Lets face it. We all go to a place like Darjeeling to soak in some tranquility and basically get away from whatever we were doing 7500 feet below and further from this little piece of heaven. So your choices are simple in Darjeeling. If you are a couple – are you are looking for a bit of romance to be rekindled or even set alight – then you need a fully loaded, stylish and room with a view type hotel – complete with fireplace, view of snow-capped mountains and a cup of tea in the morning at Rs. “How much ?” which you just sign for without a second thought. If yes, then Hotel Sun Flower is not for you. Keep away !!
This hotel is more for the other bunch of people that come to Darjeeling. Yes – the family trip ! Here your objectives are quite different and in most cases entirely the opposite. You want an ideally located hotel near the center of everything and you want it to cost as little as possible and yet somehow get the feeling that your money bought you a good family hotel stay. Welcome to Hotel Sun flower.
Location : Bang in the middle (or should say I on top and slightly to the side) of Chowrasta or The mall as they call it. In fact, only 2 other (top class) hotels Windamere and Elgin can boast proximity to this central meeting place of people, which is nothing more than a flat square the size of a football pitch lined with shops and cafes on the sidelines. However, take a stroll out of the hotel front door on a foggy day and you will be walking on the clouds or close to such a sensation as imaginable. Beware though, taking photos in this state of fogginess will also lead to a loss of some body parts of the subject (ears, limbs, hair etc) being photographed. No ghosts required!
Room : We were a family of four and we did a last minute booking at this Hotel Sun Flower without any great research. We were therefore pleasantly surprised when we checked into Room 102, which was a duplex type room with a double bed on the ground floor and a wooden staircase inside the room leading up to the second double bed. The kids will go wild trekking up and down this staircase ! The view from the large windows (covering the whole wall) is indeed breathtaking and looking down on Darjeeling town. The bathrooms are clean and hot running water is a major plus. Room 101 is the same (these two are the only ones I recommend in this hotel as the others are no where near as impressive nor do you get the view mentioned above)
Hotel amenities: Except for a good veg. Restaurant, there are none. But then you get what you pay for.
Places near by : Main shopping alley, cafes, restaurants – less than 5 minutes. Taxi stands for trips outside Darjeeling – 5 minutes. Viewpoint to see Mt. Kanchenjunga – 5/7 minutes away opposite the hotel (on clear day the view of Kanchenjunga is indeed breathtaking. Fear not if its cloudy when you go, as you can still go to the viewpoint and watch tourists randomly pointing at the horizon, trying to convince themselves and others that they can still see it – makes for amusing watching). Within 10 minutes from the hotel you can cover most areas by walk (not that you have any other option)
Price : This is the best part – Rs. 2, 500 –3, 000 /- per night for a Duplex Room for 4 persons ! Now that’s good value. Make sure you book room 101 or 102 . The other rooms will fit your budget better (Rs. 2, 000/-) but not recommended as they are a bit dark and offer no view.
In summary, if you are looking for a budget family hotel with good friendly service which is located at the best part of Darjeeling, then Room 101 or 102 at the this hotel is your safe bet. If you are looking for some style, a fire place thrown in, intend to spend more time inside the hotel than outside – or you are a couple, then choose the more expensive options like Windamere, Elgin which are also located near Chowrasta (the main gathering point). Either way, enjoy yourself and try to achieve why you went all the way up there for. Whatever the weather, you can’t wrong with a hot cup of Darjeeling tea (made in front of you by Bihari tea vendors) sitting on a bench just outside the hotel in Chowrasta watching the town walk past you as your kids run around like headless chickens having the time of their lives !!
We stayed 4 nights and cherished every second of it. Hotel Sun Flower suited our requirement and it didn’t break our budget. The room gave us all a good night’s sleep with flowing hot water in the bathroom to make use of, almost at will. I recommend it as a no frills, no thrills type family hotel with its ideal location being its key selling point. Be sure to get the duplex rooms 101 or 102. Hope the review helped.