IAN-UK

I'm visiting Chennai for the first time. Sadly, I'll be paying my own bills - which means the lottery of sifting through all the over-blown internet descriptions to come up with something clean, comfortable and convenient under $100.

Any first-hand recommendations gratefully received!

Ian

ROW2Aisle

You'll find travel related information on Chennai in the Chennai sub-forum at IndiaMike. The site is geared towards the budget traveler. Try this sub-forum for some budget hotels in Chennai.

Jamoldo

you used to be able to get great rooms for well under a 100 USD, sadly (or not) those days are long gone thanks to a growing GDP and, more specific to Chennai, the IT boom.

777-100SP

Huh? I went last year and I was able to get a room for well under US$100. In fact, maybe $30. I stayed at the Hotel Shan Royal which claims to be a 3 star business hotel.

The floors are granite but the bathroom stinks. Maybe it's because of the local water? The air conditioning is cold. You can buy bottled water buy running across the street. On the way, you'll see 2 cows tied to a fence.

If you take the auto rickshaw, be prepared to point to the driver where to turn. All of the ones that I used did not speak English, could not read Roman alphabet, but did understand when to turn (but that requires you are good at topography). The hotel desk can instruct the driver but they cannot instruct the driver when you are coming back! So remember how the guy went to your destination.

cja

When I went last January, I stayed at the Courtyard Marriott for $135 inclusive of buffet breakfast and it was great. But with rising hotel rates, and a weaker dollar, the Indian hotels are now switching to quoting/billing hotels in INR! Good luck!

Jamoldo

Emphasis on the word "GREAT" in my original post...

Lots of "3 star" hotels are just what you said, or they were very nice at one time and just have not been renovated in 10-20 years, much less well maintained.

As for the last paragraph.. welcome to India!

ms1664

I'm going to Chennai from Apr 5-Apr 13 for business. I'm staying at ITC Sheraton the whole time.

What is there to do and see in the city in late afternoon/evening ? Does anyone recommend any places to eat, or should I stick to the hotel restaurant ?

How is the hotel neighborhood ? Anything interesting within walking distance ? Is it safe to walk around or should I take a taxi ?

I will have sunday Apr 6 free, are there any places further away from Chennai that I shouldn't miss ? Is Mahabalipuram worth going to as a day trip ? Any recommended means of getting there ?

Thanks for your advice.

hserus

The ITC park sheraton is actually a very nice hotel.. was there for a conference today. Late afternoon to evening - not much inside Madras (though lots of good places to eat out).

http://chennai.burrp.com has several places but briefly -

Cornucopia - western cuisine, fusion sort of - Cenotaph Road, Teynampet.

Benjarong - Thai

Matsya - Egmore or T.Nagar - south indian vegetarian "tiffin" in the "udupi" stype .. its authentic

Copper Point, at the GRT Grand Days in T Nagar - south indian food

Oh, if you have a cast iron stomach and a good resistance to stomach bugs there's a much wider range of options.

Keep a weekend or so free to get driven out along the east coast road to Mahabalipuram, that'd be a good place to go. Or there's other stuff (temples and such) withn the city, a museum .. dont know what kind of sightseeing you want but Frommers etc should have the lot covered.

hserus

Oh, as for safe - the hotel is not far from downtown and in a nice part of town.. and there's another very nice restaurant almost round the corner from the hotel - Peppers. Pretty good north indian food, that.

ms1664

Thanks a lot for your input.

Jamoldo

Chennai in April... will be hot

hserus

And humid.

GadgetFreak

As far as things to see I found the market on the beach pretty interesting. Also, Im not a very religious person but there is actually a major Christian shrine there. It is the tomb of one of the 12 apostles (Thomas) who brought Christianity to India. It is under the alter of a church and you can go underground in an adjacent building and walk over to the tomb under the church. It also has a small museum that describes how Christianity was brought to India. I had no idea it was that early and found it quite interesting from an historical, as well as religious standpoint.

Jamoldo

Lots of Hindu sights too, not to mention mosques. I think a great thing to do (if you can brave the heat humidity pollution and occassional smell of sewage is to hite an auto rickshaw for a day and go site to site for the entire city. That's how you'll get a feel for Chennai.

hserus

chennai autorickshaw drivers are famous, rpt famous for ripping people off. and they dont ever use the meter.

hire a car for a day and drive around .. its aircon and you dont roast, and theres a fixed rate. dont ask for a car from the hotel concierge.. thats a huge ripoff too.

http://www.carzonrent.com is the local hertz affiliate, and they have cars in most indian cities.. or there are other car providers you can book off the Indian Railways website www.irctc.co.in [yup you can also book train tickets on it] .. that'll prove rather cheaper.