Gateway to Hospitality. Review on Hotel Calicut Gate, Kozhikode

Location It was ideal to our work purpose as the institute where my husband had to do a workshop was nearby. Otherwise, it may not be ideal as the city centre is some 13 kms away and the Calicut International Airport about 10 kms. However, the Ramanattukara Bus Terminal is only 200 meters away and the Feroke Railway station just 3 kms.

Apparently, the hotel helps arrange pickup and drop on request and will help arrange transportation for sightseeing. I did not have the chance to experiment with all this but, given that the staff is very friendly, it may be true.  On the other hand, the reception did not seem very enthusiastic about offering tours and all but this may be merely due to language problems. Otherwise, in all things, the hotel staff was prompt and enthusiastic about attending to requests.

There is a small supermarket right next to the hotel which is extremely convenient.

Three Star Hotel with 5 Star Hospitality The staff, right up from Mr. Manoj Babu, the General Manager, down to Bindu at Housekeeping, are all courteous and efficient.

The air conditioner in the first room we were given stopped working and we were quickly and helpfully shifted to another room. Small problems like trouble with the flush were dealt with speedily and without any dance drama.

Hotel's MainstayThe main purpose of the hotel seems to be for seminars and small, formal get togethers for local bodies and businesses. There is usually some function going on.

Cheers! Another feature that attracts clientele is the bar. This is mainly for males. However, the hotel is so designed that inmates need not be bothered by its existence, although the fish cooking smells from it do tend to infiltrate the air in the corridors. We can forgive that as the fish snacks at the bar are wonderful, if the batter fried anchovies we had at our one visit there is an indication. The bar is dimly lit and crowded. Youngsters hang around outside to smoke. Inside there is an outer area with tables and an inner air conditioned space that is very dimly lit.  Unless you really crave a beer or are looking for a specific atmosphere, it is better to order a nice chilled bottle via room service.

Room Service We accessed this once for a chilled beer and kichadi. The khichadi was excellent and very comforting. From the empty dishes outside other rooms I could see that people enjoyed a variety of things in their rooms from meals to cold coffee and such.

Toddy Today A stone’s throw from the hotel is the Government booze shop and it always has a long queue outside. Just across from that is the KTDC hotel which serves beer. But none of those is the real deal. Right across from the hotel is a toddy shop. Again, this is no place for the ladies but it’s set in quite a rustic ambience and you can get some decent toddy for Rs. 100 per litre and some tasty snacks such as fried anchovies.

Red Chilly The restaurant is spacious and mostly empty. But the service is excellent and the food was quite good. Mr. Nasir, the Maitre D’, is a veritable gem. With him around, you can be sure to be pampered like royalty.  We enjoyed various dishes for breakfast and dinner and, at least, one or two lunches.

Cons It’s quite difficult to get around from the hotel unless you have the money for an auto or cab and the guts to confront the cheating mentality or the courage to take public transport which is very cheap but again you would have to deal with local mentality which frowns and refuses to be helpful.

Very nearby, around the bus terminal, there are some shopping centres but these are quite humble. However, you can locate an ironing person and even access some ordinary medical care.

Pros Thus, all such small needs being met, the best you can do is chill to your heart’s content in the fairly decent room. The decor is much like most good hotel rooms. If you’re very fussy, you may crib that it is all slightly old and in some disrepair. But the TV works well, the airconditioning was wonderful, there is always hot water, some basic toiletries are provided, and the bed was very comfortable. Housekeeping is first class. You may complain that the towels and bed clothes are old but you cannot deny that they are very clean. The view from our window made for wonderful mornings and evenings - the majestic skies and greenery!

On Offer

Rooms and Amenities

There are 21 rooms: AC Suite Rooms, AC Standard Room and Non AC Room.

The cost is very reasonable for such excellent service. It is well worth it if you want budget accommodation with 5 star hospitality.