Whenever we visit my hometown in Assam, India, we often spend about 10-14 hours at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata. However, for the past few years, we’ve decided to make the most of these layovers by staying and relaxing in the airport’s budget-friendly accommodation, known as the retiring rooms. In this article, I’m sharing my experience and all the essential information you need for a short stay at the Kolkata Airport Retiring Rooms.
What You Should Know for a Short Stay at Kolkata Airport Retiring Rooms:
Kolkata International Airport offers this Retiring Room facility to transit passengers who are traveling to and from the airport within a 24-hour period. You must have a connecting flight to use this facility. Since our layovers never exceed 24 hours, we’ve been able to use this service a few times 🙂.
The airport’s retiring rooms, which include guest rooms and separate dormitories for ladies and gents, are well-maintained by the AAI. The rooms are located on the mezzanine floor of Terminal 2.
Important note: DO NOT exit the terminal building upon arrival.
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How To Book Retiring Rooms at Kolkata airport:
Currently, rooms are available to transit passengers on a first-come, first-serve basis, with bookings restricted to 24 hours. Previously, the booking counter was located below the guest rooms, across from the lifts in the arrival hall of Terminal 2. However, this year, we noticed that the counter has moved to the opposite side of the retiring rooms building.
To book, you’ll need to show the following documents to the airport manager at the counter:
1) Arrival Boarding passes
2) Confirmed Tickets for your next flight
3) Government-issued ID proofs for adults (Adhaar Card/Passport)
After paying the required fees, your booking is complete 😍! Rates are currently Rs. 1500 + GST for a double-bedded family room, Rs. 1000 + GST for a single bed on a twin-sharing basis, and Rs. 700 + GST for dormitories (prices may vary).
At present, booking must be done in person, but an online option should be available soon (as per AAI).
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My Overnight Staying Experience at Kolkata Airport Retiring Room (Review):
After having dinner at the South Indian food stall (Idli.com) at the airport, we headed straight toward the booking counter to secure a room as quickly as possible. Our goal was to relax and recharge before continuing our journey to my hometown the next morning. Since they follow a ‘first come, first served’ rule, you need to act fast; otherwise, you might miss out on a room, especially the family rooms (this happened to us twice!) ☹️.
We showed the necessary documents, paid the fees for a family room, and then took the dedicated lift to the upper floor where the guest rooms are located.
There’s a reception desk where you need to show the paid booking slip and documents again to the staff. They’ll assign you a room, hand over the keys, and ask you to sign their register.
Meanwhile, I spotted a beautiful aquarium and some cute fish while my husband was busy with the paperwork. That’s what I usually do when we travel, haha 😜 !
The family guest room is quite spacious and has all the basic amenities. Our room had two single beds, a large TV, cupboard, fridge, dresser, wall clock, phone, AC, mineral water bottle, tea kettle, fresh, clean towels, and seating arrangements.
Our guest room was clean and tidy, with pillows and soft, lightweight blankets on the beds.
After the long, tiring journey, I was ready to crash 🙃. I quickly changed into my night PJ suit, did my nighttime skincare routine, turned on the AC, and hit the bed.
We traveled in April this year, so summer was in full swing in India. Fortunately, the AC was working fine and cooled down the room quickly.
However, it took me an hour to fall asleep because my skin was itching so badly ☹️. I wasn’t sure if it was due to bed bugs or dry skin! To be safe and comfortable, I’d recommend bringing a light stole, lay it over the bed sheet, then rest on top of it. It might help with any itching!
My husband, meanwhile, spent the entire night watching shows on TV and snacking. He didn’t even bother to change his clothes, lol 🤣!
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The bathroom was spacious and clean as well! In the morning, we freshened up and took showers before checking out.
You can order food via Swiggy or Zomato from your room. However, we always end up dining at the airport itself. We’ve always stayed in the family rooms for our layovers, so I can’t comment much on the other rooms or dormitories.
Aside from the typical (mild) airport noise, everything was great, and we had a comfortable stay in the Kolkata International Airport Retiring Room 😊.
In addition to the retiring rooms, there are four lounges at Kolkata Airport where you can sit, relax, work, and unwind before departure. Personally, I prefer getting full rest (aka sleeping) during long layovers, so the retiring guest room is my go-to for an enjoyable, stress-free onward journey 🥰.
I highly recommend these retiring rooms, especially for travelers with back pain or families with children. Spending long hours (7+ hours) sitting in the waiting area, especially at night during winter can be exhausting. From my experience, I never enjoyed such uncomfortable journeys!
You could, of course, stay at a nearby hotel or a friend’s place. But if you want to stay within the airport premises, these guest rooms are perfect 🤩.
Hope you find my review helpful.
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Have you ever stayed at Kolkata Airport Retiring Rooms? If yes, please share your experience with me in the comment section below.
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Nice, it looks like a great place to stay. It would come in handy to have a place to relax.
This is pretty neat. I didn’t know that they even did this honestly. Sounds like a pretty nice room too.
It’s great to see that Kolkata airport has made it easier for transit passengers to book retiring rooms, though it’s always a bit of a hunt to find the counter if it’s moved!
It is so nice to know that there is a room that can be used while waiting for your next flight.
have not stayed in airport rooms for a long time now (only once ages ago due to a long layover) but good to hear that this one is comfortable and recommended.. usually end up going to one of those quiet areas to catch a nap when it is a few hours of layover
This is so cool and I did not know room like these excited. I appreciate you educating me on this and so need a good vacation! It has been way too long!
This is a cool feature at the airport. In the US they do have hotels near by that you can get shuttle to and from the airport.
I hope that you didn’t encounter bed bugs. Those are the worst. Always check the bedding first before sleeping or setting luggage on the bed/floor.