Punjab and Haryana Trip Details
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Hotel Seven, Chandigarh: Stayed here for two nights in February 2022
- Pros:
- 1) Location. It is close to the main attractions of the city like Sukhna Lake, Capitol Complex and the parks. Any better hotel is located far away from the main city.
- 2) There are reasonable eating and shopping choices in walkable distance from the hotel.
- 3) The front desk helped us with transportation needs.
- 4) The WIFI is free and the connectivity and speed was good.
- 5) Staff was polite courteous.
- 6) The tariff was reasonable.
- 7) The room cleanliness is not great, but adequate.
- Cons:
- 1) The place is very noisy. The rooms have very poor sound proofing and you can hear the lobby noise even on upper floors.
- 2) The rooms and bathrooms are small.
- 3) The front desk seems overworked and they don't seem to respond to your requests in timely manner.
- 4) The exterior decor of the hotel is very poor and looks quite shabby.
- Hotel Shaurya, Patiala: We stayed here for one night in February 2022.
- Pros:
- 1) Very good quality business hotel.
- 2) The rooms and bathrooms were very spacious and very clean. Bath fixtures were modern and new.
- 3) The quality of food at the restaurant was great. Food is available for most part of the day.
- 4) Wifi was free and the speed and connectivity good.
- 5) The tariff was reasonable.
- 6) The place is quiet at nights. Sleep quality was great.
- Cons:
- 1) The check-out process was quite slow. We waited 15 mins just to get our room checked.
- 2) The location is not great. It is a 10 min walk to Dukh Nivaran Gurudwara. But the city centre is far away and there is very few eating/shopping options next to the hotel.
- 3) It is not easy to find transportation option close to the hotel.
- 4) We had problems with hot water supply during our stay. Only cold shower was available.
- Best Western, Kapurthala: We stayed here for one night in February 2022.
- Pros:
- 1) Very good quality business hotel.
- 2) The rooms and bathrooms were very clean. The size was adequate. Bath fixtures were modern and new.
- 3) The quality of food at the restaurant was good. Food is available for most part of the day.
- 4) Wifi was free and the speed and connectivity good.
- 5) The tariff was reasonable.
- 6) The place is quiet at nights. Sleep quality was great.
- 7) The location is good. The Moorish Mosque is a short walk away and there are plenty of transportation options right at the hotel entrance.
- 8) The front desk staff was very courteous and helpful in booking our transportation.
- Cons:
- 1) The check-out process was quite slow. We waited 15 mins just to get our room checked.
- 2) The hotel front area is very small for parking and even drop-off and pick-up.
- Hotel Landmark, Amritsar: Stayed here for one night in March 2022.
- Pros:
- 1) The location is excellent. It is a short 5 min walk to the temple area.
- 2) There are plenty of eating/shopping options close to the hotel.
- 3) The rooms and bathrooms were very clean.
- 4) The tariff was reasonable.
- 5) The place is quiet at nights. Sleep quality was great.
- 6) The front desk staff was very courteous and helpful.
- Cons:
- 1) The space is a bit cramped. The rooms, lobby area, lift etc were all on the smaller side. There is hardly any parking available in front of the hotel.
- 2) The WIFI was not easy to connect to.
- Clark's Inn, Ambala: We stayed here for one night in March 2022.
- Pros:
- 1) Location has both positive and negative aspects. The positive is that it is located in an upscale shopping plaza. There are plenty of shopping and eating option available in the plaza.
- 2) Another plus for location is that it is bang off the main Amritsar-Delhi highway making it very convenient for a night stay on the drive.
- 3) The tariff is reasonable.
- 4) The room and bathrooms were clean.
- 5) The front desk staff was very courteous and helpful.
- 6) The WIFI was free, but was a bit hard to connect to.
- 7) The place is quiet at nights. Sleep quality was great.
- Cons:
- 1) The room decor looked a bit old and tired.
- 2) The bad thing about the location is that it is far away from the city centre.
- 3) They did not have the quick 6-hour laundry as advertised in their brochure. They only provide the longer day-long version.
- 4) The room was small.
- The Esse Hotel, Hisar: We stayed here for one night in March 2022.
- Pros:
- 1) The rooms and bathrooms were very spacious. They were reasonably clean as well.
- 2) The location has both good and bad part. The good part is that it is close to Camp Chows where there are reasonable eating and transportation options.
- 3) The front desk staff was courteous and helpful. They helped with booking our taxi to the next destination.
- 4) The food quality at the restaurant was good.
- 5) The tariff is reasonable.
- 6) The WIFI was free, but was a bit hard to connect to.
- 7) The place is quiet at nights. Sleep quality was great.
- Cons:
- 1) The breakfast time is late. The breakfast isn't available till 8:30 am.
- 2) The bad part of the location is that it is located on a narrow alley by the flyover and it is not easy to get in and out. Also, it is a fair distance from the Firoz Shah complex.
- OYO Hotel Vansh, Narnaul: We could not stay here at all!
For the first time in our lives we did not stay in the hotel after booking it on-line. The room was terrible. The bed linens were dirty. The bathroom was unclean and totally cramped. Our room did not even have a lock. This is what I would expect at a place that would cost a few hundred rupees a night. It cost us close to three thousand! We looked for a better hotel and checked out without staying. For the first time I am rating a hotel as one-star.
- Saawariya Rooms and Food Court: We stayed here for one night in March 2022.
- Pros:
- 1) We had booked our room at the terrible Hotel Vansh and were desperately looking for better options. The front desk of Saawariya was very helpful in helping us get a room at the last minute.
- 2) The location is great. It is right at the Hero Honda Chowk with reasonable eating options nearby. There are plenty of transportation available close to the hotel.
- 3) The room was spacious and reasonably clean.
- 4) The tariff was quite cheap.
- 5) The food at the restaurant was good. Food was available throughout the day.
- 6) The WIFI was free and the connectivity was decent.
- 7) The place was quiet at nights.
- Cons:
- 1) The bathroom was a bit small.
- 2) The bed was too soft for our liking.
- The roads between cities and towns are generally in good conditions in both Punjab and Haryana. The city roads are choking with traffic and nearly impossible to negotiate on anything bigger than an auto-rickshaw. The distances and timings shown in Google Maps are quite accurate for driving between any two towns/cities. Our advice would be to park the taxi/car in the outskirts of the city and take an auto-rickshaw to travel the interior streets of the city.
- Chandigarh
- Yadavindra Mughal Gardens, Pinjore: Must see. This is actually located in Haryana. An hour should be sufficient. There is a good restaurant inside the Gardens. Head here early to avoid the crowd.
- Rock Garden: Absolute Must See. This is a sprawling complex needing at least a couple of hours to roam around. It gets crowded very quickly. So head here as early as possible.
- Rose Garden: Skip in off-season. There isn't anything else here other than the roses that means if the roses are not blooming, there is hardly anything to see.
- Garden of Fragrance/Terraced Gardens: Should See. Both of these are very peaceful and very well-maintained gardens with a variety of flowers.
- Sukhna Lake: Should see. Very picturesque and pleasant lake with plenty of activities.
- Government Museum and Art Gallery: Should see. Well maintained museum with some good art work on display. Worth a peep if you can spare 30 mins.
- Capitol Complex: Must see. The only way to see this via a free 30 min tour that leaves at 10 am, noon and 3 pm. You will need a government ID or a passport to visit.
- Sirhind
- Fatehgarh Sahib: Must see just for the history. It is a small Gurdwara with a quick in-and-out darshan.
- Todarnal Haveli: Should see. There isn't much left, just a shell of a multi storied structure. 10 mins would be plenty to visit this site.
- Tombs of Ustad-Shagird: Should see. Not to be confused with a more famous Ustad-Shagird pair in Nakodar. The Sirhind tombs are located in a picturesque setting amid green paddy fields. Don't forget to climb to the upper stories of the Ustad for fabulous views. 30 mins to an hour should be sufficient to cover both.
- Aam Khas Bagh: Must see. This has two sections one with a huge water tank and other with a crumbling Hammam. Don't forget to check out both. An hour should be enough to cover the entire site.
- Patiala
- Sheesh Mahal: We heard this is a Must See. But it was under renovation (closed to tourists) when we went.
- Qila Mubarak: Must See. Cameras are not allowed, mobile phones are allowed. So buy yourself a high end mobile with a good built-in camera. 30 mins to an hour should be sufficient.
- Baradari GardensShould see: This is actually a series of gardens with traffic flowing between them. Not very great. But the Neemrana Hotel building is worth a second look.
- Gurdwara Dukh Nivaran Sahib: Must See. 30 mins should be sufficient. Don't forget to walk around the sarovar for the views.
- Patiala Jutti: Patiala is famous for its Jutti - the embroidered shoes. These don't have a chirality i.e. either pair can be worn on either feet. The shops near Qila Mubarak sell them dirt cheap.
- Agya Singh Dhaba: If you are in the city centre, this dhaba is a good place to swing by for a quick bite.
- Bathinda: The only thing worth seeing here is the fort, also named as Qila Mubarak. It is quite imposing and impressive. 30 mins to an hour should be plenty.
- Nakodar: Must See. If you are nearby, you have to see the pair of stunning Mughal era tombs. Cameras aren't allowed. So you have to get by with your mobile camera. 30 mins should be sufficent.
- Kapurthala: Half a day should be sufficient here.
- Moorish Mosque: Must See. It is generally deserted outside the prayer hours. 30 mins should be plenty.
- Shalimar GardensMust See: The cenotaphs are poorly maintained. But still well worth a visit. 30 mins should be plenty.
- Darbar Hall/Old CourthouseShould see: It is under renovation. But you can walk around the building.
- Jagjit Palace/Elysee PalaceCasual visitors are not allowed. So if you do not have any contacts that can get you in, don't bother getting to either place.
- Tarn Taran Gurdwara: Must See just to gawk at the massive Sarovar. 30 mins to an hour should be enough.
- Anandpur Sahib Gurdwara: Must See. It is a small Gurdwara and should be a quick in and out.
- Viraat-e-Khalsa, Anandpur Sahib: Must See. An excellent modern museum with well laid out display. Photography is not allowed.
- Amritsar
- Golden Temple/Harmandir Sahib: Must See. If your aim is to just photograph the building, then you can head at anytime when the light is good. It is pwaceful to walk around the periphery at all times. It is a long wait only to get into the main temple. To avoid crowd get in early, before dawn. Do visit here at night as well. The lighting is magical.
- Jallianwala Bagh: Must-See. A short hop from the Temple. 30 mins to an hour should be plenty.
- Durgiana Temple: Should See. It is a decent replica of the Golden temple. 30 mins should be sufficient.
- Gobindgarh Fort: Should See. It is a well-maintained fort. But it is made to resemble a theme park more than an historical fort. But it is still worth a visit.
- Maharaja Ranjit Singh Panorama: Must See. Very well laid out dioramas and a main panorama chronicling the life events of the Maharaja.
- Summer Palace: It was close when we visited. It is a short walk from the Panorama.
- Partition Museum: Must See. Well laid out and a well maintained museum housed in a great building.
- Amritsari Kulcha: Must Try. If you want to try something that is quintessentially Amritsar, it is this dish.
- Phulkari: This is the traditional Punjabi embroidery style.
- Group of Tombs, Jhajjar: Must See. These are quite impressive. 30 mins to an hour should be sufficient.
- Kurukshetra
- Brahma Sarovar: Must See. The sarovar is very well maintained and is massive. 30 mins to visit the main area. Ad an hour if you want to walk all around the tank.
- Sheikh Chilli's Tomb: Must See. The most impressive tomb in Haryana. You need 30 mins to visit the main tomb and additional 30 mins to an hour to roam the gardens and outer ruins.
- Nabha House: Should see. The most impressive part is the main facade. If you are short of time, just glance at the main entrance before heading out.
- Panipat
- Battlefield Memorial: Should See. There isn't much to see here. Just the goosebumps of having visited one of the most historic battlefields of the world.
- Kabuli Bagh Mosque: Must See. The mosque is closed. But there is a platform on the side that lets you peep in for a quick photograph.
- Hemu Burial Site, Ibrahim Lodhi Burial Site, Panipat Museum: We did not have time to visit these.
- Hisar
- Firoz Shah Palace Complex: Must See. This is not a huge complex. An hour should be plenty. Do not miss the Lat Ki Masjid.
- Gurjari Mahal: It was always closed when we went. Looked impressive from the outside.
- Pranpir Baba Maqbara: Skip it. Quite hard to get to. And pretty rundown monument.
- Narnaul: Half a day is sufficient to cover the points. But it is a challenge to find a good/knowledgeable auto-wala who can take you everywhere. Most locals don't know about these sights.
- Chor Gumbad, Birbal ka Chatta, Tomb of Ibrahim Sur Khan, Tomb of Shah Quli Khan, Jal Mahal: All are Must See. Quite impressive buildings. 30 mins is plenty per site. Tomb of Shah Quli Khan is located in the middle of a mustard field and was the most difficult one to locate.
- Nuh
- Chuhimal Complex: Must See. There is a chhatri and a pond. 30 mins to an hour should be sufficient.
- Sheikh Musa Mosque: Should See. Only the front facade is worth a look.
TRIP ITINERARY