Sonartaree Hotel and restaurant Santiniketan - Hotel in Santiniketan, Bolpur - Birbhum, India

I am sure many of us are aware of Clint Eastwood's 'The Good, Bad & Ugly'. So, here it goes.. The Good ======== Before reaching Shantiniketan, I had reached out to the Hotel and the Manager was kind enough to block two rooms for us without insisting for any kind of advance payment. The rooms are very comfortable to stay with proper AC cooling along with a decent bathroom. The elevator in the hotel is a bliss to old aged people who has a challenge climbing the stairs. Oh yes, the complimentary tea kit with a electric kettle is certainly anyone would appreciate. We had a two year old kid whose breakfast for 2 days was taken care by the kitchen staff (We had carried the raw materials and the kitchen staff were kind enough to comply with our custom request). The Bad ======= Complimentary Breakfast provided is of very poor quality with pathetic table service at the hotel. We were forced to purchase packaged drinking water at the restaurant. The hotel didn't even care to offer a tea or a glass to drink water during breakfast. Surprisingly, their restaurant has decent business for lunch/dinner for outside people as well as residents. If that be the case, then why the sub standard breakfast to the guests who are staying at the Hotel. Parking is not easy at all for residents since there is no security personnel who manages the parking. You have to take care of your parking yourself (You have to literally sort out the matter with the outsiders who visits the Hotel's restaurant for lunch/dinner). So, in one word the Hotel doesn't have ample parking space though they claim for the same. The Ugly ======= I had decided to go for a AC Room for my chauffeur once I reached the hotel instead of dumping him in the Driver Accommodation available at the Hotel. I got a similar room at a lower rate than the one we were staying. Our chauffeur was prohibited to use the TV available within the room with a 'You have paid a lower rate for a AC Room and since you are a driver, we are not able to provide all the services for a AC Room'. Seriously? What sort of logic is this? I thought when we pay for a room, we are entitled to get all the services for that room no matter what. Our chauffeur was so disappointed with the Hotel staff's behavior that he asked us not to come back to the same Hotel with him.

Sonartaree Hotel & Restaurant One of the best hotel in Prantik, Santiniketan. I stayed in this hotel last November 15th and 16th with my Mrs and our little kid. The hotel is very good in all aspects. Very clean and food quality is very good & hygienic. We thank and love every staff of the hotel. I will stay this hotel every time I go to Santiniketan after this. Every staff of the hotel (e.g Sukanta, Tinku) are very nice & well-behaved. Very homely environment. Best of all Lalu Mahato's behavior is so good like younger brother.

I did not stay there. We had lunch. For my grand daughter they made fried fish. Food was tasty and reasonably priced. Clean.

Excellent food and location. Very clean and neat. Food preparation is awesome. Will come back again definitely. A must visit resturant for family.

Very peaceful place, nature , excellent rooms, well bahaved staff, call attention good, ultimate good atmosphere. 4.8/5.0

The hotel is situated on Prantik Road, about 4.9 km from Bolpur railway station. The location is good and parking for private cars are available. The food quality is good and reasonably priced. Staffs are helpful. Rooms are clean but only issue is that power cuts are a regular affair and the air conditioner does not work during that time.

Service is not that good. They don't provide drinking water in rooms. After many reminders same was provided. Hot water for bath was missing even after several requests. Power back was not there during our stay, however it was temporary as gen set was out of order. Room telephone services are not available. Rooms are good and location is also good as it is located in very calm place. Away from pollution, traffic, market congestion etc.

This review is of the Sonar Taree restaurant rather than of the hotel. I am staying in the area, and have eaten at the Sonar Taree's restaurant twice. I don't speak much Bengali, so was grateful for the English menu; the food was very good, and was served courteously and efficiently. There are certainly aspects in which improvements could be made--it would be good if the cold drinks on the menu were actually available, for instance. Perhaps the A/C facility could be offered to guests in the restaurant; I wasn't sure if it would be polite to request that the A/C be turned on. The chicken biryani, chilli paneer, fish fingers and mixed veg that I ordered as take-out were all excellent and much appreciated by this Westerner who is not up to coping with the kitchen in a typical local home. The fish thali that I had on the one occasion, and the fried pomfret and veg fried rice that I had on the other, were all very good.