Give it a try but you wont find a better deal than this at Park Street which is one of the poshest places in Kolkata. Best quality in cheapest rate. Very friendly manager and staffs. This place has got two lovely roof gardens high up which will give you a good view.

Me and my friend came here once two years ago but then we became their regular customer.

So many things were good about this place. My train was late and I arrived after 2:00 a.m. & was well taken care of that night. I love the old elevator, the elevator operators, and the atmosphere of the building. All my needs were met very well (laundry, etc.). The location was much more interesting to me than Sudder Street—much more local. These things define how I base my rating.

But often there was a vibe like they didn't really want to deal with anyone. I kept telling myself it was like being in New York—where people only bother to be friendly when it really matters. This helped me get through the weird times. Also on the negative, the price was too high for the quality of the room.

Yet still Sunflower helped define Kolkata for me, which was by far my favorite large city in India. I'd need about 100 adjectives to describe this city, and any lodging that can allow you to feel functional in a place like this has to be commended.

I had reserved a standard double bed for 1000 Rs. Per night, on arrival they tried to push me into a 1350 deluxe room because I "didn't specify", which is incorrect. I had planned to stay for 3 nights and when they tried to charge I told them I would only stay one night instead. This caused them to give me my originally promised rate.

I stayed for 3 nights. The hotel is about 15 minutes walk to both Mother Teresa House and Sudder St area (different directions).

The room was clean, sheets especially. The walls and bathroom were satisfactory, which in India means, somewhat clean.

There is a guy who sleeps in the hall, I suppose to watch the rooms. 24/7 on guard!

The building has a cool elevator, I've never seen anything like it. Must be ancient though, but it works well.

The "reception" is at the top of the building, the staff are very indifferent, don't expect them to help with much.

Overall, this was a good starting point when I traveled India, it offered a good escape from Kolkata at a reasonable cost. I would stay here again, and would recommend it to others, just remember it's nothing fancy but it works.

There is also a McDonalds and a nice Bookstore on Park St, less than 3 minutes walk.

Pros: Location near Park Street is convenient for eating out and shopping for books or music. Room was large and fairly clean.

Cons: The guesthouse is in the top floors of a strange, old building. You need to take a scary elevator, and the office to check in is inconveniently located way up on the roof. There are no screens on the windows to keep bugs out. I forgot to turn off the bathroom light at night and woke up to find the bathroom floor covered with little dying bugs the next morning. The price of the rooms seems to have increased substantially since they were listed in Lonely Planet, and is no longer a good deal.