Trident Hilton Bhubaneswar

I've stayed in Hiltons on five continents. Most offer good rooms and good service. The Trident Hilton in Bhubaneswar is the nicest and most ornate of all the Hiltons I know. The service is superb, from the desk clerks to the restaurant personnel and the barmen as well as the travel desk (operated by a Avis car rental franchisee).

The hotel is a bit outside the center of town. That is an advantage in day trips to Konark and Puri, since the visitor avoids the hectic traffic in the center.

Meals in the excellent restaurant may be ordered a la carte or taken from the buffet. Both western and Indian dishes are available. At breakfast the eggs (scrambled or fried) and the bacon -- especially the bacon -- were the best I've had anywhere in India.

The air conditioning was also excellent and my room was exceptionally comfortable.

Unique Quality: I made a mistake in my on-line booking: I reserved for only one (1) night at the hotel's special $99 per night rate. I meant to -- and did -- stay four (4) nights. The hotel could have charged me its $220 rack rate for the other three (3) nights. It didn't: it gave me the $99 rate for my entire stay. Not many hotels would do that.

Directions: The hotel is on the main road from the airport, about 15 minutes from the beginnings of the city center: CB-1, Nayapalli, Bhubaneswar 751 013.