Somma's Patio House in Saltlake, Kolkata

When in Kolkata, we are your home away from home at Salt Lake City! When you step into our home, you enter the Incredible India story and our age-old philosophy of hospitality - "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" which means the entire world is one family. Soothingly done up with a mix of handcrafted decor pieces, hand-painted folk art by artists from rural India, antique style furniture, soft and warm lighting, a large patio or balcony - it's a perfect comfortable couple-friendly private home-stay. The space KEY POINTS AND SUMMARY: MAIN DRAWBACKS OR NEGATIVE POINTS : * NO HOME FOOD / BREAKFAST ARE PROVIDED BY HOST . HOWEVER NEARBY HOME FOOD PROVIDERS CAN BE RECOMMENDED. Also the locality is well served by online restaurant food delivery apps like Swiggy , Zomato etc. Also the apartment has a kitchen which is well-equipped but not spacious and also not designed for elaborate cooking . * NO HOUSE ELEVATOR. This apartment is on the 2nd floor or US 3rd floor . About 32 steps or 4 flights of stairs have to be climbed up from the ground level to reach the apartment entrance door . * The house entrance door at ground level is common although the apartment entrance on the 2nd floor or US 3rd floor is separate and exclusive . Also note there is no other apartment on this 2nd floor or US 3rd floor . * No separate workstation with study table in the apartment . One end of the large dining table in the dining room is generally used for study purpose by guests which is actually very convenient and also good enough . OTHER IMPORTANT DETAILS : This compact apartment consists of a BEDROOM ( with 1 Large Bed + a Cupboard + a Chest of Drawers) + LIVING ROOM ( with a 3 seater comfy sofa + a large rectangular centre table) + DINING ROOM ( with a large 6 seater dining table) + an en-suite BATHROOM with a walk-in spacious shower cubicle and a large spacious PATIO or BALCONY which is the signature feature of this apartment. This couple-friendly exclusive apartment (though not suitable for children) is on the 2nd floor (or US 3rd floor ) just under our beautiful rooftop terrace . This couple-friendly exclusive space accomodates 2 adult guests only , no children. The entire house is a ground plus 2 floors or a 3 storey building , located in a quiet leafy residential area in Saltlake also called Bidhannagar. Host family lives on the 1st floor (or US - 2nd floor). Please note that at the ground level, the house entrance pathway and the backyard garden are covered by CCTV surveillance . The house is literally surrounded by trees . We have a large wood apple or “bel” tree in the backyard. In the front , we have a large Neem tree ( Neem is well known for its medicinal value) , a Bougainville tree and a large leafy Mango tree just across the road in front of our house . POSITIVE FEATURES : NEIGHBOURHOOD RELATED: * Very quiet residential and leafy neighbourhood which is very unusual for Kolkata or any other Indian city for that matter. * Our house is also not located on a Main Street thus ensuring very less noise and pollution . Also there is no residential house on the opposite side across the road in front of our house which ensures a lot of privacy . * Adequate free parking space is available on the road just outside and in front of the house for one guest car . Commercial car is not allowed to park in our lane by local police in the night . Note : However Guest is requested to check on car parking if required with host well in advance before arrival. * Very adjacent to the house (about 40 metre away) there is a large soccer playground with a 350 metre walking track . * The locality is very well served by online quick delivery food apps like Swiggy , Zomato etc . Also well served by ride hailing apps like Uber, Ola etc . * Hyatt Regency hotel is located very close only about 1.5 km from our house which is very convenient for having biz meetings there at short notice . Also access for our guests can be arranged to Hyatt club facilities like swimming pool , gym, sauna , tennis , squash even if for only a day . * Many shopping malls , cafés & restaurants , grocery stores , hair salon and other utilities are there in the vicinity. Also guest may pls go through our Guidebooks for further details which can be seen in our Airbnb listing after the booking is done . * No electric power cuts or water shortages in the locality . HOMESTAY OR APARTMENT RELATED * This is a 2nd floor or US 3rd floor apt in an independent 3 storey house with a backyard garden and trees all around. So it’s strictly NOT an apartment or condo kind of feel or vibes . * There is no other apartment on the 2nd floor or US 3rd floor thus ensuring privacy for the guest . * The main & common house entrance door at ground level is enabled with a digital panel lock operated by a number PW . Hence no separate lock & key is required for the main and common house entrance door at ground level thus making it very convenient for the guest . * The rooms are fitted with Premium Fenesta brand sliding UPVC glass windows and parallel sliding mesh screens thus keeping out noise and insects and ensuring quick cooling with Aircon during summer. * Guest also has anytime access during their stay to our beautiful rooftop terrace & the backyard garden but these are shared spaces and are available unless any event is being arranged there by host. Yoga deck along with reclining lounger also available in our rooftop terrace . The rooftop terrace bathroom may be also used by the friends if guest . Note : Backyard at ground level is avoidable during monsoon. * No entry time restrictions for guest. * House entrance gate & pathway and the backyard at ground level are covered by CCTV cameras thus ensuring 24x7 security . * House entrance pathway lights are switched on around sunset and switched off around 10 pm night to save energy . However adequate alternate lighting provided for guidance of guest in the pathway . * Easy and flexible check-in and check-out available : No formality like signing on a register etc . Early check-in or late check-out may be allowed depending upon convenience of host on case to case basis . * Airport or Railway Station pickup or drop may be arranged on payable basis . * After check-in , walk through demo can be given by host or househelp at a mutually convenient time . * There is no problem with consumption of alcohol / beer or non-veg food inside the apartment. * Also no problem with hosting unmarried couples as long as house rules are followed. * Universal electric sockets in the entire apartment . * Rain water harvesting is done . OTHER CAVEATS OR DRAWBACKS OR NEGATIVE POINTS NEIGHBOURHOOD RELATED : * Water logging during monsoon June - Oct : Guests are requested to bring along suitable outdoor footwear during monsoon as there could be ankle high (not knee deep) water logging around the house entrance gate and/or on the road just outside the house if the rain is very very severe and prolonged . This is a recent phenomenon due to poor drainage management by the local municipality and also probably climate change causing cloudbursts and heavy rains in a very short period of time. * Stray dog barking may be heard in the night especially if bedroom windows are kept open . * There are a few stray dogs in the neighbourhood and they may sometime become aggressive especially during night time . * There is a little traffic and commotion for about 15 min on the road just outside our house when the school across the street ends at 4 pm on week days after which our neighbourhood again becomes very quiet which is very unusual for Kolkata or for that matter any other Indian city. * Best choice of transport recommended especially for foreign guests is Uber car or car rentals for the day which can be arranged by host . The nearest Metro station is at Karunamoyee which is about 1 km from our place . Public transport like bus or yellow taxi is NOT recommended at all . HOMESTAY OR APARTMENT RELATED * Bed mattress is on the harder side * Bed linen and bath towels are NOT changed daily but changed after every 5 nights or pro-rata earlier less than 5 nights if the stay is more than 5 nights but less than 10 nights . Winter heavy blankets are changed after 14 nights . * Deep cleaning which includes dry cleaning of floor with broom + wet mopping of the floor is NOT done daily but done after every 5 nights or pro-rata earlier less than 5 nights if stay is more than 5 nights but less than 10 nights . However daily househelp services are available (unless househelp is absent) details & conditions of which may be informed prior to booking if required by potential guest . * No Lock & Key for Apartment Entrance Door : No separate padlock & key are provided generally for the apartment entrance door (unless the guest really requires one) since the bedroom cupboard is provided with a locker safe and also a separate lock & key for keeping valuables . Guest should let us know in advance if a separate lock & key is required for the apartment entrance door in which case however the Guest should note carefully that in case the Guest leaves the apartment without switching off the heavy Electricals like the room Aircons / water heater or Geyser switch in the bathroom OR anything else like not being mindful enough to close tight the wash basin water tap OR if the commode flush tank is left leaking , the host will be bound to enter the apartment with duplicate key to have them switched off or closed as the case may be . Also access to the balcony or patio will be required by our househelp once or twice a day for about 15 min each time depending upon the season for watering of the plants . We had some really such bad experience with a few guests in the past due to which we generally don’t provide the lock & key for the apartment entrance door unless really required by guest . Note : In any case , Guest is strictly not allowed to use his or her own lock & key on the apartment entrance door or any of the other door inside the apartment . * No hot water connection available in the bathroom basin or sink although hot water connection is available for shower & bathing . This shouldn’t be inconvenient as winter in Kolkata is very short and also not severe at all . If required during winter, the electric kettle in the kitchen can be used for shaving etc with hot water in the bathroom basin or sink . END Guest access In this second-floor (or US 3rd floor) apartment in our 3 storey house , guest has exclusive access to the entire apartment space viz drawing or living room, bedroom, bathroom, dining space, kitchen which is not very spacious and a large open-air patio or terrace balcony. Please note that there is NO elevator in this 3 storey house, only stairs The roof top gym and yoga zone along with a toilet and a clothesline for drying clothes are also available but not exclusively. For exclusive use of the rooftop on part-time basis, guest may discuss with host. Parties and celebrations not allowed on the rooftop. Smoking is allowed on the rooftop terrace as well. Please note that Host family hardly uses the rooftop terrace, it is mainly used by the housekeeper and gardener. Guest shouldn’t use the rooftop during lightning, thunder or rains. The landscaped backyard garden at ground level is also accessible to the guest but avoidable during monsoon time due to bugs and insects. This guest space accomodates only 2 adult guests. Visitors of guest are strictly not allowed for overnight stay . Accomodation for a 3rd guest may be booked if allowed by the host though not preferred by the host. Please note that at the ground level, the house entrance pathway and backyard are covered by CCTV surveillance. Other things to note AMENITIES : Kindly Note Again : We donot provide any home food incl breakfast or any other meal Standard Apartment Amenities : * Drinking water is available from in-house RO + UV water filter wall-mounted in the kitchen * 100 mbps optic fibre based WiFi facility from Reliance Jio * 32 inch Samsung Smart TV wall-mounted in bedroom , with popular OTT apps downloaded & a Comprehensive TV Channel menu from Airtel incl popular Sports Channels . * Samsung Refrigerator double door 250 litre capacity * Samsung 8 kg front load fully automatic washing machine with in-built Dryer but this Dryer not very effective * Daikin Split AC in living room & bedroom respectively * Well-equipped kitchen but not spacious or designed for elaborate cooking . Also pantry facilities available in the kitchen like Microwave, Electric Kettle and Toaster * Asko brand double plate induction hob for cooking along with overhead Bosch suction hood * Adequate Cooking utensils incl Cooker provided * Bathroom shower provided with hot water facility from 15 litre capacity Geyser or Water Heater wall-mounted in the bathroom * Press or Iron along with press board for pressing or ironing clothes * Hair Dryer * Bath and hand towels * Wall-mounted fan & Exhaust fan provided in the bathroom * Shoe cupboard just outside the apartment entrance door for keeping outdoor footwear of guest Special Apartment & Homestay Amenities : * Entire bed linen excl bath & hand towels is dry cleaned from a pan India reputed laundry chain * Change of bed linen & bath towels is done after every 5 nights or pro-rata earlier if stay is more than 5 nights but less than 10 nights . Winter heavy blankets are changed after 14 nights . * Deep cleaning which includes dry cleaning of floor with broom + wet mopping of the floor is NOT done daily but done after every 5 nights or pro-rata earlier less than 5 nights if stay is more than 5 nights but less than 10 nights . * Daily househelp services subject to condition are available unless househelp is absent (pls let us know if the details & conditions are required prior to booking) * Spacious Bathroom shower cubicle equipped with pressure pump for a forceful massage shower * Locker safe inside bedroom cupboard * Wall to wall drying rod in the patio , also access to rooftop for drying of washed clothes . Clothesline with clips available in rooftop terrace * Yoga deck along with reclining lounger in our rooftop terrace but this is a shared space and available unless any event being arranged there by host . * The rooftop terrace bathroom may be also used by the friends of 2nd floor or US 3rd guest but no shower or bathing facility . * Separate Bosch Dryer Machine facility available (on payable basis) in the house but outside this guest apartment which is very convenient during monsoon season for drying of washed clothes * French Press for coffee making * Foldable bed table * Universal electric sockets in the entire apartment * Bedside switches for bedroom light and fan along with bedside reading lights available Miscellaneous Amenities: * Yoga mat along with a dumbbell set & stand * Vacuum cleaner provided for light self-cleaning by guest along with other cleaning amenities like mopper , broom etc * Body weighing scale is available & luggage weighing scale is available on request * Bathroom slippers provided * Shower caps provided on request * Laundry bag & laundry basket provided in the bathroom Consumables Provided : Essential Consumables provided during entire stay of guest subject to Reasonable Use are toilet paper rolls , toilet cleaning Harpic , washing machine detergent liquid , hand wash refill , trash bin liners , mosquito repellent , bathroom deodorant and kitchen roll . All other consumables ( like Tissue box, square paper napkin, cooking oil etc) provided at the beginning of stay other than the items aforementioned are only for one time use . Refreshments provided for one time basis or use upon arrival are : sachets of tea , coffee, milk powder , brown sugar / small bottle of salt , pepper/ packet of cookies END