Hyderabad - transfer, hotel and shopping questions
Jul 31, 2009, 3:51 am
#1
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: LAX / TXL
Posts: 2,185
Hyderabad - transfer, hotel and shopping questions
I need to be in Hyderabad for a night next weekend, having never been there.
Was between the ITC Kakatiya and Taj Krishna for Hotel options.
I was leaning towards the ITC, but found out their airport transfers are INR 2200 o/w which i find quite high for india. If i add the transfers to the basic ITC room I can get a Club room at the Taj that includes transfers + breakfast. should I do that or does anyone have an idea for a private car / taxi company that is reliable? It seems to be a toss up between the hotels, but if you have insights please also share.
Also can anyone recommend a reputable pearl / -jewelery shop in HYD?
thanks all for your insights!
Was between the ITC Kakatiya and Taj Krishna for Hotel options.
I was leaning towards the ITC, but found out their airport transfers are INR 2200 o/w which i find quite high for india. If i add the transfers to the basic ITC room I can get a Club room at the Taj that includes transfers + breakfast. should I do that or does anyone have an idea for a private car / taxi company that is reliable? It seems to be a toss up between the hotels, but if you have insights please also share.
Also can anyone recommend a reputable pearl / -jewelery shop in HYD?
thanks all for your insights!
Jul 31, 2009, 6:17 am
#2
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: MAA
Programs: BA bronze, Marriott silver
Posts: 2,804
All those hotels are about 1:30 hrs from the new airport - they're much closer to the old airport. The closest to the new airport is the Novotel Hyderabad Airport.
Pearls and Jewellery - there's plenty in the Basheer Bagh area. Mangatrai isnt too bad for pearls - http://www.mangatrai.com/ .. and for jewellery there's Kirtilal Kalidas at http://www.kirtilals.com - in somajiguda. But all that is in the city - certainly not near the airport.
What are your arrival and departure times at HYD?
Pearls and Jewellery - there's plenty in the Basheer Bagh area. Mangatrai isnt too bad for pearls - http://www.mangatrai.com/ .. and for jewellery there's Kirtilal Kalidas at http://www.kirtilals.com - in somajiguda. But all that is in the city - certainly not near the airport.
What are your arrival and departure times at HYD?
Jul 31, 2009, 6:24 am
#3
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: LAX / TXL
Posts: 2,185
thanks for the infos. i arrive 5am on sat and leave 6pm on sunday, and need to go into the city anyway, so that should be fine.
any ideas on transfers or should i go with the club at the Krishna (just over INR 10K ++) that has the transfers included?
thanks,
Pacha
any ideas on transfers or should i go with the club at the Krishna (just over INR 10K ++) that has the transfers included?
thanks,
Pacha
Jul 31, 2009, 6:33 am
#4
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: MAA
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The Taj Krishna isnt too bad (and transfers to / from the airport certainly dont cost INR 2200 any more than a beer in the Taj's hotel bar would cost you what it costs in a liquor store outside..). Book airport transfers at http://www.merucabs.com .. late model aircon sedan radiocabs. Local number +91 40 4422 4422 and it'd be around INR 750 one way.
Round the corner from the Taj Krishna is the Taj Deccan - that isnt too bad either. A bit cheaper than the Krishna, run by the same chain but one star less .. still if you're going to be out shopping and sightseeing most of the day ..
There's also the Hyderabad Marriott, and a bit cheaper the Ohris Banjara is worth a look.
Round the corner from the Taj Krishna is the Taj Deccan - that isnt too bad either. A bit cheaper than the Krishna, run by the same chain but one star less .. still if you're going to be out shopping and sightseeing most of the day ..
There's also the Hyderabad Marriott, and a bit cheaper the Ohris Banjara is worth a look.
Aug 5, 2009, 6:21 pm
#5
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: New York
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Posts: 190
Avis or Budget are 1250 rupees
budget has a relationship with the Kakatiya so you can charge your car ride to your hotel bill.
I have used both multiple times and have found them to very reliable as well as convenient -- since you can pay by credit card, no need to chnage money if a foreign vistor.
I have used both multiple times and have found them to very reliable as well as convenient -- since you can pay by credit card, no need to chnage money if a foreign vistor.
Aug 5, 2009, 11:11 pm
#6
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: MAA
Programs: BA bronze, Marriott silver
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Its just as easy to pay for a hertz / budget etc car at the airport itself, they take cards there. I think the prepaid taxi counter there takes cards as well and that works out a bit cheaper.
Aug 6, 2009, 4:02 am
#8
Join Date: Jul 2005
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Best book online at merucabs.com.
I'm not quite sure about the prepaid counter not being open yet, tell you the truth .. given that its just a night's train ride away form MAA, and the airport is way outside the city, I usually take the train there.
I'm not quite sure about the prepaid counter not being open yet, tell you the truth .. given that its just a night's train ride away form MAA, and the airport is way outside the city, I usually take the train there.
Aug 9, 2009, 1:13 am
#9
Join Date: Apr 2009
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All the radio taxi companies (of which there are MANY) charge the same rate during the time you're interested in: 18.75 INR/km. Avis also offered me the same rate earlier this summer. Avis is reputed to have better maintained cars, and my own experience says this is generally true.
From HYD-ITC (Begumpet area), it will be around 25-30 kms, which means 500-600 INR. If they quote you higher than that to prepay, just tell them to turn the meter on.
Also, they will be open during late night hours since that is when most of the international flights arrive into HYD.
On your return, the fare will be only 15 INR/km due to daytime rate.
Good luck and let us know what happens.
From HYD-ITC (Begumpet area), it will be around 25-30 kms, which means 500-600 INR. If they quote you higher than that to prepay, just tell them to turn the meter on.
Also, they will be open during late night hours since that is when most of the international flights arrive into HYD.
On your return, the fare will be only 15 INR/km due to daytime rate.
Good luck and let us know what happens.
Aug 9, 2009, 1:19 am
#10
Join Date: Apr 2009
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Also, if you're a pure budget traveller, or just in for bit more adventure than usual, you can take the Aero Express bus which drops you off across from the ITC (Paryatak Bhavan, Begumpet route). I think it only costs 150 INR. ^
Aug 13, 2009, 10:26 am
#11
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: LAX / TXL
Posts: 2,185
so, i ended up being so tired on arrival that i went to hertz (just before exiting to street on right hand side) and booked a car for 1250.
on the return i took a mehru cab and it ended up costing INR 520.
thanks for all the tips....
on the return i took a mehru cab and it ended up costing INR 520.
thanks for all the tips....