Trident Hotel

Trident Hotel, Taj Nagri Scheme Agra, Fatehabad Road, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, 28200, 1India,  Voice: 331818.

Description

Arriving in Agra midmorning, after a long train trip that started in the middle of the night, provided yet another level of culture shock.  New Delhi was a shock because of its pollution, population density, and poverty.  Agra is poorer than Delhi.  The level of poverty is greater and the pollution worse.  We were whisked away from the train depot by our pre-arranged tour guide and the driver of our hired car and taken to the Trident.  Along the way we noticed how many more animals pulling carts were on the road compared to Delhi.  Viewing the poverty along the roadside was scary.  Our drive didn't take us to a posh neighborhood with upscale hotels.  The Trident is located in the middle of dismal poverty.  If the poor people we say decided to have a revolution and attack the bourgeois they would only have to walk a few paces.

Entering the hotel grounds is like entering an oasis.  The surrounding poverty is unseen from the grounds.  The hotel has a large courtyard with well maintained grounds of green grass and tropical plants.  Surrounding the hotel is a sea of yellow gray dirt that looks like it had not seen rain a long time.  Entering the lobby, one is transported to western standards of high class international hotels.  Smartly dressed multi-lingual staff step forward to to ensure the guest is welcomed and fully serviced. 

Rooms

Our room was located on the second floor of the two story hotel.  It was also at the far end of the courtyard.  We accessed our room by staying within the confines of the courtyard.  The hotel was well designed in that it prevented guests from being exposed to anything outside the hotel grounds. 

Posh, comfortable, clean, and well appointed, the room was comfortably upscale.  The tile floors were functional, but could be slippery at times.  The bathroom had plush bathrobes, slippers, and ample towels.  Everything worked.  In London, a hotel charging the same rate, would provide a claustrophobic airless cell in some rundown row house. It is amazing that the Trident can be maintained so meticulously in such a poor environment.

It should not be taken for granted that the hotel is air conditioned.  In London, hotels of a similar cost would not be air conditioned.  The room temperature was easy to set and was constantly maintained.

Food

The wonderfully upscale environment of the Trident Hotel sets high expectations for the restaurant.  Unfortunately, the hotel's restaurant did not meet those expectations.  Considering where the hotel is located, the restaurant did a credible job.  We found that ordering vegetarian Indian food or made with chicken was more enjoyable than trying to obtain western food.  The service was slow, but courteous.

Special note for publishers and editors

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