• Neemrana Palace Hotel, about 122 kms from New Delhi on the Delhi-Jaipur highway, offers its tariffs valid till September 2000, except between December 29 and January 2.
  • The tariff for a standard double room is Rs 2,000, plus taxes, for Indian passport holders and US $ 65, plus taxes, for foreign passport holders.

  • The tariff for a deluxe double room is Rs 3,000, plus taxes, for Indian passport holders and US $ 85, plus taxes, for foreign passport holders.

  • The tariff for a standard suite is Rs 4,000, plus taxes, for Indian passport holders and US $ 115, plus taxes for foreign passport holders.

  • The tariff for a deluxe suite is Rs 6,000, plus taxes, for Indian passport holders and US $ 165, plus taxes, for foreign passport holders.

  Children below 12 will not be charged. An extra person will be charge Rs 300 per night.

  The millennium package is valid from December 29 to January 2.

  • The package is priced at RS 8,600 per person per night for Indian passport holders and US $ 200 per person per night.

  This includes meals, entertainment programmes and taxes.

  Its facilities include a restaurant, a bar and conference facilities.

  Neemrana Palace Hotel, Village Neemrana, Distt Alwar. Phone: 0194-46005, 46007, 46008.
  New Delhi: 011-4616145.

• About 10 km away at Behror is the Sawan Bhadon hotel which offers decent clean rooms as well as deluxe rooms.

Places to stay:

• Meenal, near Circuit House, tel # 0144-22852: Two air conditioned double rooms are available for Rs 600 per night. Four air-cooled (by cooler) double rooms are available for Rs 400 per night. The hotel has an inhouse restaurant.

• Aravali, near the station. Air-cooled (by cooler) rooms are available. Basic amenities only.

• Lake Palace, Rajasthan Tourism, Siliserh, tel # 0144-86322, 86331. Just 10 rooms. Simple but elegant hotel on the lake, 14 km from Alwar town. Rs 800 for an AC double room. Rs 600 for air cooled (by cooler) double rooms.

Manesar Heritage Village, Manesar, located 40 kms away from New Delhi offers its packages.

Package valid till December 28:

• The package is priced at Rs 4,350, plus taxes, per night for a standard double room for a couple. This includes meals. Children below 12 will not be charged for the room.

Millennium package valid from December 29 to January 2:

• The package is priced at Rs 25,000 for three nights and four days. Two children below 12 will not be charged. An extra person will be charged Rs 12,000 for the package.

The centre offers mud, solar and water therapy, massage, Ayurvedic herbal oil therapy, yoga, aerobics, fitness, mediation and relaxation techniques, life style counselling and nutritional advice. Available on the farm are tennis courts, a swimming pool, a sauna, jacuzzi, tennis, badminton, a gymnasium, table tennis and billiards. Amusement is provided by the way of cultural events organised on the campus. The village is equipped with an in-house restaurant.

The Samode Palace, Samode, about 45 kms from Jaipur offers its tariffs vaid till December 20:

• The tariff for a single room is Rs 1,950, plus taxes, per night.

• The tariff for a standard double room is Rs 3,025, plus taxes, per night.

• The tariff for a deluxe double room is Rs 3,950, plus taxes, per night.

Its facilities include a restaurant, a bar, a badminton court, table tennis, camel safaris and conference facilities.

Samode Palace, 01423-44114, 44123.
Samode Haveli, Gangapole, Jaipur. Phone: 0141-632370, 632407.

Hotel Ganga Kinare, Rishikesh offers its tariff valid till February 2000.

• Air conditioned deluxe room: Rs 1,850, plus taxes, per night.

• Suite: Rs 3,000 plus, taxes, per night.

Children below 12 will not be charged. An extra person will be charged Rs 400 per night.

Its facilities include a restaurant serving vegetarian meals, water sports, boating, a travel desk, a foreign exchange counter and conference facilities.

Hotel Ganga Kinare, 16, Veerbhadra road, Rishikesh. Phone: 0135-431658.

• Hotel Rajesh, located in the pretty hill station of Mahabaleshwar, offers its package.

  The package is priced at Rs 2,424 per person for a non-air conditioned room on twin sharing basis, for three nights and three days and includes all meals and access to the hotel swimming pool.

  Children below 10 and above 2 will be charged Rs 1,200 for this package.

  Children and an extra adult will be charged Rs 1,350 for the same package.

  The same tariff will be charged to foreign passport holders.

  Splendid Travels, Bombay, phone: 022-3420609, 3421443, 3432426.
  Or Chemi Travels, Bombay, phone: 022-6118994, 6118995.
  Or Anil Travels, Bombay, phone: 022-5149066, 5134085.

• Saj Resort offers its rates for a package.

  The package is priced at Rs 5,100 for a super deluxe, non-air conditioned room for a couple for three nights and four days. The package includes vegetarian meals, transport to Mahabaleshwar by AC coach from Bombay (eight hours), two free days of sightseeing by taxi and taxes. Rs 1,500 will be charged extra for a child below eight. And Rs 1,600 will be charged for an extra adult.

  Saj Resort also offers a per day rate. Couples will be charged Rs 1,506 per day, vegetarian meals included. Children below eight will be charged Rs 300 per day, meals included. An extra adult will be charged Rs 400 per day, meals included.

  The same tariff will be charged to foreign passport holders.

  Saj Resort, District Satara, Mahabaleshwar. Phone: 02168-60794.
  Bombay at 022-4114121, 4114133.

• Hotel Ripon in Mahabaleshwar offers special rates on its rooms during the summer. The hotel, which overlooks a lake, is a multi-storeyed building that provides rooms which can accommodate four people. Depending on the number of people occupying the room the rates vary from Rs 995 for an AC standard room on twin sharing basis to Rs 775 for a non AC standard for four people.

  When we contacted the reservation office in Bombay they were neither helpful nor polite.

  Hotel Ripon, Mahabaleshwar.
  Bombay: Phone: 022-4935630, 4932657.

• Hotel Shreyas in Mahableshwar offers its room rates.
  • The tariff for a holiday package classic room, with meals and sightseeing is Rs 2,175 per night on a twin sharing basis for three nights.

  • The tariff for a classic room, without meals, is Rs 1,675 per night on a twin sharing basis for three nights.

  Hotel Shreyas, Mahableshwar. Bombay bookings: 022-6121841, 6101879.
  Sam San Travels: 022-3870880 3885069.
  Merry Tours: 022-6402070, 6409936.

MTDC runs a resort at Amboli. They charge Rs 350 per night for their deluxe rooms, Rs 475 for their deluxe suites and Rs 600 per night for their family suites. Contact: MTDC, CDO Hutments, Madame Cama road. Phones: 022-2026713, 2027784.

MTDC runs a tent resort at Harihareshwar. They offer 20 two-bedded tents for Rs 150 per night. They offer 10 four-bedded tents for Rs 250 per night. The complex also offers accommodation in four rooms at Rs 300 per night. Contact: MTDC, CDO Hutments, Madame Cama road. Phones: 022-2026713, 2027784.

MTDC runs yet another tent resort at Bordi. They offer 8 two-bedded tents for Rs 150 per night. They offer accommodation in 10-bedded tents for Rs 20 per head per night rooms. The complex also offers accommodation in four rooms at Rs 300 per night. Contact: MTDC, CDO Hutments, Madame Cama road. Phones: 022-2026713, 2027784.

The Gul Khush Resort nearby is also a pleasant place to stay.

The Taj hotel offers its tariff till December 19, 1999.

• The tariff for a cottage is Rs 3,900, plus taxes, for Indian passport holders and US $ 210, plux taxes for a foreign passport holders, per night for a couple.

Two children below 12 will not be charged. An extra person will be charged Rs 300, plus taxes, per night.

The hotel offers its millennium package from December 20 to January 3.

• The package is priced at Rs 8,000 per night for Indian passport holders and US $ 300 per night for foreign passport holders for a couple.

Two children below 12 will not be charged for the room; meals extra. An extra person will be charged Rs 300, plus taxes, per night for the room; meals extra.

It is located 42 kms from the Bangalore airport.

Its facilities: a restaurant, a bar, an ayurvedic centre and indoor games.

The Taj Garden Retreat, Hessaraghatta, Bangalore rural district. Phone: 080-8466326, 8466329.
New Delhi: 011-3322333, 3322256.
Bombay: 022-2022626, 2022524.
Calcutta: 033-2483939.
Madras: 044-8272827.
Bangalore: 080-2255055.
Ahmedabad: 079-400304.
Jaipur: 0141-371616.

Hotels:

• Hotel Saundarya Residency, I G road, Chikmagalur. Phone: 08262-35257, 32607: Double rooms for Rs 140 per night. Deluxe double rooms for Rs 225 per night.

• Taj Garden Retreat, K M road, Chikmagalur. Phone: 08262-20262, 20404: A package for two nights and three days for a couple for standard double room is priced at Rs 6,400 till December 16. A package for two nights and three days for a couple for standard double room is priced at Rs 7,500 till December 29.

Karnataka Tourism offers comfortable accommodation at the Mayura River View, Srirangapatnam.

Tariff:
Rs 550 plus taxes, per couple per night for a non airconditioned double room. The tariff for an air conditioned double room is Rs 700, plus taxes, per couple per night.

KSTDC, Bangalore: 080-2275883
Mayura River View, Srirangapatnam, distt Mandiya. Phone: 08236-52114.

Karnataka Tourism offers comfortable accommodation in Hampi, about 12 kms from Hospet. The tariffs are valid till March 2000.

• The tariff for a double room at the Mayura Vijaynagar, 17 kms from Hampi is, Rs 190 per night.

• The tariff for a double room at the Mayura Bhuvaneshwari, Hampi is Rs 300 per night for a non air conditioned room and Rs 450 per night for an air conditioned room.

Mayura Vijaynagar, KSTDC, TB Dam, Distt Bellary. Phone: 08394-39270.
Mayura Bhuvaneshwari, KSTDC, Kamlapur, Distt Bellary. Phone: 08394-41574.
KSTDC, Bangalore: 080-2275883

Hotels:

• The Devbagh Beach Resort, ½ km from beach, 1 ½ km from Karwar town, offers accommodation in eight log huts for Rs 1,000 per head per night, Contact: 080-5597021.

• The KSTDC Tourism Home, tel # 08386-56236 in Gokarn, on a hill is another option. Rooms are clean and tidy and offer a sea view. The tariff for a double room is Rs 150 per night. There are, however, just two rooms available. It is a long walk uphill if you do not have transport. Contact: Bangalore KSTDC at 080-2275883.

Karnataka Tourism offers comfortable accommodation at the Mayura Pine Top, Nandi Hills.

Tariffs:
Rs 220 per night for a couple for a non air conditioned double room.

Mayura Pine Top, KSTDC Nandi Hills, Distt Kolar. Phone: 08156-78624.
KSTDC, Bangalore: 080-2275883.

Karnataka Tourism offers very basic accommodation, by their definition, in two rooms at Bannur.

KSTDC, Bangalore: 080-2275883.

• Temple Bay Ashok , Mahabalipuram, offers its tariffs valid till December 15.
  • The tariff for a single room is Rs 1,995, plus taxes, per night.
  • The tariff for a double room is Rs 3,900, plus taxes, per night for a couple.

  Two children below 12 will not be charged. An extra person will be charged Rs 300 per night.

  Its facilities: a restaurant, a bar, a swimming pool, indoor games, a tennis court and conference facilities.

  Temple Bay Ashok, Beach road. Phone: 04114-42251.

• The Fisherman's Cove on Covelong Beach offers its packages.

  Package valid till March 2000 except between December 20 and January 5:

  • The two night and three days package is priced at Rs 13,550 for a couple for a garden facing cottage.
  • The two night and three day package is priced at Rs 15,300 for a couple for a sea facing cottage.

  This includes meal credit of Rs 750 per person per day, a half day sightseeing tour and taxes.

  Room tariff from December 20 to January 5, except between December 30 to January 1:

  • The tariff for a garden facing cottage is Rs 5,300 per night for a couple.

  Tariff for December 30 and January 1 is priced at:

  • Rs 10,325, plus taxes, per night for a couple for a garden facing cottage.
  • Rs 11,450, plus taxes, per night for a couple for a sea facing cottage.

  This tariff includes breakfast and gala dinner on December 30 and brunch on January 1.

  The package for December 31 is priced at:

  • Rs 22,925, plus taxes, per night for a couple for a garden facing cottage.
  • Rs 24,050, plus taxes, per night for a couple for a sea facing cottage.
  This includes breakfast, special theme dinner, millennium celebration events and select brands of alcoholic beverages.

  Its facilities includes a restaurant, a bar, a swimming pool, a travel desk, a shopping, a shopping arcade, indoor games and conference facilities.

  The Fisherman's Cove, Covelong Beach. Phone: 04114-74304.

The Ffort Radisson, Calcutta, a three star hotel located about 55 km from the railway station and 72 kms from the airport, offers its packages.

The package valid till November 30.

• The package is priced at Rs 2,999 plus taxes, per couple per night for a standard air conditioned double room. This includes breakfast and dinner.

Tariff valid from December 1 to 30:

The tariff for a standard air conditioned double room is Rs 3,600, plus taxes, per night. Children below 12 will not be charged. An extra person will be charged Rs 300 per night.

Millennium package valid from December 31 to January 2.

• The three night package is priced at Rs 19,999 per person on a twin sharing basis. This includes meals, entertainment programmes and taxes.

Its facilities: a restaurant, a bar, a swimming pool, a health club, a foreign exchange desk, a travel desk, conference facilities and indoor and outdoor games.

The Ffort Radisson, Raichak, PS Diamond Harbour, 24 Parganas South. Phone: 03174-75444, 75445. Fax: 75455.
Calcutta: 033-2800043, 2800044. Fax : 033-2800046.

West Bengal Tourism offers comfortable accommodation at Sajnekhali, Sunderbans, home of the Royal Bengal tiger.

The Sajnekhali Tourist Lodge offers double rooms for Rs 525 per night. Children below eight will not be charged. Children above eight will be charged 20 per cent of the room tariff.

West Bengal Tourism, Tourist Centre, 3/2 B B D Bagh east, phones: 033-2103199, 2485917, 2485168