Hotel The Wild Orchid

Hotel The Wild Orchid is tucked away in Bose Road Lane in the Hakimpara area of Siliguri. Since we are in the Darjeeling district, we get a lot of people passing through on their way up to the hills or coming down after a long trip. The lane is a bit narrow, so sometimes taxis have a little trouble turning around right in front. It is a cozy place, not one of those massive luxury hotels you see in the magazines. We have a handful of rooms and a small staff that has been here for years. The atmosphere is very laid back. You can usually hear the sounds of the town from the windows, but inside it stays pretty quiet. We spend our mornings getting the rooms ready and making sure there is plenty of tea for the guests. Siliguri is a busy hub, so Hakimpara is a good spot to be in because it is central but slightly off the main drag. We don't have a fancy website with professional photos; what you see when you walk in is exactly what you get. It is just a plain, comfortable building where you can get a night's sleep. We handle everything from the front desk to the kitchen ourselves. Sometimes the rain in this region gets really heavy, and we all just huddle inside until it passes. It is a simple life running a small hotel in a busy transit town like this, and we wouldn't have it any other way.