So much else has been written. I was hesitant when I booked, but took a chance and was happy I did. The best way to describe it is that It's a bit like visiting your grandmother's (or great-grandmother's) house. Yes, the rooms are not spotless, and there are 50 layers of paint on anything that can be painted and many... more

Fairlawn Hotel - Adorable, very old but still very alive, cozy and calm. I must say that Calcutta is one of the most chaotic cities I've been and this hotel is a great sanctuary from all that hectic and dirty streets of this busy city. The reason is because the hotel is so calm and relatively quiet that it almost... more

The Fairlawn is a Kolkata institution to the people who have wanted a safe haven away from the noise, dirt and chaos of the streets outside. The green canopies and constantly revolving fans in the lobby area are as welcoming as your mum's apple pie after a hectic cab ride from Howrah Station. Lonely Planet has put this under the... more

If you like quirky, eccentricity at it's best then this hotel is for you! If you like good service, good food, good wine then this place is definitely not for you. We had a toilet that we bashed into to get into the bathroom and the bedroom was dark and dingy with no luxury feel whatsoever. On the plus side... more

My response to arriving at the Fairlawn was similar to the negative reviews below, "get me out of here". Rooms are just about clean, but furniture is decrepit and has just been repainted again and again, the beds are rock hard and the bathrooms pre-date my grandmother BUT bear with it. There is an extraordinary charm to the hotel, as... more

We booked this hotel for four nights but moved out after the first night. We would not have stayed there even the first night but we arrived very late at night and had no other option. This hotel is long past its glory days. The rooms are dirty, beds uncomfortable, bathrooms are disgusting and all the furniture is being constantly... more

Arrived in the early evening at this hotel for a two night stay. The hotel relys on its eccentric and quaint appeal at the expense of cleanliness and creature comforts. I was disappointed to find the pricey room was dirty, basically furnished and lacked instant hot water. Despite being in a malarial area, there was no electronic insect repllellent or... more

We first saw the reviews on Trip Adviser and then the photo's on the hotel website. Liked the look of it so booked 4 days there. The reality was so much better!! This hotel takes you back 70 years to the time of the Raj and we loved its eccentricity and warm feeling. Nothing was too much trouble, the staff... more

The hotel common areas were pleasnt enough with large sitting areas and cool courtyards. In terms of the room, the bedroom was basic, but clean. The bathroon however left a lot to be desired - the shower projected over a free standing raised bath which basically made a lot of the bathroom impossible to clean - and it showed. This... more