Hotel Ivory Inn

About Hotel Ivory Inn

Hotel Ivory Inn is a three-star guesthouse at 80 B Shakespeare Sarani, in the Park Street area of central Kolkata. Its guest score is 3.9 out of 5 from 1405 reviews. The address suits first-time visitors who want to walk to sights and restaurants rather than depend on the metro for every trip. South Park Street Cemetery and Mother House are both within walking distance, and Park Street's restaurants are a short ride south. The Maidan, the Indian Museum and the city's best-known restaurants are all close by.

This is a compact, practical base rather than a large full-service hotel. The facilities cover Wi-Fi, air conditioning, room service, parking and a garage, family rooms, lifts and luggage storage. Kitchen access and 24-hour security are also available, and non-smoking rooms can be requested. Expect a simple city stay: a room, air conditioning, luggage storage and a convenient starting point for sightseeing. The property works well for travellers who plan to spend most of the day out and return in the evening.

Location and neighbourhood

Shakespeare Sarani runs east from the Maidan towards the side lanes of Park Street. Camac Street, Middleton Row and Russell Street are close by, and Sudder Street and Free School Street, the budget lanes, lie to the north. Park Street carries Flurys, trading since 1927, along with Peter Cat, Mocambo and Trincas. The Asiatic Society, founded in 1784, is also on Park Street. Offices, institutions and old cemeteries give the area a working, lived-in feel rather than a resort one.

Several sights are genuinely walkable. South Park Street Cemetery is 0.5 km away, Mother House 0.7 km, Park Street food and music 1.6 km, St Paul's Cathedral 1.8 km and the Indian Museum 2.1 km; those are straight-line distances, so the walk is a little longer. For the Indian Museum and the Victoria Memorial, 2.3 km and 15 to 25 minutes by road, a short cab ride is easier in the heat. Esplanade, 2.7 km, is also a cab ride.

Mornings are quiet on the side streets while office traffic builds on Shakespeare Sarani. Evenings draw people to Park Street for dinner and music, so the area feels busier after dark. During Durga Puja, usually late September or October, crowds around the Maidan and Park Street grow through the day; check the current year's dates with West Bengal Tourism. Christmas brings lights to Park Street and Allen Park from mid-December, and evening walks become crowded. The monsoon months of June to September bring sudden downpours and local waterlogging.

Rooms and facilities

For business travellers, Wi-Fi and air conditioning are the essentials, and a room away from the road helps with traffic noise. Families can ask about the family rooms, and the lifts make a difference with luggage and children. Room service covers late meals, and luggage storage is useful if you arrive before your room is ready. Parking and a garage suit guests travelling by car. The score of 3.9 from 1405 reviews points to a practical mid-range stay.

Kolkata's heat makes air conditioning important from April to May, when daytime temperatures often pass 35 Celsius, and through the monsoon from June to September. Confirm that the unit in the room is working and serviced. Monsoon downpours can flood streets quickly, so keep plans flexible and carry an umbrella. Winter mornings can be hazy with poor air quality, which matters if you have breathing difficulties. Non-smoking rooms are available if smoke irritates you.

Confirm the check-in and check-out times with the property before travelling, since these are set by the hotel. Ask whether room service runs late, how parking is allocated, and whether kitchen access is shared. If you need a non-smoking room or a family room with space for a cot, request it when booking. Confirm the payment methods accepted and whether an airport pickup can be arranged. Ask for written confirmation of the room type, especially during Durga Puja and the Christmas season.

Getting there

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (CCU) is about 14.9 km from the hotel in a straight line, and 45 to 75 minutes by road depending on traffic. Prepaid taxi counters operate at the terminal, and app cabs can be booked. In a yellow Ambassador taxi, insist on the meter. Allow extra time for morning and evening rush hours. Jai Hind Bimanbandar metro station on the Yellow Line serves the airport; services are expanding, so check Metro Railway Kolkata for current routes and hours.

Howrah station is 5 km away in a straight line and 20 to 35 minutes by road, depending on bridge traffic. Sealdah is 2.7 km, or 15 to 25 minutes by road. Both have prepaid taxi counters; app cabs are simpler if you have a local number. From Howrah, a Hooghly ferry to Babughat can cut the road journey, followed by a short cab to Shakespeare Sarani. Kolkata station at Chitpur also handles some long-distance and Bangladesh trains.

The nearest metro stations are Maidan at 1.7 km and Park Street at 1.8 km, both on the Blue Line. Neither is a comfortable walk with luggage in the heat, so take a short cab or an auto-rickshaw on a fixed route. Park Street metro connects north to Esplanade, Central and Shyambazar, and south to Kalighat. The Green Line now runs under the Hooghly from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade, Sealdah and Salt Lake Sector V, which helps for cross-river trips. Check Metro Railway Kolkata for hours.

Food and sights near Hotel Ivory Inn

South Park Street Cemetery, opened in 1767, is 0.5 km away, a quiet ground of colonial tombs and obelisks worth a slow walk. Mother House on AJC Bose Road is 0.7 km, the Missionaries of Charity motherhouse with Mother Teresa's tomb. St Paul's Cathedral, consecrated in 1847, is 1.8 km, and the Indian Museum, founded in 1814 and the oldest museum in India, is 2.1 km. Park Street food and music is 1.6 km away. Check opening days with the Indian Museum and Victoria Memorial Hall.

Park Street is the restaurant centre. Flurys, trading since 1927, is the place for cakes and a sit-down breakfast; Peter Cat, Mocambo and Trincas are within a short stretch. Nizam's near New Market is credited with the original kathi roll. Indian Coffee House on College Street is further away but a classic. Nahoum's in New Market is known for cakes and confectionery. For cheap eats, the lanes around Sudder Street and Free School Street have small places serving phuchka, rolls and jhalmuri.

New Market, or Hogg Market, opened in 1874, is the nearest big shopping stop, a short ride towards Esplanade. Oxford Bookstore on Park Street is good for browsing. Camac Street and Middleton Row have smaller shops. In the evening, Park Street is the obvious choice for dinner and live music at Trincas. From mid-December, the Christmas lights on Park Street and at Allen Park make an evening walk worthwhile. The Maidan is open ground for a stroll, with the Victoria Memorial across it.

• South Park Street Cemetery (450 m)
• Mother House (700 m)
• Park Street food & music (1.6 km)
• St Paul’s Cathedral (1.8 km)
• Indian Museum (2.1 km)

A day from Hotel Ivory Inn

Begin with South Park Street Cemetery, 0.5 km away, before the heat builds; the tombs and paths reward a slow walk rather than a rush. Walk on to Mother House, 0.7 km, to see Mother Teresa's tomb and the Missionaries of Charity compound. From there, take a short cab to Park Street for breakfast at Flurys, about 1.6 km. The Asiatic Society, founded in 1784, is nearby if you want to look at the building. Return to the hotel to rest before the afternoon.

After breakfast, take a cab 2.1 km to the Indian Museum, the oldest museum in India, and give it time rather than hurrying through. Continue to St Paul's Cathedral, 1.8 km, then the Victoria Memorial, 2.3 km or 15 to 25 minutes by road; its museum closes on Mondays and some national holidays, so check with Victoria Memorial Hall. Lunch at Mocambo or Peter Cat on Park Street. Use short cab rides between these stops, because walking in the afternoon heat is tiring.

In the evening, head to Park Street, 1.6 km away, for dinner at Trincas or kathi rolls at Nizam's near New Market. In December, walk through Allen Park to see the Christmas lights. If you prefer not to take a cab back, Park Street metro is 1.8 km and Maidan metro 1.7 km, both on the Blue Line. End the day with a bhanr of tea from a street stall. Check Metro Railway Kolkata for last train times.

Booking tips and when to go

Durga Puja, usually late September or October, and the Christmas to New Year period are the busiest times around Park Street. Book well ahead and check the current year's dates for Durga Puja with West Bengal Tourism. Ask for a room away from the road, and confirm check-in and check-out times with the property. Avoid arriving from the airport during the morning and evening rush if possible, as the 45 to 75 minute road time can stretch. Weekdays bring heavier office traffic on Shakespeare Sarani.

November to February is the most comfortable season here. December and January highs sit in the mid-20s Celsius, February is pleasant, and the air is drier. March warms up, and April to May are hot and humid, often above 35 Celsius, with evening storms. The monsoon runs from June to September and is heaviest in July, with waterlogging after heavy rain. October rains taper off. Winter mornings can be hazy with poor air quality, which is worth considering if you have respiratory problems.

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 taxis, or use app cabs. Drink bottled or filtered water. Dress modestly at Mother House, St Paul's Cathedral and temples, and remove shoes where required. Keep the hotel address card with you for taxi drivers. For visas, check the official Indian Visa Online portal. Check opening days and hours with the relevant official body before setting out.

Hotel Ivory Inn: questions

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