About The Banquet
The Banquet is a two-star hotel on Kings Road in Howrah, on the west bank of the Hooghly, and its main advantage is plain: Howrah station is about 0.7 km away, close enough to walk with luggage at an unhurried pace. That makes it a practical base for anyone catching an early train or arriving late on one. Guests heading across the river for sightseeing can do so easily, but the hotel suits travellers who want a straightforward bed near the station rather than a holiday address.
The stay is simple and unpretentious. Guest reviews average 3.6 out of 5 from 852 scores, which sits where you would expect for a two-star property with a steady stream of station traffic. Wi-Fi, air conditioning, a 24-hour front desk and room service cover the basics, with parking, a shuttle service and family rooms adding flexibility. Treat it as a working hotel: useful, well placed for transport, and aimed at travellers who plan to spend their days out in the city.
Location and neighbourhood
Howrah is the working half of the river. The station is one of India's busiest, the bridge carries road traffic across to the Kolkata side, and the streets around Kings Road fill early with people heading for trains. The address sits before the mall and market landmarks used for directions locally. The Botanic Garden at Shibpur and Belur Math lie further up river, so the neighbourhood mixes commuter traffic with a few genuine sights. It is not the Kolkata of Park Street cafés; it is the practical gateway to them.
Walking covers the immediate needs. Howrah station is 0.7 km away, the Howrah metro station the same, and Howrah Bridge with the Mallick Ghat flower market about 0.8 km. Everything on the Kolkata side needs a ride: Esplanade is 3 km and 15 to 25 minutes by road, Park Street 4.3 km and 20 to 30 minutes, Victoria Memorial 5 km and 20 to 35 minutes. Allow more in the morning and evening peaks, when the bridge approach roads slow badly.
Mornings here start early and loud, with porters, queues and taxis around the station. Evenings are calmer on the side streets, and the bridge is worth walking at dusk when the lights come on. Festival weeks change the pace: Durga Puja brings crowds across the river for the pandals, and Kali Puja follows on the new-moon night of Diwali, so roads near the bridge stay busy late. Check the current year's dates before planning around either.
Rooms and facilities
For business travellers the useful items are the Wi-Fi, a desk, air conditioning and a 24-hour front desk that handles odd arrival times. Copying is available and a car rental service can be arranged on site, which saves negotiating on the street. Room service covers meals when work runs late, and breakfast can be taken in the room. The appeal is in the essentials done reliably rather than in meeting space.
Families get family rooms and sofa beds, and pets are allowed, which is unusual at this level and worth confirming when booking. Late arrivals are well served: the desk runs around the clock, luggage storage holds bags before check-in or after check-out, and the shuttle can be arranged for station transfers. Parking is free for guests with a car. Ask about non-smoking rooms and the smoking area if either matters to your group, since both appear in the facilities.
Kolkata's heat is the practical issue from March to June, and the air conditioning matters more than anything else in the room. Monsoon rain from June to September brings waterlogging on low-lying roads, so allow extra time for any station run. Fans, housekeeping, laundry and dry cleaning are listed, along with towels, toiletries and drinking water. Confirm check-in and check-out times, the shuttle schedule, whether the massage service needs booking, and how breakfast in the room is arranged.
All 34 listed facilities
- 24 Hour Front Desk
- 24H. Security
- Air conditioning
- Alarm clock
- Banquet
- Breakfast in room
- Car rental service
- Desk
- Dry cleaning service
- Family rooms
- Fan
- Free Wifi
- Free car parking
- Housekeeping
- Internet access
- Iron and board
- Laundry Service
- Luggage storage
- Lunch
- Massage
- Non smoking rooms
- Parking
- Pets allowed
- Room Service
- Security Features
- Shuttle service
- Smoke detector
- Smoking area
- Sofa bed
- TV
- Terrace
- Toiletries
- Wake-Up service
- Wifi
Getting there
From Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport the drive is about 13.1 km straight line and 40 to 65 minutes by road, depending on traffic on the northern approach and the bridge. App cabs and prepaid taxis both work; agree the fare or insist on the meter before setting off. If your flight lands late, tell the hotel so the desk knows when to expect you, since the front desk is staffed through the night.
Howrah station is the reason most guests choose this address. It is roughly 0.7 km away and walkable by road, though the walk is easier with light luggage and in daylight. Sealdah, on the Kolkata side, is 3.9 km and 20 to 30 minutes by road. For long-distance departures from Kolkata station at Chitpur, cross the river and allow for bridge traffic. The shuttle service is worth asking about for station transfers with bags.
Metro is the simplest way under the river. Howrah station is 0.7 km from the door and Howrah Maidan 1.7 km, both on the Green Line, which runs beneath the Hooghly to Esplanade, Sealdah and Salt Lake Sector V. The river tunnel opened in 2024. Services and station lists change as the network expands, so check Metro Railway Kolkata before relying on a particular route or a late-night timing.
| To | Distance | By road |
|---|---|---|
| Park Street | 4.3 km | 20–30 minutes |
| Esplanade | 3.0 km | 15–25 minutes |
| Victoria Memorial | 5.0 km | 20–35 minutes |
| Howrah station | 700 m | walkable |
| Sealdah station | 3.9 km | 20–30 minutes |
| Kolkata airport (CCU) | 13.1 km | 40–65 minutes |
| Howrah metro | 700 m | walkable |
| Howrah Maidan metro | 1.7 km | 10–20 minutes |
Food and sights near The Banquet
The nearest sight is the river itself. Howrah Bridge, opened in 1943, is 0.8 km away, and the Mallick Ghat flower market sits beneath the Kolkata end, at its best in the early morning. Jorasanko Thakurbari, Tagore's family home and birthplace, is 2 km away on the Kolkata side, now the Rabindra Bharati Museum. Both suit a half-day: cross early for the flower market, then take a short ride to Jorasanko before the heat builds.
The BBD Bagh heritage walk is 2.1 km away, covering Writers' Building, the GPO and the High Court around Lal Dighi. Marble Palace, an 1835 private residence, is 2.3 km and needs a free permit, so check current arrangements before going. Kumartuli, the potters' quarter where Durga idols are made, is 2.4 km and at its most active from July to September. All three sit close together and can be combined in one Kolkata-side outing.
Food is a short ride away rather than on the doorstep. Nizam's near New Market is credited with the original kathi roll, and Indian Coffee House on College Street is a landmark in its own right. For Indian-Chinese cooking, Tangra in east Kolkata is the place, with Tiretta Bazaar holding a Chinese breakfast market early in the morning. Evenings can mean a walk on the bridge or a ferry from Howrah to Babughat; check current times at the ghat.
- Howrah Bridge & Mallick Ghat (850 m)
- Jorasanko Thakurbari (2.0 km)
- BBD Bagh heritage walk (2.1 km)
- Marble Palace (2.3 km)
- Kumartuli (2.4 km)
A day from The Banquet
Start with the flower market. Walk over Howrah Bridge, 0.8 km from the hotel, and be at Mallick Ghat early, when the stalls are at full trade. Come back across for breakfast, then take a short ride to Jorasanko Thakurbari, 2 km away, and spend an hour in the Rabindra Bharati Museum. Return to the hotel before the afternoon heat peaks and use the air conditioning.
The afternoon belongs to the old city. Take a cab to BBD Bagh, 2.1 km, and walk the heritage circuit around Lal Dighi, then continue to Marble Palace, 2.3 km, with the free permit arranged beforehand. If time holds, push on to Kumartuli, 2.4 km, to see the potters at work. The distances are short but the traffic is not, so plan two stops rather than four and keep the rides brief.
End the day on the water. Walk to the bridge for the lights, or take a ferry across to Babughat and back. For dinner, cross to Park Street, 4.3 km and 20 to 30 minutes by road, where Flurys, Peter Cat, Mocambo and Trincas sit within a few minutes of each other. Return by app cab rather than relying on late ferries. Victoria Memorial, 5 km away, is better saved for a fresh morning.
Booking tips and when to go
Book well ahead for Durga Puja, usually late September or October, when the city fills and station traffic is heavy. Christmas brings lights to Park Street and Allen Park from mid-December, and the International Kolkata Book Fair in late January or early February draws crowds too. Confirm the current year's dates for all three. Check check-in and check-out times with the hotel when booking, since these are set by the property rather than by the season.
November to February is the easiest time to stay here: dry, comfortable and mild, with cool mornings. December and January are the coolest, with highs in the mid-20s Celsius, though winter mornings can be hazy. March warms quickly, and April and May are hot and humid, often above 35 Celsius, with evening storms. The monsoon runs roughly June to September, heaviest in July, and low roads near the station flood after downpours.
Carry cash for taxis, markets and street food, though cards and UPI work in hotels, malls and restaurants. Use metered yellow taxis and insist on the meter, or book an app cab. Drink bottled or filtered water. At temples and religious sites, dress modestly and remove shoes where required. For anything that changes, from metro timings to temple entry rules, check the official body concerned, such as Metro Railway Kolkata or West Bengal Tourism.
The Banquet: questions
Where is The Banquet in Kolkata?
The Banquet sits at 5 Kings Road in Howrah, on the west bank of the Hooghly, before Raghav Mall and the AC Market. Howrah station is a short walk away, and the crossing to central Kolkata is straightforward by road, ferry or the Green Line metro under the river.
How far is The Banquet from Howrah station?
Howrah station is about 0.7 km from The Banquet and walkable by road, which makes the hotel a practical base for early trains. Sealdah station is roughly 3.9 km away, 20 to 30 minutes by road depending on traffic. Allow extra time during the morning peak.
How do I reach The Banquet from Kolkata airport?
Kolkata airport (CCU) is about 13.1 km from The Banquet in straight-line distance, 40 to 65 minutes by road depending on traffic. The hotel lists a shuttle service, so ask the 24-hour front desk about arrangements before arrival. App cabs and metered yellow taxis are the alternatives; insist on the meter.
Which metro stations are near The Banquet?
The nearest metro stations to The Banquet are Howrah, about 0.7 km away, and Howrah Maidan, about 1.7 km away, both on the Green Line. That line runs under the Hooghly to Esplanade, Sealdah and Salt Lake Sector V. Stations and hours change, so check Metro Railway Kolkata before travelling.
What facilities does The Banquet offer?
The Banquet lists Wi-Fi, air conditioning, a 24-hour front desk, room service, parking, a shuttle service, family rooms, laundry service and luggage storage. Rooms come with a TV, desk, alarm clock, and a bathroom with toiletries and towels. Some rooms are non-smoking and there is a smoking area; ask the desk about car rental.
Does The Banquet suit families?
The Banquet lists family rooms, which suit groups travelling together, and pets are allowed. The 24-hour front desk can help with luggage storage, wake-up calls and extra bedding such as a sofa bed. The address is close to Howrah station, which helps with early departures. Confirm the room type when booking.
What are check-in and check-out times at The Banquet?
Check-in and check-out times at The Banquet are set when you book, so confirm them at reservation or ask the 24-hour front desk before arrival. The desk is staffed around the clock, which helps when a train arrives late at night or early in the morning. Bring photo identification for the register.
What can I see near The Banquet?
Howrah Bridge and the Mallick Ghat flower market are about 0.8 km from The Banquet. Across the river, Jorasanko Thakurbari and the BBD Bagh heritage walk are roughly 2 km away, with Marble Palace and Kumartuli slightly further. Victoria Memorial is around 5 km, 20 to 35 minutes by road.
When is the best season to stay at The Banquet?
November to February is the most comfortable stretch for a stay at The Banquet, with dry weather and cooler evenings. Durga Puja, usually in late September or October, brings crowds and heavy demand, so reserve well ahead and check the current year's dates. The monsoon, roughly June to September, brings waterlogging after downpours.
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