From a ranking point of view writing about the worst hotel in Siliguri is pointless. From a cathartic point of view though I have to share what a shit hole the Hotel Suktara International is, hopefully for your benefit, but definitely to that of my mental health.
Yes it was my fault that I ended up here, but it does not hide the fact that it was not just one of the worst, but THE worst value hotel I have ever stayed in. It is also from what I can see in comparison an awful value hotel for Siliguri as a whole.
What the Siliguri?
Siliguri is one of those places you end up in not because you want to but because you have to. It is the gateway to Sikkim and Darjeeling, and the place where the mountains end and the plains of West Bengal begin. It has a population of about half a million people, it’s dusty, chaotic, functional, and within minutes of arriving you are very much smacked in the face with the realisation that you are back in proper India.
You’ll pass through here if you’re heading north, or south and while it’s a logistical necessity, it’s rarely the highlight of anyone’s trip. Think of it as a place you transit through while trying not to breathe too deeply.
So, there are two Railway Stations in Siliguri
There are two railway stations in Siliguri, namely Siliguri Junction and New Jalpaiguri – or NJP. I was taking a train from the latter, but instead booked a place literally right next to the former. Said area was quite the shit hole, but with it having street food, this was not the issue.
The issue was that I paid a premium. I paid $50 for my room, the same price for staying at the Radisson. This is a tactic I use in places like Vietnam where I get the best room in a normal hotel rather than staying in a chain. This usually gets me a nice suite. Here I got a $10 room for $55. Fuck even if I had spent $10 I would not have been happy.
The Rooms at Hotel Suktara International
My initial room at the Suktara International Hotel was pretty filthy and the AC was not working, BUT this was not the main problem. I had a balcony overlooking the train station (which was pretty cool) and was surrounded in mesh like a prison. What was not covered though was the opening to the balcony. I should add here that there was no way to lock the door.
After explaining said issue to the hotel they moved my room, whose back door also did not lock, but the hotel guy simply said (after I had dragged my bags) that I could close the curtains. Obviously everyone knows that the robber cannot penetrate curtains.
The management overall could not have given a shit, until of course I had visitors at which point it was admin and bureaucracy heaven for them.
And do not even get me started on the Suktara International Hotel Bar
In actuality this was not all that bad, but it was also tacky and depressing as I sat there as the only patron watching a bad singer. I had a Masala Cola which they served badly and begrudgingly and left. The key tenet here being that it just exemplified what a shit hole and not exactly international the place is.
Summary of the Suktara International Hotel
Every now and again a shithole hotel puts a huge price on trip.com and just tries to get away with it and they usually do for a while. This is what has happened here. So, please learn from my dumbass mistake and just do not stay at the Suktara International Hotel, the worst hotel in Siliguri.
Address of Hotel Suktara International
Hill Cart Road, Pradhan Nagar, Siliguri, West Bengal, 734001, India
AKA The Red Light District of Siliguri