At the back of a quiet industrial park (mere steps from a hospital, to soothe the hypochondriacs among you) is the Fairfield Inn, where I went to lay my head for a few hours preceding a bat mitzvah. I wasn't expecting much, as I only had a few hours in which to squeeze the aforementioned "much." I was very happily surprised.

At midnight, hungry and tired, I discovered the curtained, rooming house-style lobby sells frozen dinners. Convenience is key at midnight, and Stouffer's never tasted so pleasantly adequate.

The suite--including a lovely little kitchen, living room, spacious bedroom and bathroom--cost $89 (bat mitzvah rate), and came with breakfast.

I crept downstairs in the morning expecting little for my included meal, but the moment I smelled the French toast sticks, I knew I was in the hands of Marriott catering--the best there is. I know; I ate it for four years at Wellesley College. Coffee machines, juice machines, hot and cold running cereals and eggs were all served in an adorable, country-decorated breakfast room. You'd swear you were at Disney. I held back on the star rating because, let's face it, it's the Fairfield Inn, not the W. But as far as "much" is concerened, this place as five stars' worth.

While appearing gracious from the gilt lobby--filled with gift shops and a restaurant--this hotel is a wolf in sheep's fine clothing. After registering, we were taken to a shabby room and told it was the only one available; we argued and were taken to a better, cleaner, newer one. The desk attempted to overcharge us by "forgetting" our change and then offering the wrong change. The water in the room was labeled "filtered" but it looked highly doubtful. If it's not sealed at the factory, don't drink it in India. Take it from someone who didn't get sick on her trip!

If you can, skip the Janpath and take a sleeper car (first class only, folks, trust me) on the train to Haridwar, the holy city on the banks of the Ganges. This is a place with real soul, where the poor man operating the phone booth saw me run out of money and insisted that I talk anyway and pay him tomorrow (when I hurried back that night, he laughed and said it wasn't necessary); where I left my passport at a cafe and returned to find the owner holding it for me (when I handed him a reward, he refused to take it). Take the temple climb in the early morning, but be sure you have two rupees to buy water--I forgot that the bank was closed, and ended up a little dehydrated. Those temple steps are steep!

Close to: Center of city, Railroad