the remaining
There are also YMCA and YWCA hostels in larger cities, mostly modern and well equipped, in which you pay so much for accommodation, how much in average quality hotels. In several cities, m. in. in Calcutta, you can also spend the night in the Salvation Army shelters. For tourists traveling around India in cars with caravans, several parking spaces have been allocated, but in principle they can always camp in the gardens, that surround the hotels.
You can ask for accommodation in one of the Sikh temples, famous for their kindness to visitors. Some tourists will probably find it an interesting adventure, but it is best to do so only when necessary and not to abuse the hospitality of the hosts.
In many pilgrimage centers, the so-called. dharamsala i ćoultry, that is, pilgrimage houses, also accepting tourists. This is especially true of places away from larger urban centers, such as. Ranakhpur in Rajasthan. Staying in one of these houses, you have to remember, that you cannot carry any leather items or clothes made of leather.
Taxes and service charges
Almost every state government imposes on tourists the so-called. hotel tax, often including service in restaurants. This tax does not apply to the cheapest hotels, however, in all others, tourists have to pay an additional fee. Usually it is 10 % (sometimes only 5 %) on the price of the room, which varies within limits 250 INR. And in luxury and moderately expensive hotels, you almost always pay for these 10 % more.
In addition to the aforementioned tax, the so-called. service charge, which is also 10 % on every bill. In some hotels it is charged only for meals, service and telephone, not including the additional ones 10 % to the bill for accommodation, in others it covers all services. If he ends up in such a hotel, it's best to ask for yourself, that the costs of food and service were not added to the bill, and use the telephone as little as possible. This allows you to save some cash.
Tourist seasons
In popular tourist resorts, especially coastal areas, located in the mountains and within the triangle delineated by Delhi, Agrę i Radźasthan, accommodation prices in the high season are usually two – or even three times higher than on the other days of the year.
Tourist seasons vary depending on the geographic location of the region. Beaches and towns in the Delhi-Agra-Rajasthan triangle are most popular, usually from November to the end of February. The mountain resorts and Kashmir experience the largest tourist raid from April to July, when the lowlands are unbearably hot. In some places, accommodation prices go up not only in the high season, but also in the period from Christmas to New Year, and also during popular Indian holidays, such as Diwali or Dussehra.
In low season, hotels lower rates and it often happens, that you pay a relatively low price for a night in a luxury hotel.
Naganiacze
In the streets of many Indian cities, especially in Agra, Jaipur and Benares, as well as at any international airport, pushy tikshas are common, offering tourists a ride to a cheap and comfortable hotel. Hotel owners pay them for every "lured" customer, therefore touts are guided by the amount of their commission rather than the good of the potential client. Hotels, who do not use their services, have very negative feedback. Therefore, if passing some hotel, you will hear, that there are no places in it, undergoing renovation or outrageous conditions, it's best to check it yourself, for these stories are rarely true.
However, there are situations, when these people prove to be very useful, especially in cities, where it is difficult to find free accommodation. Just inform the rickshaw driver, what class of hotel are you looking for, and he will do the rest. If the search took a little longer, you don't necessarily need to increase the tip, because the driver will receive a commission from the hotel owner anyway.