Rathore Inn

About Rathore Inn

Rathore Inn is a three-star guesthouse on Grand Trunk Road in Howrah, on the west bank of the Hooghly and a short ride from Howrah station. It suits travellers whose plans depend on a train: an early departure, a late arrival, or a connection the next morning. The 24-hour front desk, luggage storage and shuttle service are the practical parts of that. Rooms are air conditioned and have Wi-Fi, and there is a bar plus room service for the end of a long day.

The stay is modest and functional rather than decorative. This is the Howrah side of the river, where hotels are fewer and most sightseeing is a crossing away, so treat the guesthouse as a base and plan days on the east bank. Family rooms, breakfast and laundry service cover longer stays, and non-smoking rooms are available. Say which train you are catching when you book, and ask the front desk about the shuttle for your departure.

Location and neighbourhood

Howrah sits across the Hooghly from central Kolkata and is best known for its railway station, one of the busiest in India. The neighbourhood around Grand Trunk Road is workday in character: traffic heading for the bridge, porters and passengers, small shops and tea stalls. The river is close, and the Howrah Bridge carries the road across to the old city. Fewer good places to stay are found on this bank, which makes a guesthouse here a practical choice rather than a polished one.

Howrah station is 1.4 km away in a straight line, 10 to 20 minutes by road. Howrah Bridge and Mallick Ghat are the same distance and can be reached on foot with light luggage. Everything on the east bank needs a ride: Esplanade at 3.7 km, 15 to 30 minutes; Park Street at 4.9 km, 20 to 35 minutes; Victoria Memorial at 5.7 km, 20 to 40 minutes. Traffic on the bridge approach decides the timing.

Mornings belong to the station: queues at the counters, taxis turning in, tea sold at the roadside. Evenings are calmer on this bank, with the bridge lit and the river dark below it. During Durga Puja, usually late September or October, crowds swell at the ghats and along the approach roads, and Kali Puja night brings processions and noise. Allow extra time for any crossing in festival weeks and check Metro Railway Kolkata for late services.

Rooms and facilities

For a business trip, the useful parts are the 24-hour front desk, Wi-Fi, air conditioning and room service. Late arrivals can check in without watching the clock, and luggage storage helps if a meeting runs past the time a room is needed. Laundry and dry cleaning keep a short trip to one bag. There is a bar on site for a drink without going out, and a safe for documents and devices. Ask for a room away from the road.

Families can book family rooms, and a cot can be requested. Breakfast is served, including breakfast in the room, which suits children and early starts. Rooms come with a private bathroom, shower, towels and toiletries, plus a TV. Non-smoking rooms can be asked for, and there is a smoking area. The front desk can arrange car rental for a day out, and first aid is on hand.

Kolkata's heat decides how you use the room. In April and May temperatures often pass 35 °C, so air conditioning matters, and the monsoon from June to September brings waterlogging after heavy rain. Keep luggage off the floor during downpours and allow slack in any plan that involves the bridge. Confirm with the property what comes with your stay: breakfast, the shuttle, a cot and an iron, and the check-in and check-out times, so a late train does not catch you out.

Getting there

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (CCU) is 12.7 km away in a straight line, 40 to 65 minutes by road depending on traffic. The drive comes south and west around the city and over the river. Allow more in the morning rush or during the monsoon. Jai Hind Bimanbandar metro station on the Yellow Line serves the airport, and the network is expanding, so check Metro Railway Kolkata before relying on a train connection with luggage.

From Howrah station the guesthouse is 1.4 km away, 10 to 20 minutes by road; walking is possible with light bags, though the approach roads are busy. Sealdah station is 4.4 km away, 20 to 35 minutes by road across the river. The shuttle service can be arranged in advance for either station, particularly for a departure before dawn. Yellow taxis are metered, so insist on the meter; app cabs are an alternative.

Two metro stations serve the area: Howrah at 1.4 km and Howrah Maidan at 2.1 km. The Green Line runs under the Hooghly from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade and on to Sealdah and Salt Lake Sector V, which puts the east bank within a short ride. The river tunnel opened in 2024. Stations, hours and extensions change, so check Metro Railway Kolkata on the day you travel.

Food and sights near Rathore Inn

Howrah Bridge, or Rabindra Setu, is 1.4 km away: a cantilever bridge opened in 1943, heavy with traffic and pedestrians, with the Mallick Ghat flower market beneath the Kolkata end. Go early for the market. Kumartuli, the potters' quarter where Durga idols are made, is 2.2 km away and busiest from July to September. Jorasanko Thakurbari, Tagore's family home and birthplace, is 2.3 km away and now holds the Rabindra Bharati Museum.

Marble Palace, a private residence of 1835 in North Kolkata, is 2.7 km away; entry needs a free permit, so check current arrangements before setting out. The BBD Bagh heritage walk is 2.8 km away and takes in the Writers' Building of 1777, the GPO of 1868 and the Calcutta High Court around Lal Dighi. Both fill a morning before the heat builds, and both are a short ride from the guesthouse.

For food, cross the river: Park Street, 4.9 km away, has Flurys, Peter Cat, Mocambo and Trincas, and Nizam's near New Market is credited with the original kathi roll. Tangra is home of the city's Chinese community and its Indian-Chinese cooking, and Tiretta Bazaar holds a Chinese breakfast market early in the morning. Closer to home, stalls sell phuchka, jhalmuri and bhanr tea. In the evening the bridge is lit, and a walk along the Howrah bank ends the day well.

• Howrah Bridge & Mallick Ghat (1.4 km)
• Kumartuli (2.2 km)
• Jorasanko Thakurbari (2.3 km)
• Marble Palace (2.7 km)
• BBD Bagh heritage walk (2.8 km)

A day from Rathore Inn

Start before dawn and walk or take a short ride to Mallick Ghat, 1.4 km away, where the flower market under the Howrah Bridge is at its liveliest. Cross the bridge and carry on to Kumartuli, 2.2 km from the guesthouse, to watch idol makers at work, then Jorasanko Thakurbari at 2.3 km, now the Rabindra Bharati Museum. Three stops, one morning, with tea in between.

After lunch, take a cab to Marble Palace at 2.7 km, with the free permit arranged beforehand; check current arrangements. Continue to the BBD Bagh heritage walk at 2.8 km for the Writers' Building, the GPO and the High Court around Lal Dighi. If time allows, Victoria Memorial is 5.7 km away, 20 to 40 minutes by road; its museum closes on Mondays and some national holidays. Return across the river before the evening peak.

In the evening, stay on the west bank. The bridge is lit after dark and the Howrah end of the river is a short walk from the guesthouse. Dinner can come from the bar or room service, which matters if a train leaves early. Pack before sleeping, use luggage storage if the train is later in the day, and ask the front desk to book the shuttle for the run to the station in the morning.

Booking tips and when to go

Book well ahead for Durga Puja, usually late September or October, and for the Park Street Christmas lights from mid-December to New Year, when the city fills and crossings between the banks slow down. The International Kolkata Book Fair in late January or early February and the Dover Lane Music Conference in January also bring visitors. Allow extra time around Howrah station in festival weeks. Confirm check-in and check-out times with the guesthouse when you book, especially for a night arrival.

November to February is the best season for this area: dry, comfortable and coolest in December and January, with highs in the mid-20s °C. February is pleasant; March reaches the low 30s. April and May are hot and humid, often above 35 °C, with evening storms, so plan sightseeing for the morning. The monsoon runs roughly June to September, heaviest in July, with waterlogging after downpours. Winter mornings can be hazy with poor air quality.

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 taxis, or use an app cab. Drink bottled water and keep a bottle with you in the heat. At temples and in the older quarters, dress modestly and remove shoes where asked. Dhonnobad is thank you in Bengali, and Hindi and English are widely understood. Check the Indian Visa Online portal for visa rules before travel.

Rathore Inn: questions

Similar stays near Rathore Inn

3★

FabHotel Sivalika Inn Near Howrah Station

Howrah, Kolkata · 3-starGuest score 3.5/5 · 155 reviewsSee live price

3★

Goroomgo M M Guest House Howrah Kolkata

Howrah, Kolkata · 3-starSee live price

3★

Hotel M M Homestay Howrah

Howrah, Kolkata · 3-starSee live price