Howrah station is 0.5 km away and walkable by road, which makes early departures unusually easy. Sealdah, on the east side of the centre, is 3.8 km off, or 20 to 30 minutes by road. Some long-distance trains and services to Bangladesh use Kolkata station at Chitpur, north of the centre, so check your ticket for the station name before setting out. For a dawn train from Howrah, the walk takes minutes and removes the taxi problem entirely.

Metro is the quickest way across the river. Howrah station is 0.4 km from the address and Howrah Maidan 1.3 km, both on the Green Line, which runs under the Hooghly to Esplanade, Sealdah and Salt Lake Sector V. The river tunnel opened in 2024. Change at Esplanade for the north-south Blue Line towards Park Street, Maidan, Kalighat and beyond. Services and hours change as lines expand, so check Metro Railway Kolkata before relying on a late train.

Food and sights near Hotel Akash

Howrah Bridge, the cantilever span opened in 1943 and properly called Rabindra Setu, is 0.8 km away. Walk it early for the river light and the view back to the ghats, then drop to Mallick Ghat beneath the Kolkata end, where the flower market runs through the night and into the morning. BBD Bagh, with the Writers' Building, the GPO and the High Court around Lal Dighi, is 1.9 km off and makes a good self-guided heritage walk.

North Kolkata's sights are close. Jorasanko Thakurbari, 2.1 km away, is the Tagore family home where Rabindranath was born in 1861 and now the Rabindra Bharati Museum. The Marble Palace, 2.3 km off and built in 1835, is a private residence needing a free permit, so check current arrangements. Kumartuli, 2.8 km away, is where Durga idols are made, at its most active from July to September. Allow for lanes and traffic rather than trusting straight-line distances.

Eating is easy in the neighbourhood, though the famous names sit across the river. Nizam's near New Market is credited with the original kathi roll, and Indian Coffee House on College Street is a Kolkata institution. Closer by, expect phuchka, jhalmuri, bhanr tea and mishti doi from street stalls and small shops. For shopping, New Market opened in 1874 and is a short ride over the bridge. Evenings are best spent on the east bank, then back to Howrah to sleep.

• Howrah Bridge & Mallick Ghat (800 m)
• BBD Bagh heritage walk (1.9 km)
• Jorasanko Thakurbari (2.1 km)
• Marble Palace (2.3 km)
• Kumartuli (2.8 km)

A day from Hotel Akash

Start early and on foot. Walk 0.8 km to Howrah Bridge, cross it while the traffic is still light, and go down to the Mallick Ghat flower market under the Kolkata end. Then continue to BBD Bagh, 1.9 km from the hotel, and walk the heritage quarter around Lal Dighi, taking in the Writers' Building, the GPO and the High Court. Return over the bridge in the afternoon, or take the metro from Esplanade back to Howrah station.

Spend the next afternoon in North Kolkata, where the sights cluster. Take a short ride to Jorasanko Thakurbari, 2.1 km away, and give the Rabindra Bharati Museum an hour. The Marble Palace is 2.3 km off; arrange the free permit first, since entry is by permission. Kumartuli, 2.8 km away, is a further short ride and best between July and September, when the potters are working on Durga idols. Finish before dusk and head back across the river.

Keep the evening for the east bank. Park Street is 4 km away, 20 to 30 minutes by road, and its restaurants and Christmas lights, from mid-December to New Year, make an easy night out. The Victoria Memorial, 4.6 km off and 20 to 35 minutes by road, has 64 acres of grounds and is closed on Mondays. For a quieter close, take a ferry across and watch the bridge from the water, checking the current timetable first.

Booking tips and when to go

Book ahead for Durga Puja, usually late September or October, when the city fills and rooms tighten. Christmas week draws crowds to Park Street. Check-in and check-out times are set by the property, so confirm them with your booking rather than assuming. If you arrive on an overnight train, tell the hotel your expected arrival time. Ask for written confirmation of the room type and the number of guests. Cross-river journeys take longer on weekday mornings and evenings.

November to February is the best time for this address. December and January are coolest, with highs in the mid-20s Celsius, and November is dry and comfortable. February is pleasant; March warms into the low 30s. April and May are hot and humid, often above 35 Celsius, with evening storms. The monsoon runs roughly June to September, heaviest in July, with waterlogging after downpours, which matters when your route to the station is on foot. October still sees rain.

Carry cash for taxis, markets and street food, since cards and UPI work in hotels, malls and restaurants rather than everywhere. Yellow Ambassador taxis are metered, so insist on the meter; app cabs avoid the argument. Drink bottled or filtered water. At temples such as Kalighat, Dakshineswar and Belur Math, dress modestly and remove shoes where asked. Watch the time when using the metro, and check Metro Railway Kolkata for current hours before a late journey.

Hotel Akash: questions

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