by Santorini Dave • Updated: July 1, 2019
Hotel De Sovrani – Functional, inexpensive, and in the quietest and cleanest part of the city.
Within the comparatively upmarket suburb of Salt Lake City, this small and personable mid-range hotel provides amenities expected at an overpriced four-star place in downtown, but without the hassles of staying in the city center. Rooms are comfortable and nicely furnished, some with separate and sizable living/dining areas. A standout feature is the rooftop pool with a jacuzzi and café/bar alongside, overlooking the streets. Also, the location is fabulous: halfway between the airport and downtown, the hotel is surrounded by wide, shady, and clean streets (with sidewalks), and only a short walk from a major mall with a food court, games arcade, and cinema.
Hotel De Sovrani – The Location
- Address: DD-21 DD Block, Sector 1, Salt Lake City. This is a typical address for this area but means nothing to taxi drivers. The hotel is about 500m northeast of the City Centre mall. Turn at the corner of the main road (3rd Avenue) with the high-rise Sonnet Hotel. The De Sovrani is about 150m from that corner.
- Area: Purpose-built suburb of (mostly) upmarket apartments, shops, and bistros, as well as a mall. Clean, safe, and easy to walk around. Conveniently located halfway between the airport and downtown.
- How to Get There: Taxis from the pre-paid counters at the airport take 25-30 minutes (12km). From the main railway station (Howrah), the hotel is 30-40 minutes (9km) by taxi. See Local Transport below for more information about taxis and the metro.
- Handy to: City Centre mall.
Hotel De Sovrani – The Basics
- Guests: Mostly business people from across India, but ideal for foreign tourists as well.
- Views: With few other high-rises in the area, the street views are extensive and interesting.
- Private Pools/Jacuzzis: Not expected or provided at a city hotel like this in suburban Kolkata.
- Extras: Daily newspaper delivered to each room.
- Wi-Fi: Free throughout for all guests.
- Phone: +91 (0)33 6604 3000
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: desovrani.com
Hotel De Sovrani – Amenities
- Pool: The sort expected of a 4 or 5-star hotel in downtown. On the rooftop, with a bar and terrific views. Jacuzzi attached.
- Spa: Room alongside the gym offers massages but nothing else.
- Fitness Center: Surprisingly large and well-equipped for a hotel of this size.
- Other Facilities: Money-changing. Travel desk. Laundry.
Hotel De Sovrani – Food and Drink
- Restaurants & Bars: Sand – Open 24 hours for all sorts of meals, but specializes in traditional local cuisine. Buffets often at lunch and dinner. • Skyview Café – Alongside the rooftop pool, so the views are extensive. Various events on most nights, including karaoke and comedy performances. • Chocolake – Homemade and delicious treats. Famous for its cheesecakes. • The Library – Urbane bar/lounge for signature cocktails. Live music and DJs on most nights.
- Breakfast: Included in all rates, which is unusual for Kolkata.
- Room Service: Available 24/7.
Hotel De Sovrani – Rooms
- Room Types: Standard Rooms • Deluxe Rooms • Executive Suites • Deluxe Executive Suites
- Smoking Rooms: Smoking is allowed in some rooms.
- Best Room: Deluxe Executive Suites are about 4 times larger than the Standard Rooms. On the highest floors for superior views, and separate living/dining areas as spacious as the bedrooms.
- For Families: All suites are huge, and with separate living/dining areas, there is plenty of space for 1 or 2 extra single beds.
Hotel De Sovrani – Local Transport
- Walking: With wide streets and shady sidewalks, this is the nicest area in Kolkata for a stroll. Plenty to see and minimal traffic. A few slums, but the area is comparatively safe and clean.
- Public Transport: The Kolkata Metro hasn’t yet linked Salt Lake City with the center of Kolkata, but will by about mid-2021. The station is conveniently located at the City Centre mall about 550m from the hotel (7-minute walk).
- Taxis & Auto-rickshaws: Plenty of yellow taxis (with no air-con) and blue-and-white ones (with air-con) for longer trips. Both types have meters, but drivers need to be pressured into using them. Rides can also be booked using Uber and Ola apps. Lots of auto-rickshaws and bicycle versions around the streets for short trips.
Hotel De Sovrani – What’s Nearby?
Restaurants & Bars
- Ambrosia Bar – Under renovation during 2019. Dingy bar, but more inviting café with hearty portions at cheap prices. Just opposite the hotel. 1-minute walk (10m).
- The Sonnet – This hotel on the corner offers Aura (garden views and dinner buffets, open 24/7) and Unwine (classy bar, with lengthy list of cocktails and imported spirits). 2-minute walk (150m).
- Food Court – Impressive range of options, including Domino’s pizza. In the City Centre mall, 450m down the main road. 6-minute walk.
- Café Coffee Day – One in a popular chain of cafés across India for drinks and light meals. Outdoor seating. Also at the mall. 6-minute walk (450m).
- Afraa Deli – Very appealing café next to Starbucks at the mall. Seating outside, serving a range of pastries and sandwiches rarely seen elsewhere. 7-minute walk (600m).
Shops
- The City Centre mall is a fairly large area of shops and cafés about 5 minutes on foot down the main road. A little easy to get disoriented, but spacious, clean, and fun to wander around. Also, a food court, games arcade, and cinema showing the latest Bollywood blockbusters. 6-minute walk (450m).
Attractions
- Mother House – Also known as Missionaries of Charity, it houses the tomb of Mother Teresa as well as her photographs, awards, articles, and belongings. The description of work done by her charity is eye-opening. 30-minute drive (12km).
- The must-see Indian Museum is the country’s largest and oldest. It houses a world-class collection of ancient artifacts from India and beyond, and Raj-era relics, housed in an occasionally frustrating manner. Open from 10 am to 6.30 pm on weekdays and until 8 pm on weekends. 40-minute drive (11km).
- Victoria Memorial – Kolkata’s most popular attraction, this opulent British-era white marble replica of the original Victoria Memorial in London was built to commemorate Queen Victoria’s 25-year rule of India. In addition to lush gardens, statues, and sculptures, there are sound and light shows from March to June (7:45 pm). Open daily from 11 am to 4pm. 40-minute drive (16km).
- Howrah Bridge – This famous Kolkata landmark is the world’s busiest and sixth biggest cantilever bridge. Built in 1943, it connects Kolkata with the important Howrah Station, and features wide footpaths full of pedestrians on both sides. 42-minute drive (9km).
- Dakshineswar Kali Temple – Historic Hindu temple, built in 1855, featuring a vast courtyard, 12 shrines dedicated to Shiva, a Radha-Krishna temple, and a bathing ghat by the riverfront. 50-minute drive (13km).
Hotel De Sovrani – The Hotel
The hotel is in Salt Lake City, a more upmarket suburb about halfway between the airport and city center.
The hotel is along a side street with minimal traffic.
Chocolake is a tiny patisserie in the lobby offering tasty homemade delights.
The signature restaurant at the hotel, Sand, is open 24 hours. It offers an extended menu with all sorts of cuisines.
Also inside the hotel, The Library is a sophisticated bar and lounge.
Alongside the rooftop pool, the Skyview Café hosts interesting events on most nights, including comedy shows and karaoke.
Seats at the Skyview Café provide extensive views of the suburban streets.
A standout feature of the hotel is the rooftop pool on the 9th floor. (Like many others, it was closed during the winter months.)
All rooms are very nicely furnished and reasonably spacious.
Windows in the rooms could be larger given that views are more impressive than most hotels in the city center.
The suites are far more spacious than the rooms, and feature dining areas.
The separate living and dining areas in the suites are as spacious as the bedrooms.
The hotel provides room facilities as nice as those in more expensive 4-star hotels in downtown.
Most rooms and suites offer interesting views of the streets around Salt Lake City.
Just opposite the street, the Ambrosia Bar doesn’t look much from the outside, but offers decent meals at cheap prices.
Only 150m from the De Sovrani, The Sonnet hotel features the Aura restaurant for all-day dining and garden views.
Unwine is a classy bar and lounge at the lobby level of The Sonnet.
Only 600m from the De Sovrani, the City Centre mall is home to all sorts of places to shop and eat.
At the mall, Café Coffee Day provides an outdoor setting and serves light meals.
On a higher floor of the mall is an impressive food court offering many choices.
Next to the more renowned Starbucks, the Afraa Deli is a delightful café. It sells the sort of light and healthy meals rarely offered in the city center.
There are plenty of classy places to shop within the City Centre mall, only 500m from the hotel.
A few air-conditioned arcades within the mall are lined with boutiques.
There are also some pleasant outdoor areas within the mall.
Also at the mall is the extensive games arcade.
The Kolkata Metro links a few areas within Salt Lake City, but won’t be connected to the rest of the city until at least mid-2021.
One interesting way to get around the local area is on a colorful cycle-rickshaw.
The purpose-built suburb of Salt Lake City has shady sidewalks not seen elsewhere in Kolkata.
There are always plenty of auto-rickshaws around for local trips.
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