My hotel(s) in Hyderabad

The first few weeks here in Hyderabad I stayed at the ITC Grand Kakatiya Hotel Sheraton and Towers. However, most of the guests were displaced by the arrival of President Bush's advance crew and security team. (Would you believe that EACH of the 65 sniffer dogs got their own room in the hotel? I am assuming they shared a room with their handler/partner, but you never know.)

:)

There is a nice drive up a slight hill to the hotel from the street. It is set back quite a ways from the passing traffic, which is probably good for security. And that makes it quiet, too.

There is room for several cars under the porte cochere. This is where our driver, Osman, would pick us up every night at 8:30 p.m. to take us to work, and then drop us off again the next morning at 7:30 a.m. One night it was raining hard (the first time in six months, they said) so the overhang was quite welcome.

The hotel was named the Grand Kakatiya because "Kakatiya" was the name of the ruling family of this region of India several hundred years ago. This nice garden is actually on top of the discotheque, which is below ground level.

After we got booted from the Sheraton (albeit graciously) we moved over to the Taj Krishna. It is a verrrry nice hotel too. I've never stayed any place so elegant. I am glad IBM is paying the bill, and not me!

This is the Taj Krishna at night. The light cycles from white to blue to pink to purple, and then back to white again. (I am glad my room is on the other side of the hotel!) Of course, we're not there at night anyway. And when we are, fortunately the curtains are very thick and can block out all the daytime light very well.

The Taj Krishna is full of gold leaf, statues, tapestries, and marble. It is a great place to stay. They make your bed for you, shine your shoes, give you new towels, and even do your laundry. My own mother doesn't do that for me any more!

:)

And there is a red rose in my laundry when it comes back, folded. My mother NEVER did that.