Shuktara Hotel

The ninth-floor restaurant had a fantastic sky view. Its food was hit and miss, mostly Thai or Chinese, while the downstairs restaurant Rosun served good-quality Bangladeshi food at a reasonable price. Breakfast was better than at other hotels I’ve tried. The staff were friendly and handled issues promptly, and the transport links are excellent, with a metro station next door and Basundra city shopping mall about a 10-minute rickshaw ride away. It takes 25-30 minutes to drive from the airport. The room had dampness from the air-conditioned unit, and the hotel needs refurbishment and a better AC unit. They did provide complimentary fruit, water, teas, coffees, towels, shower gel, shampoo and a comb.

The ninth-floor restaurant served tasty, good-quality Thai and Chinese food, and the roof terrace had a good view of Dhaka’s skyline. We returned for another night after visiting Rajshahi, and the staff changed our room when we asked. The hotel is about 25 minutes from the airport via the flyover. I was told it had been a really nice hotel when it was decorated, but that it had gone downhill over the past two years. They provide a comb, toothbrush and tea in the room. The bathroom disappointed me because the airer is open right beside the WC, and some rooms have damp from condensation from the AC unit.

I spent a week at Shuktara Hotel with my father, and the staff were courteous and helpful throughout. The on-site restaurant had a decent meal selection, and the buffet breakfast met my needs. It’s good value and a solid option for business or leisure travel. Noise on the 9th floor from the kitchen and restaurant on the 10th was an issue. With a few improvements, it could feel like a five-star experience.

The rooftop restaurant was the biggest problem for me. Its noise carried on around the clock, and although I was offered another room, nothing was done to address it. The hotel has nine floors, but access is only by stairs. It's set right in the middle of a roadside market, and the photos don't show what the place is really like. The rooms felt old, and in my deluxe room the power point was behind the pillow, with no decent electrical connection where it was needed. You have to switch on the hot water to use it. The bathroom was cramped and basic, and there was no internet TV. I can't say whether that is common in Bangladesh hotels, but this hotel was certainly an exception to what I expected. The food was very poor and expensive, and the breakfast was the worst kind I could imagine. There were no continental options like corn flakes, fruit, hash browns, or sausages, and no fresh milk for tea. It seemed designed more for local people. The service staff were polite, but that didn't make up for the location, noise, and other inconveniences. I've stayed in many hotels, and this one didn't come close to a three-star place, let alone one star. At 4500 taka and up, the rent is far too high for such an ordinary hotel.