Delhi the bad belly
nannee
3 months travelling from UK to Delhi, Colombo, Singapore, HK, Adelaide, Sydney, Cairns, Aukland, Cook Islands, LA, Orlando, UK
4 Jul 2006
based on 8 votes
My round the world trip in 3 months
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Explore locations featured in this Traveler List:
New Delhi, Colombo, Dambulla, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Yala National Park, Galle, Singapore, Hong Kong, Sydney, Cairns, Auckland
- Category: Recent trip
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Traveler type:
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Appeals to:
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Ave price:
$309
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We thought that we would book a car from the hotel to meet us and I can honestly say that this was the only really good thing the hotel did. After the journey to Delhi we were met by a driver and taken to the hotel. Initially the room looked ok and we were taken to our room to checked in. We were given some free fruit and wine which was very cheap and nasty. When the check in lady left we went to the pool and slept for a while. On our return to our room we found the fridge didnt work, there was bad stains on the carpet, the walls had bad mould marks, and the bathroom was dark, damp and dingy. We complained and was told that this was the room allocated and no others were available - we got offered complimentary hotel transport back to the airport as compensation! We would NEVER use this hotel again as it had European prices and 3rd world standards! |
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Ave price:
$164
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Beautiful Hotel in lovely settings, only down side is a very long walk and lots of down and up stairs to get to the pool which is on the other side of the road. Worth making the trek though as the pool is lovely and big with a pool side bar and health rooms etc. Would definately go again. We took a hotel taxi to the local shopping centre which was really good and got a TukTuk back and was really pleased we did as it was a fraction of the price and more fun with natural air conditioning. |
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Fantastic hotel and a shame we didn't stay long enough to enjoy it as we were on a Sri Lanka tour. Fantastic settings and lovely views of the jungle. Strange but wonderful bathrooms with floor to ceiling glass, so you look into the jungle while you bath. Fantastic |
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Ave price:
$146
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| What a place. Beautiful views, fantastic gardens and lovely rooms. The pool was fantastic. My husband went for a swim and I booked for a massage treatment which was just above the pool. I was taken to a juccuzi bath for 10 minutes and left alone with the bubbles. During that time the fire alarm went off, I went to see what was happening and was informed to ignore it as it happens all the time! I was then taken to have a lovely herbal massage (much needed after the many miles of travel on SL roads!) and again the fire alarm went off on several occasions. I complained that this was not what I called a relaxing massage and the staff agreed with me and asked me to compain to the front desk as it happened alot! We reported it to the duty manager and he said he would have to speak to the manager next morning when his shift started. We went that evening to a SL Culture show which was good. Next morning we were on the move again and went to pay our bill and they wanted to charge full rate for the massage! We refused as it was not what I wanted and was a waste of time. We also found out that as the reception part of the hotel is a long walk over a bridge from the rooms and is not serviced by the same fire alarm system so they did not even hear the alarm....we were very upset when we found this out and pointed out that there should be some warning to he hotel management that the other part of the hotel could possibly have a fire and under their current system they would know nothing about it! After a long chat with the manager he gave us 50% off the massage which I was not really happy about. Apart from this Kandy is lovely |
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Ave price:
$98
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| A long journey to the Tea Factory Hotel which is as it suggests is a converted Tea Factory. The look of the hotel is a bit stark but inside is original and comfortable. There was 1 restaurant and 1 converted train restaurant which looked good and we were nearly talked into booking it but didn't. We sat in the terrace and had a drink and spoke to another couple who was going to eat in the 'train' that evening. Our food in the main hotel was good and unique as it is all served on T.chest and is presented well. Our room was nice and clean with views over the tea plantation. The hotel doesn't have a pool and we were glad that we were only going to be there 1 night as we found it all a bit boring. Next morning at breakfast we met the couple who had eaten in the 'train' and they said that it was absolutely lovely but was spoiled by the fact that they were the only couple there so absolutely no atmosphere. |
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6. Yala Safari Game Lodge
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| All rooms were chalet types, with no roads only natural paths between them and the main area where the bar, restaurant and reception are. There was a pool but we didnt use it as it was pooring with raining. We had umbrellas in our rooms which were handy! The room was 'mock natural' plastic coated wooden branches for towel rails, curtains with animal prints over (to be expected), soap etc in recycled boxes and so on. We were told not to leave our room to go to the main part of the hotel at night, we had to call reception and wait for a guide which we did but really couldn't work out why. We were informed that elephants and other animals walk around the area and we would be safer with this person to guide us!!!! The 1 restaurant wasn't anything to write home about, but then we were in the jungle. Next morning at 05.00 we went on Safari and were given a hotel packed breakfast. Our tour guide came with us and we also picked up a Sarafi Ranger who constantly sneezed and blew his nose and yawned, we were not sure why we had this guy but were informed we should tip him at the end! all in all we had a nice morning in the Safari Park. We were really surprised at the dangerous driving of some of the other guides. One driver almost put us off the road on several occasions and didn't seem at all bothered that our driver, tour guide and us were shouting at him to stay back. It is a once only trip to the Safari Park and we are glad to have done it but will not be doing it again. |
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7. Lighthouse Hotel & Spa
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Ave price:
$416
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This was my second visit to Galle as we sponsor children who have was affected by the Tsunami through www.ukfg.net. I have absolutely fallen in love with the people, the culture and the place. We met our 5 children and their families. Some only have a grand parent or 1 parent/relative/friend to look after them. Galle is Beautiful and the LightHouse hotel is fantastic, you are greeted on the open bar terrace area over looking the ocean, with a nice cool drink and you check in while taking in the view. The bedrooms are very spacious and comfortable with lovely views across the pool and the ocean. The staff are very polite and attentive. The food in the main restaurant is good but not overly exciting, but in the evening the bar upstairs is great for a couple of drinks and bar food which is excellent and so cheap. The hotel is situated a short TukTuk away from Galle Fort and the shops. Galle Fort is well worth a walk around by day and night as it has 2 totally different atmospheres. The shops are ok and sell almost everything. I am going back again next year to see the children and visit this wonderful place. |
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8. Carlton Hotel Singapore
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Ave price:
$170
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Located in a brilliant area and a very short walk from Raffels. The hotel was very good and let us in our room early which we really appreciated. There was a smallish pool on the 3rd floor (I think) and they had a BBQ one evening which looked great but we didn't sample it as our taxi driver told us that we should visit klaky...we didn't really understand him until that evening when we were walking around and found 'Clarkes Quay' and was it good. Loads of restaurants on the river side selling almost every type of food and drink, well worth finding. Singapore is clean, safe and wonderful and I have now visited around 6 times and would always include it as a stop over if I had the option. |
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9. Harbour Plaza Hong Kong
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Ave price:
$235
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Probably the most impressive entrance/stairs in any hotel I have been in. Our room was clean and adequate and was overlooking the road with no view to write home about, but as we were only there for 4 nights we didn't mind. The staff were very helpful. There was a roof top swimming pool which looked good but as it was smoggy and rainy we didnt bother. We took the shuttle (free) bus into town and it was good and we used it most days. The town was dirty, busy, smoggy and yukky. The shops were expensive and full of designer gear. The place was busy busy busy. We took a night trip up the river and then dinner on a floating restaurant. I felt a bit like a lamb to the slaughter, as we walked to a very bright room with a 'McDonalds' feel to it with all the tourists, and we were only offered the 'set menu' while the locals were on a much more sedate 1st floor with a choce of food. I always wanted to visit HK but 4 days was more than enough! |
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10. Citigate Sebel Sydney
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Ave price:
$193
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We had a small problem when booking in but eventually we were given a corner room on the second floor which was very spacious and clean with a hugh window. Unfortunately there was a tree right outside which blocked our view! On our floor we also had the conference rooms and they were used daily with lots of people chatting and walking up and down the corridors for business - no chance of a lay in! The swimming pool was indoors and was cold. The resaurant was OK but nothing special. It was very easyeasy to walk around from the hotel, and only took around 8 minutes to walk to Darling Harbour which we loved. We had a problem with our room phone as it had a radio alarm on it and we could not switch it off. Twice we reported it and in the end we told them to take it out. There was also a problem with the noise from the water system as we could here the people above us when they showered or went to the toilet. Sydney is fantastic we purchased a ticket that cost $50ish and we used it on the trains, buses and ferries and had a fantastic time. We also got tickets for the last performance of Madame Butterly in the Opera House......Magical. |
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Ave price:
$179
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We are Hilton members and we had a brilliant room on the 9th floor, with lovely views. We had access to the 9th floor lounge and we totally spoilt by Gemma and Ann who are always there. There was only one problem with the hotel and that was the access to the pool, which wasdDown to the 3rd floor by stairs or lift, then down the fire escape stairs 2 floors, and then up 1 set of stairs! The pool bar was never open but you could use the telephone to order a drink and food, which wasn't quite the same as sitting at the bar! The hotel was nicely located for the boats that went diving on the Barrier Reef and the Casino. The resaurant down stairs that overlooks the sea was also good but there are many in the town serving all sorts of food if you want to take a short walk. |
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Ave price:
$272
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We checked in and only stayed 1 night. This is a 'boutique' hotel, which we have learnt means modern and soleless. The room was good, clean and bright but the view was very restricted as it side ways faced the sea, and the room has a large column right in the middle of the windows. The pool is a single length lap pool which has a glass end and is located between the 2 buildings so very draughty. The town is good and we wished we had more than 1 night there. The staff were good and parking is at a premium! |
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Compliment nannee
