From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hyderabad may refer to:

In India

• Hyderabad, India, the capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh
• Hyderabad District, India, district in the state of Andhra Pradesh
• Hyderabad State, the pre-1946 state
• Begumpet Airport, a now defunct airport in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh
• Hyderabad International Airport, also known as Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, the current airport serving Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh
• Hyderabad, Uttar Pradesh, a village in Uttar Pradesh

In Pakistan

• Hyderabad, Sindh, a major city in the Pakistani province of Sindh
• Hyderabad District (Pakistan)
• Hyderabad Airport (Pakistan), the airport destination referred to as Hyderabad in Pakistan
• Hyderabad Taluka (rural), an administrative subdivision of Hyderabad District
• Hyderabad City Taluka, an administrative subdivision of Hyderabad District comprising the capital and surrounding areas

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

From Wikitravel

For other places with the same name, see Hyderabad (disambiguation).

Hyderabad is the capital of Andhra Pradesh in Southern India, located on the banks of the Musi River and on the Deccan Plateau. Hyderabad and Secunderabad are "twin cities" near Hussain Sagar Lake (also known as Tank Bund in local parlance) but both cities have grown so much that now they have become one big metropolis. The city and district of Hyderabad are coterminous. Hyderabad district is entirely contained within the Ranga Reddy district of Andhra Pradesh. Many of the suburbs of Hyderabad were recently merged into the city, now called Greater Hyderabad.

A city rich with history and tradition, Hyderabad now competes with Bangalore, Chennai for the crown of India's IT capital; Microsoft, Google and Oracle have their India headquarters here.

Understand

If you are traveling to Hyderabad on business — as is increasingly the case now — it is easy to miss the 400-year-old Hyderabad. The city that immediately hits the eye is a sprawling metropolis of shopping malls and office buildings with glass facades. The whole of the city seems to be under construction or renovation and the roads are jammed because flyovers are being constructed.

The "old city" that was once the seat of the Nizam, the ruler of the largest and the most opulent "princely state", and the twin city of Secunderabad where the British maintained a cantonment to keep the army within striking distance of the Nizam can be seen only if you take the time out to see them.

Hyderabad's many epithets include the City of Pearls, the City of Nawabs, the Biryani City and, because of its high-tech draw, Cyberabad.

In 1463 Quli Qutb-ul-Mulk established the fortress of Golconda about 8 km to the west of Hyderabad’s present day old city. He had quelled rebellion in the Telangana region and was appointed the subedar, or administrator of the region as a result. By 1518, he had become independent from the Bahmani sultan, declared himself the Sultan under the name of Quli Qutb Shah and established the Qutb Shahi dynasty. In 1589, Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, a grandson of Quli Qutb Shah, made the decision to move his capital from the Golconda fort to the present day location of Hyderabad due to water shortages at the old location. In 1591, he ordered the construction of the Charminar, reportedly in gratitude to Allah for cutting short a plague epidemic before it could do too much damage.

The name "Hyderabad" reportedly had its origins in an affair between Mohammad Quli Qutb Shah and a local Telugu courtesan named Bhagmati. He named the city Bhagyanagar after her, and after she converted to Islam and took on the name of "Hyder Mahal", he named the city Hyderabad. Hyderabad was built on a grid plan with help from Iranian architects. French traveler Jean-Baptiste Tavernier favorably compared Hyderabad to Orleans.

The Qutb Shahi dynasty lasted till 1687, when the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb defeated the sultanate and took over Hyderabad. He appointed his governor as ruler of the region and granted him the title of Nizam-ul-Mulk. However, Mughal rule was short-lived and in 1724, the Nizam Asaf Jah I gained independence from a declining Mughal empire. Legend has it that while on a hunting expedition, he met a holy man who offered him some kulchas and asked him to eat as much as he could. Asaf Jah ate only seven, and the holy man prophesied that his dynasty would last for seven generations. Sure enough, the seventh ruler in the dynasty was the last. In honour of the legend, the flag of the Nizams featured a kulcha.

Around 1763 Asif Jah II, defeated by the Marathas and threatened by Tipu Sultan of Mysore, entered into a subsidiary alliance with a British. Hyderabad ended up as the capital of the largest princely state in British India. The British maintained their army in nearby Secunderabad to protect the Nizam and to ensure that he did not do any mischief. Hyderabad state was the richest in the country and in the 1930s Time magazine rated the Nizam the richest man in the world. In 1947, with India's independence, the seventh Nizam was reluctant to cede his principality to the newly independent India, preferring Pakistan instead. India sent in its troops and the 200 year old prophesy was fulfilled. Hyderabad became the capital of the newly formed state of Andhra Pradesh in 1956 and steadily grew in size.

The next major events in Hyderabad's history took place when Chandrababu Naidu became the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh in 1995. Among his key policies was a major initiative to turn the city into an IT hub. He cleaned up the streets, laid out IT parks and did much to attract technology companies into the city. A major achievement for him was when Microsoft chose Hyderabad as its India headquarters over rival Bangalore. Today, as Bangalore’s infrastructure is choked by the city’s rapid growth, Hyderabad's well-laid out streets are proving to be a major attraction for software and IT-enabled companies. Hyderabad takes its brand as an IT destination very seriously. Cyberabad is not just a nickname. The technology enclave of Madhapur has actually been officially named Hi tec city, and Cyberabad is commonly used in official documents.

In 2007, the suburbs of Hyderabad were merged with the city to form Greater Hyderabad

Orientation

The best way to orient yourself to Hyderabad is to think with reference to two water bodies - the Musi river and the Hussain Sagar Lake. The Musi river flows from the west to the east, a few kilometers south of Hussain Sagar Lake.

• The Old city lies mostly on the south bank of the Musi, though this guide will treat Golkonda, which lies on the north bank, as part of the old city. Most historical attractions, including the Charminar lie on this bank.
• Secunderabad lies to the north-east of Hussain Sagar lake. This has historically been a military cantonment, which means that the roads are better maintained and broader. It has nice parks, open spaces and some excellent restaurants.
• The New city, which contains the administrative offices of Andhra Pradesh lies on the north bank of the Musi, to the east and south-east of Hussain Sagar.
• Punjagutta to Gachibowli is a vast region to the west and north-west of Hussain Sagar, on the north bank of the Musi. This has developed in the past twenty years. Areas of interest here are Punjagutta and Ameerpet, which are enormous shopping areas. Banjara Hills and Jubilee Hills is where Hyderabad's swish set lives, and contain some good parks and restaurants. The newly developed "Hi tec city" and Gachibowli are 9 km to the west of the new city. This is where most technology and business process outsourcing (BPO) firms have their campuses.

Culture and attitudes

In many senses, Hyderabad is the meeting ground between North and South India. The city has a culture that is distinct from the rest of Andhra Pradesh, showing Islamic influences and a courtly presence imparted from its period as the capital of the Nizamate. This is more evident in the old city. The new city resembles many provincial state capitals in India. Secunderabad is more cosmopolitan, as the Cantonment area is located in this part of the city.

Due to a recent influx of young men and women from various parts of the country, Hyderabad's culture and attitudes have taken a turn towards "modernity". However, it is good to keep in mind that the city is still a deeply conservative place and to dress appropriately, especially in the old city.

Climate

Like many Indian cities Hyderabad has a tropical climate. The best time to visit the city is from mid-November to mid-February.Temperatures are mild with abundant sunshine during this time and average temperature range from a low of 15°C (59°F) to a high of 29°C (85°F). March to June is hot and dry with occasional thunderstorms. Highs can reach 40°C (104°F) or more and lack of air-conditioning can make it feel very uncomfortable. July, August, September and October can be quite warm and humid and low pressure systems from the Bay of Bengal during the monsoon season can cause heavy rain for days.

Talk

Telugu (the state language of Andhra Pradesh) and Urdu are widely spoken in Hyderabad, and most educated people speak Telugu, Hindi and English. English signage is widespread.

The city is one of the main places where Urdu developed, and the dialect spoken primarily by the large Muslim population is known as “Deccani Urdu” or Dakhani Urdu” (which both translate to Urdu of the Deccan). Because of the influence of Urdu, a dialect of Hindi is also spoken in the city and your Hindi phrasebook may still be useful.

Get in

Hyderabad is well connected to all parts of the country by air, rail and road.

By plane

Hyderabad's new Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (IATA: HYD) [1] is located 22 km from the city. Note that the old airport at Begumpet is now closed. The sleek and well-organized airport is one of the best aviation facilities in India. The elevated expressway [2] to the airport is now open and takes 20 minutes. Direct international connectivity from Hyderabad is available for many countries. International carriers operating from Hyderabad are Air India, British Airways, Emirates, Gulf Air, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Lufthansa, Malaysia Airlines, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Sri Lankan Airlines and Thai Airways.

Domestic connectivity is excellent with Indian airlines operating from here including Air India, Air India Express, Indian Airlines, Indigo Airlines, Jet Airways, JetLite, Kingfisher Airlines, Paramount Airlines and SpiceJet.

Once you arrive at Hyderabad airport, one option is to take the air-conditioned buses run by the airport (Aero Express) to three designated points in the city (1) Begumpet (Paryatak Bhavan) (2) Secunderabad (Keyes High School) (3) Hi-Tec City (Opposite Shilparamam) at a fixed price of Rs 150, and two designated points in the city (4) Charminar (City College) (5) Mehdipatnam (Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital) at Rs 120 (travel time runs from 45 to 100 minutes depending on time of day and traffic conditions). The buses have a frequency of a bus every 30 minutes between 03:30 am and 23:00 pm and every hour at midnight, 1:00 am, 2:00 am and 3:00 am. You can reach the designated points and then take an auto or metered cab from there.

Alternatively, you can hire metered air-conditioned radio cabs starting from Rs 10 per km (see Get around section) Easy and Meru are approved by the Airport and are available just after exiting the terminal building. For the rest, you need to call and book with a lead time of 15 minutes to 1 hour. These cabs charge 25 % surcharge in the night (ie, Rs. 18.75 per km). Beware of taxi soliciting touts at the airport greeting area; they will try to scam you into exorbitant rates.

Hired cars are also available from a booth just before walking outside of the airport. This gives you the advantage of paying in advance, thereby avoiding any disagreements over price.

The airport can be contacted on their (toll free for BSNL/MTNL subscribers) number 1-800-419-2008 for all services and enquiries including arrivals / departure information, facilities, transport availability, etc.

By train

Indian Railways [3] has service to Hyderabad from all over India.

There are three major railway stations serving the twin cities: Secunderabad, Nampally (Hyderabad Deccan), and Kacheguda and a minor station at Begumpet.

By car

It's possible to drive to Hyderabad from Bangalore (via NH7) at a distance of about 560 km. The city is 752 km from Chennai (using highways NH9 and NH5) and 800 km from Mumbai (NH9 till Pune and the expressway to Mumbai.) The Bangalore Hyderabad section is part of the North South corridor which is being updated, and is a four-lane divided highway. The quality of the road is inconsistent.

By bus

Hyderabad is well-connected to all parts of the Andhra Pradesh and some parts of South India. CBS / Imliban is the biggest station run by APSRTC (state-run) situated in Hyderabad and JBS / Jubilee Bus station is in Secunderabad. [4]. Imliban is said to be the largest bus station in the world. APSRTC has pickup and drop points from various points in the city. In addition, government-run bus services of neighbouring states also run buses to Hyderabad, as do various private companies such as Kesineni Travels [5] It may be difficult to find direct buses from North India.

There are many ways to get around in Hyderabad. It has good bus service, passable autorickshaw and taxi service and a grossly inadequate local train service.

By bus

Hyderabad has good local bus connectivity and is run by APSRTC [6], a state-government owned corporation. Most buses start and at the Mahatma Gandhi Bus Terminus more commonly known as Imlibun. Apart from normal local buses, you have a choice of Metro Express and Metro Deluxe aka Veera. Since April 2008 there have also been Air-conditioned buses aka Seetala Hamsa between Secunderabad Railway Station and Hi-Tec City (minimum fare Rs 10/-).

By autorickshaw

Autorickshaws in Hyderabad should be metered, though it can be difficult for non-locals to find an autorickshaw driver who agrees to a metered fare. (This is especially true when hailing an auto in front of a 5-star hotel.) However, Traffic police are very helpful and will help engage an Auto with metered fare. Autos can carry a maximum of 3 passengers excluding the driver, but it is common to find them being overloaded to carry up to six passengers. The minimum fare is Rs 12 which covers the first 1.5kms. Each additional km is another Rs 7. There are also shared 8 seater Maxi Vans available to and fro from the suburbs to a main location of the city in that direction. Fares are mostly 2 rupees more than bus fares, but are far more comfortable and fast for short distances upto 5 km.

By taxi

Metered taxis are available, but they cannot be hailed off the street. One needs to call their centralised call centre and book the service. Service is very good, especially if you are booking for longer distances. It can be next to impossible to be able to get a cab without prior booking since demand far outstrips the supply. All metered cabs have digital meters that show the distance and fare.

Operators offering metered taxis at Rs 10 per km (Most of them are now charging Rs. 12 per km for an Indica, Rs. 10 continues in case of Maruti Omni) with a minimum charge is Rs. 80 in most cases. Many taxi services prefer not to book trips that are only a short distance. In alphabetical order:

Apple Cabs, +91-40-6599-2225/2226 Call Cab, +91-40-6625-1313/1414 Call Taxi, +91-40-2790-1111/1122 (Good Service) Cel Cabs, +91-40-2324-2526 City Cab, +91-40-2776-0000/6631-6000/6631-6001 (Good Service) Euro Cabs, +91-40-2351-1888/6673-8882

Fast Track, +91-40-2888-9999/2760-2760 Green Cab, +91-40-2460-6060 Hyderabad Cabs, +91-40-2330-3324/3245-5055 Metro Cab, +91-40-6610-0676/0677 Orange Cab, +91-40-6631-5555 Yellow Taxi, +91-40-4400-4400 (Good service)

Operators offering Air conditioned metered taxis at Rs 15 per km:

Dot Cabs, +91-40-2424-2424/+91-98-481-42424 - They offer Toyota Innova Easy Cabs, +91-40-4343-4343 - They offer Mahindra Renault Logan Meru Cabs, +91-40-4422-4422 - They offer Mahindra Renault Logan and have GPS

Orange Radio Cabs, +91-40-4445-4647 - They offer Toyota Innova and Tata Indigo Marina Select Cabs+91-40-4415-1515 - They offer Tata Indigo Marina - this company may back out of confirmed bookings at the last moment. Taxee!, +91-40-2790-7111/+91-99-592-2200 - They offer Toyota Innova and Toyota Corolla (at higher rate) but are unmetered and follow the odometer.

The third variety of cabs are chartered type, example hired for maximum of 8 hours or 80 km whichever is higher. These are available from:

Air Travels, +91-40-2335-5008/2335-3099/6509-7077 Car Club Rentals' ' [7] Hertz [8]

MM Travels [9] - has proved to be reliable in service with vehicles in good condition. However 65 % of their drivers can communicate only in Telugu - insist on a multilingual driver if booking with them. Njoydrive.com, +91-40-3062-6666 Orix [10]

Local trains called MMTS [11] are available, albeit for a few places in Hyderabad, The frequency ranges from 10 minutes to around 2 per hour, save the day time and Sundays when there are fewer trains. It is a fast way of travel to the few stations it covers, and the cheapest option as well. If you plan to travel through MMTS, do check out the schedule from the website [12] or [13]. If you are foreign traveler it is advisable to take first class. Daily and monthly passes are also available at the MMTS stations.

By car

Hyderabad lacks an expressway system, leading to traffic jams during rush hours. However, an 160 km Ring Road Expressway[14] is currently under construction.

Driving discipline in Hyderabad is, if it can be possible, worse than in the rest of India. There are long stretches of roads passing through thickly populated areas that have no median breaks, so vehicles, including motorbikes and cars, simply drive on the wrong side of the road. The accepted way to take a right turn is to go to the left edge of the road and turn right, in the face of multiple lanes of cars attempting to go straight. Red lights are broken in broad daylight while cops watch helplessly.

Several car rental agencies are available at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport as well in the following locations.

• Budget, Plot Number 902, Road Number 46, Jubilee Hills, ☎ +91-44-23558807 (customer.service@budgetrentacar.co.in, fax: +91-40-23558809), [15]. 24 hours. Budget car rentals are also available at the Rajiv Ghandi International Airport and the Hampshire Plaza Hotel  edit
• Avis, Hotel Marriot Hyderabad,Tank Bund Road (Opposite Hussain Sagar Lake), ☎ +91-011-23890707 (crs@avis.co.in), [16]. Open 24 hours.  edit
• Savaari, Hyderabad International Airport, ☎ 1-800-40-SAVAARI (7282274) (info@savaari.com), [17].  edit

On foot

Hyderabad's interesting districts are fairly spread out, but are enjoyable to explore by foot on their own. The Old City is composed of a maze of disorienting alleyways that expand outward from the Charminar. Getting lost in the markets (where you can buy anything from hand-sequined saris to freshly slaughtered goats) and alleyways in the Old City can make for a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon. The famous Chudi Bazaar (Lad Bazaar) across from the Charminar is a chaotic tumble of goods, people, animals and vehicles are navigated quickly on foot. The Chowmahalla palace and the Mecca Masjid are both easily accessed from the Charminar. Necklace Road, Sultan Bazar (Koti) and Abids are worth taking some time to wander around. Please note that walking can be hazardous in Hyderabad. It is common for roads to be missing pavement, or simply unpaved, and bikes and autorickshaws may go to right up to the edge of the road and climb any barrier to get ahead in traffic. Walking alongside and crossing the road can be very dangerous and it is important to stay alert for erratic driving. It is always advisable to use the foot-over bridge if there is one available.

Old city is the backward region of hyderabad. Most of the historical attractions are situated in the old city.

• Charminar. 9AM-5PM Mo-Sa. Closed on Fridays between 1-2PM for prayers.. Literally "Four minarets", this structure was built at the very spot at which Quli Qutb Shah prayed for the end to the plague epidemic. The Charminar has long been the icon of Hyderabad. The towers rise to a height of 48.7 m above the ground. There is a mosque with 45 prayer spaces located inside in the upper storeys. The structure stands in the middle of a busy road with vehicular traffic, but a pedestrianization project is under way. Atop the minarets, you get a panoramic view of Hyderabad city. Rs 5, Children below 11 free (for Indians) Rs.100 (for foreigners) Video cameras are charged Rs.25 extra.  edit

• Chowmahalla Palace, Khilwat, 20-4-236, Motigalli Hyderabad - 500 002, ☎ +91-40-2452-2032, [18]. 10AM-5PM Sa-Th. Closed on National Holidays. Situated near Charminar, it was the seat of the Asaf Jahi dynasty where the Nizam entertained his official guests and royal visitors. Rs. 25 (for Indians) Rs. 150 (for foreigners), camera permit Rs. 50.  edit

• Falaknuma Palace. Built by Nawab Viqar al-Umra in 1872, Falaknuma is a stunning piece of architecture and the most opulent of the Nizam's palaces. The interior is particularly impressive and features the works of Florentine sculptors and a 100-seater Dining Table. The palace is currently being renovated and the Taj Group is converting it into a luxury hotel. Visitors are not allowed inside. Avoid this unless viewing the exterior will satisfy you.  edit

• Golconda Fort. 9AM-9PM. The Golconda Fort was the first capital of the Qutb Shahi kingdom. In the 16th century, it was the centre of a flourishing diamond trade. The fort is a gigantic complex with an outer wall measuring 10km. Set aside a minimum of 2 hours to do justice to your visit. Learning a little about the fort ahead of time is recommended as it is easy to get confused or lost in the massive space. Avoid the local guides, as they are not very enlightening. There is also a light and sound show (price for foreigners Rs.50/100 for normal/executive ticket) after sunset lasting ~1h that tells you the story of the fort and is worth seeing. The English show runs every day at 6:30pm November to February and 7pm March to October. Hindi and Telugu shows are run afterwards in certain days. Rs 5 for Indians, Rs.100 for foreigners.  edit

• H.E.H The Nizam's Museum, Purani Haveli, Behind Princess Durru Shehvar Children's Hospital Hyderabad-2, ☎ +91 40 2452 1029. 10am-5pm Sa-Th. Home to the famous wardrobe of Mahbub Ali Pasha, who is said never to have worn the same thing twice. It is the world's longest wardrode, built in two levels with a hand-cranked wooden lift(elevator) in place. This occupies the entire length of one wing of the palace. Adults-Rs.50 Students & children-Rs.15.  edit

• Hussain Shah Wali Dargah.  edit

• Mecca Masjid, Southwest of the Char Minar. Mecca Masjid is one of the oldest mosques in the city and easily the biggest. Muhammed Quli Qutub Shah began building it in 1617 under the supervision of Mir Faizullah Baig and Rangiah Choudhary. Mughal emperor Aurangzeb completed the construction in 1694. The mosque is a granite giant with awe-inspiring innards. The main hall of the mosque is 75 feet high, 220 feet wide and 180 feet long, big enough to accommodate ten thousand worshippers at a time. The entrance arches are made of single slabs of granite. It is believed that Muhammed Quli commissioned bricks to be made from earth brought from Mecca and inducted them into the construction of the central arch of the mosque, which explains the name of the mosque.  edit

• Moula Ali Dargah. 400 stairs brings you to a place of worship built by the Asif Jahis. The Moula Ali Dargah was built in the memory of Hazrat Ali, the son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad. Legend has it that Yakoob, a eunuch in the court of Ibrahim Quli, went to the hill after he saw Hazrat Ali seated on it. To his surprise, he saw the impression Ali's palm on a stone, which he had dreamt. He had the impression cut out and installed in a shrine. Ibrahim Shah later built a mosque beside the dargah. A Ashurkhana , a Baradari (pavilion) and an Nqqar khana (place for beating drums) were built during the Qutb Shahi period.  edit

• Osmania Arts College. Built during the period of the last Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan. The imposing facade of the building is a great sight.  edit

• Paigah Tombs, Santoshnagar (Pisal Banda). These tombs belong to the 'Paigah' nobles (tied by blood and marriage to the Nizams) and are about 200 years old. These unique lime and mortar tombs are beautifully carved and have marble inlay work on them.  edit

• Purani Haveli, Dewandevdi (Southeast of Afzalganj bridge). 10:30am-5pm Sa-Th. Originally, the palace of the Nizam's Prime Minister, later it was renovated and became the quarters of the Nizam's son. It is a U-shaped complex with a single-storeyed building in the European style.  edit

• Raymond Tomb. Michel Raymond, a French mercenary, was a military commander in the service of the second Nizam and also his close friend. His tomb is located at Saroornagar, and is made of black granite.  edit

• Salar Jung Museum, Naya Pul, Afzalgunj (Turn left once you reach the south bank of Musi using the Nayapul), ☎ +91 40 2452 3211. 10:00 AM - 5 PM Sa-Th. (Ticketing closes at 4:15 PM). This collection belonged to the Salar Jungs, Prime Minsters of Hyderabad, but has been augmented since. The collection includes articles mostly from medieval and modern times, with a concentration of articles from the Islamic era. The western wing on the second floor is interesting. It contains paintings, furniture and other objects that the Salar Jung got from the West. The collection of Nizam jewellery is displayed only on special occasions. Free guided tours lasting two hours each are available at scheduled times, four times a day. Inquire at the entrance. Cameras, bags and liquids are not allowed, but mobile cameras are winked at. Deposit your contraband at the free lockers available near the ticketing area. Rs 15 for Indians and Rs 150 for Foreigners.  edit

• Toli Masjid, Karwan. 300 years old. Known for its splendid architechture.  edit

• Qutb Shahi Tombs (1 km north of Golconda fort, approached via Banjara Darwaza), [19]. 9:30AM-5:30PM Sa-Th. The Qutubshahi mosques in Hyderabad are so named because they were built by the Qutubshahi dynasty. Most of them were built by Quli Qutb Shah, the founder. Rs 10; camera Rs 20.  edit

• Qutub Shahi Tombs Site Museum, Hyderabad-8, ☎ +91 40 2351 341. 9AM-4.30PM Sa-Th. Rs. 2.  edit

• Archival Museum (A.P. State Archives and Research Institute), Tarnaka, Hyderabad-7, ☎ +91-40-27018371.  edit

• AP State Museum. Displays a stunning array of artifacts dating back to the 1st century to the 20th Century. Ranging from the Lotus Medallion of the 1st century to the Amazing Kalankari work that adorned the bed-spreads of the Nizams to a period room that displays the typical living room of the Nizam time to the Jain sculptures and Statues - this place has it all.  edit

• B.M. Birla Planetarium and Science & Technological Museum, Adarshnagar, Hyderabad -63 (Very close to Birla Temple, Naubat Pahad), ☎ +91 40 2324 1067. Museum: 10:30 AM- 8 PM, Planetarium: English shows: 11:30 AM, 4:00 PM, 6 PM, More shows in Telugu and one show in Hindi. Fr-We. The show at the planetarium lasts 35 minutes and is moderately interesting. The technological museum, on the other hand, is poorly maintained. The Dinosaurium at the upper level is interesting. It contains a complete skeleton of a dinosaur Kotasaurus yamanpalliensis discovered in the village of Yemanapalli in 1988. The lower level displays the personal collection of Nirmala Birla, also quite interesting Museum: Rs. 15, Planetarium: Rs. 17, Combined admission: Rs. 35. Parking Rs. 20.   edit

• Birla Mandir, Adarsh nagar, Naubat Pahad (Two different routes depending on whether you want to drive right to the top or climb the stairs.). 10am-12 noon, 2pm-8pm. The industrial house of the Birlas have the tradition of building magnificent marble temples in cities of India. This one is one of the best. Located on top of Naubat Pahad (mountain), this clean, sparkling white temple dedicated to Venkateshwara has viewing areas that afford a great view of the city. Sadly, cameras and camera mobiles are banned; your bags are checked at the entrance. There is a free cloakroom where you can deposit those. Free.  edit

• The High Court of Andhra Pradesh, Nayapul.  edit

• The Hyderabad Public School, Begumpet. Formerly a Nizam's palace and the Jagirdar's College. This Institution was founded in 1923 and is currently one of the oldest and largest public schools in the country. The campus is also an internationally recognised heritage site.  edit

• Kala Bhavan, Ravindra Bharathi complex, Saifabad, Lakdikapul. An art gallery  edit

• The Kothi Residency (Womens College, Kothi).  edit

• The Natural History Museum, Nehru Zoological park. Has some rare and interesting exhibits.   edit

• Exhibition. An exhibition that runs in the months of January & February every year. It showcases various items made across India. It runs every year starting Jan 1st till Feb 15th in Exhibition grounds, Nampally (Vanitha College)  edit

• Alankrita Art Gallery, Kavuri Hills, Madhapur, ☎ +91 40 2311 3709.  edit

• Gallery Space, Road No.12, Banjara Hills, ☎ +91 40 6554 1836.  edit
• Kalahita Art Foundation, Lakshmi Towers, Nagarjuna Hills, ☎ +91 40 2335 0543.  edit

• Le Cafe De Art, Road No.1 Banjara Hills, ☎ +91 40 6550 6661.  edit

• Pegasus Art Gallery, Road No.72 Jubilee Hills, ☎ +91 98486 66262.  edit
• Shilparamam, Hi tec city, Madhapur. 11:00 AM-8PM. Designed as a contrast to the futuristic Cyber tower that lies across the road, the crafts village of Shilparamam ("sculpture village") guards the entrance road to Hi tec city. The intent is to showcase and preserve the old. There is a bazaar where you can buy assorted handicrafts and art work. There is also an entire village where you can find realistic -looking sculptures of villagers carrying out their traditional crafts. You can also find a rock museum which contains natural rock formations that allegedly look life-like. A night bazaar is slated to open in December 2009. Make sure you carry cash to buy anything you like - credit cards are not accepted by most shops. Rs. 25.  edit

• State Gallery Of Art (Chitramayee), Road No. 1, Kavuri Hills, Madhapur, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad 500033, ☎ 91 40 3091 3947, +91 40 3091 3922.  edit

• Vishwakarma arts gallery, Banjara Hills, Panjagutta,Dwarakapuri colony, Esteem House, Backside of Model House, ☎ +91 40 6661 5039 (vishwakarmarts@yahoo.com), [20]. 10.00 AM to 9.00 PM.  edit

• Balaji Temple, Chilkur, [21]. 6.00 to 21.00. Chilkur has come up as a very important pilgrim centre in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh (India). The Lord here is Sri Venkateswara Swamy in a standing posture, beside whom is Goddess Sridevi and Goddess Bhudevi. It is said that the Lord bears an injury on his chest which is believed to have been made during digging out of the Idol!. The deity also is famously known as "Visa Venkat". Students applying for visa after enrolling in US universities, come here before the interview date, make a wish for visa acceptance. After receiving the visa approval, the students re-visit the temple and do 108 "pradakshinas" around the temple as their wish came true. Free. (17.34839,78.39883E) edit
• Sanghi Temple, Hayat Nagar. Free. (17.34839,78.39883E) edit
• ISKCON Temple, Abids, [22]. Free. (17.34839,78.39883E) edit
• Mahankali Temple, Kacheguda. Site of the main annual Bonalu procession Free. (17.34839,78.39883E) edit

• Ujjaini Mahankali Temple, Secunderabad. Free. (17.34839,78.39883E) edit

• Peddamma Temple, Jubilee Hills. Free. (17.34839,78.39883E) edit

• St Joseph's Cathedral, Gun Foundry Area. Established in 1820, this is the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Hyderabad.  edit

• Hussain Sagar Lake (Tank Bund), Necklace Road. 24 hrs. artificial lake is a historical landmark, built during the reign of Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah in 1562 by damming the Musi. This forms the boundary between Hyderabad and Secunderabad. Surrounding the lake are various parks, temples, statues and historical buildings. This is one of the few walkable places in the city. At the centre of the lake stands a famous statue of the Buddha installed in 1992. Free.  edit

• Osman Sagar / Gandipet
• Himayat Sagar
• Durgam Cheruvu (Secret Lake) - this is quite close to Hi-Tec City area and now hosts various parties and events. It used to be a real hidden gem in the busy city but it is still a nice lake to sit around.
• Shamirpet - 24 km away to the north of Secunderabad, Shamirpet has a beautiful lake & a deer park. Its peaceful environs make it a great picnic spot. AP Tourism offers comfortable cottages facilities for accommodation (under private management), while the forest lodge can be booked with the AP Forest Department office at Saifabad.

• Saroornagar - this lake is very famous as it has been lined by a solid strong wall on one side recently. A two lane undivided road is laid over this wall. The road is neat and exciting to drive. It has abundant lighting during nighttime and large pedastrian space provided. A problem is 'eutrophication' which is caused due to water hyacinth. A pleasant space for young couples to spend their evening. Smells sometimes, but that is the nature of any waterbody in a metropolis. Another important event that takes place is 'vinayakachaturthy',(a festival for Hindus in which Lord Vinayaka's statues are immersed (and thereby dissolved) in water). All roads lead to saroor nagar lake on the day of the Lord Ganesh's nimajjanam.

• Public Gardens. Known as the Bagh-e-aam (Garden for the commoners), it has well laid out gardens and is surrounded by the imposing State Legislative Assembly building, the Jubilee Hall, the Jawahar Bal Bhavan, the Health Museum and the State Archaeological Museum. Free.  edit

• Necklace Road ( The Chaupati of Hyderabad)
• Indira Park - A sprawling 76 acre park located near Tank Bund with a nice little pond and boating.
• Public Gardens (This was the old zoo and now is a beautiful place for both children and adults).
• Sanjeeviah Park
• Krishna Kanth Park
• Lotus Pond (Jubilee Hills)
• Botanical Garden
• Nehru Zoological Park
• KBR National Park (Chiraan Palace)
• Chilkur Wildlife Park
• Jalavihar Family Water Park (Necklace Road)
• Mahaveer Vanasthali Wildlife park
• Lumbhini Park - It also offers nice Laser Shows in the evening which is first in India.

(The wild life parks, botanical garden and zoo have several educational programs including lectures with live snakes)

• Chacha Nehuru Park (Masab Tank)
• Jalagam Vengal Rao Park (JVR Park, Banjara Hills)
• NTR(Nandamoori Taraka Ramarao) Gardens (Necklace Road)

• NTR Gardens, NTR Marg (West of Hussain Sagar lake). 2 PM-8:30 PM. Built by Chandrababu Naidu in memory of N T Rama Rao, his father in law and ex-Chief Minister, this is an amusement park which houses some nice attractions like a mini-train, a haunted house, a boat ride, etc. There is a cafe where the seating is in the shape of vintage cars. You can either spend money on the rides or generally stroll around and gape at the fountains and the giant insects. For rides, the Rs. 45 combo you can buy at the entrance is a good deal. Rs.15 for entry, rides extra..  edit

• Lumbini Park, NTR Marg (West of Hussain Sagar lake). 9 AM-9 PM. See water cascades, go on guided car rides. Go on a boat ride and see the Buddha statue at the centre of the lake. Rs.5, rides extra.  edit
• Dhola ri Dhani.  edit
• HIGH VIEW Swimming Pool, Maula Ali, Ph:+91-939-111-5019
• Runway 9[23] Ph+95-8418-232 752/232 753/232 633, 09885333160(Mobile). This park offers archery, air rifle (BB gun) target practice, and go-cart racing on a track with tight corrners.
• Treasure Island, Gandipet
• Ramoji Film City holds the record for the world's largest film studio, though most of the shooting takes place outdoors. Many Telugu and Hindi films are produced here. Tourists can tour the studios and there are two hotels. It's a 1-2 hour drive east of the city.
• Ocean Park , Gandipet, Ph: +91-40-2322 5660/2322 3824 - A water-theme park
• Snow World - Asia's largest Snow Theme Park. Entry Ticket - Rs.250/- for all individual above 4' ( Four Feet ), Children charged Rs.200/-. Telephonic Reservations : 09440082627, 09409042788
• Diginet Digital Experience Zone (AP's Best Gamecenter. Wifi hotspot, coffee shop, shopping)Ph: 55580009
• Friends of Snakes Society (For reptile conservation work and field trips) Tel: 27112719.

• EmaarMGF Boulder Hills Golf and Country Club, Manikonda Village, Gachibowli,, Hyderabad 500032 Mobile: Mr. Sanjay Pan- 99494 30300/92480 30300 (Golf and Country Club), Email.: enquiries@emaarmgf.com
• Hyderabad Golf Club, Satham Cheruvu, Beside Nadeem Colony, Golconda, Hyderabad 500008 Ph: +91-40-2356 7207
• ACS Golf Course 4, 214 KPHB Colony, Kukatpally, Hyderabad500072 Ph: +91-40-2315 6433, 2305 0211, 2315 7241
• Army Golf Course Club, Risala Bazar, Bolarum, Secunderbad 500010 Ph:+91-40-2786 1943
• Bolarum Golf Club,Risala Bazar, Bolarum, Hyderabad500010 Ph: +91-40-2786 1943

• Park View Enclave Tennis Centre, Boinpally Secunderabad, Phone: (40) 3296 0203.

• Bodhi Sampanna, Tel: +91 98663 24910, E-mail: info@dharmamegha.org, [24]. The center, whose name means 'an abode endowed with bodhi', is a center for the study and practice of Mahayana Buddhism following the lineage and example of Lord Buddha. Bodhi Sampanna was founded in 2009 and is a part of Dharma Megha Foundation [25]

The Center offers courses in various Buddhist meditation techniques and teachings on different aspects of Buddhism. Teachings are offered free to the public and are conducted in English or in Tibetan (with translation in English).

• Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad [26]
• International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad [27]
• Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani (Hyderabad Campus) [28]
• Osmania University [29]
• University of Hyderabad (Central University)

[30]

• Osmania University [31]
• Jawahar Lal Nehru Technological University [32]
• National Institute of Fashion Technology, Hyderabad [33]
• Indian School of Business, Gachibowli, Hyderabad [34]
• Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages [35]
• ICFAI Business School[36]
• Dhruva College of Management [37]

• C. Krishniah Chetty & Sons-The Flagship Boutique, Taj Deccan, ☎ 040 3256 1869, [38]. 8am to 11pm, on Sundays 11am to 8pm. An ideal, intimate setting to buy the finest of jewellery from the famous Bangalore based jewellery house.   edit

• Lilac - Designer Sarees & More, 3-6-369/b/3, Diamond House, Liberty, Himayathnagar (Opp: Dadu Sweets, Adj: TTD Temple), ☎ 040-65521851. Check out for all latest Designer Sarees, Ladies Suits, Blouses.  edit
• Lilac Boutique, Liberty Road, Himayathnagar (Near TTD, Dadu Sweets), ☎ 9246581851. Designer and made to order & customised Heavy Suits, Sarees and Fancy Blouses.  edit
• Pearls of Hyderabad (Abids and Somajiguda Jewelry shops) popular for their Quality And Lustre. Choose from 3 varieties in Pearls Viz. Natural, Cultured, and Imitation.
• Ghanshyamdas Jewellers Opp Abids Police Station Very Geniune In Pearls
• Ornaments & jewelry (Punjagutta,Abids and Somajiguda)
• Imitation Jewelery From Charminar.
• The Golden Mile of Hyderabad for shopping, consisting of shopping plazas, Malls, Designer Boutiques and upmarket shops - Starting from Lifestyle near the Begumpet Flyover and extending all the way till Road No.1 Banjara Hills.

• Werner Ladders (aluminium ladders), hyderabad, ☎ 040-27849899, [39]. Werner household and industrial ladders are produced in Hyderabad and are cheaper here than in most cities. Avaialble in many hardware/aluminium stores who will gladly ship it to you anywhere in India 2200-12000.  edit

• Ladida-lingerie store (lingerie, ladies wear), #2,R,K.Plaza, Opp.Joyalukkas Jewelers, Greenlands Road, Panjagutta,, ☎ 040-40020267, [40]. 11am-8.30pm. exclusive lingerie store where you can for shop lingerie, lounge wear amd more Rs.300-2500.  edit

• Lepakshi[41] Ph: 040-2766 8178
• KalanjaliMargadarsi House, 5-10-195, Fathemaidan Raod, Opp: Ploice Control Room, Nampally, Hyderabad. Ph: 040-2323 1147/2329 7196/2329 7197 Fax: 040-23233204
• Bidri Crafts (Gunfoundry,Abids) Ph: +91-40-2323 2657/2323 3663 [42]

• Vishwakarmarts gallery Esteemhouse Opposite to model house Punjagutta Dwarakarapuri colony PH: 040 66615039[43]

• Shilparamam Which Is Also Known As Night Bazaaz is Situated in Madhapur. They Have exhibitions of handicrafts normally.
• "United Designers-Store" Banjara Hills Rd#4 , they have women`s wear clothing in handloom fabrics, Mon- Sat 10:30 am -8 pm, Ph# 040-23355441 (Must Visit)

• Laad Bazaar exotic lacquer and glass bangles market. Next to Charminar
• Begum Bazaar (Wholesale Market)
• Sultan Bazaar (WholeSale Clothes Market)
• General Bazaar (Budget clothes Shopping)
• Monda Market (Vegetable Market)
• Feel Khana Khadim

Himayathnagar: Contact Lilac Boutique for Designer Sarees, suits and blouses.

• City Centre (Road No.1,Banjara Hills)
• GVK One (Banjara hills)
• Lifestyle (Begumpet)
• Hyderabad Central (Punjagutta)
• Lumbini Mall (Banjara Hills)
• Shoppers stop (Begumpet)
• Pantaloons (Begumpet, Jublee Hills)
• Maheshwari Plaza (Abids)
• Big Bazaar (5 Branches)(Abids, RTC'X'Rds, L.B Nagar, Ameerpet and Tarnaka)
• Brand Factory (Abids and Jubilee Hills)
• Ashoka Metropolitan Mall (Masab Tank)
• Metro (Kukatpally)
• Sonali mall (Abids)

This guide uses the following price ranges for a typical meal for one, including soft drink:
Budget	Under Rs.250
Mid-range	Rs.250-750
Splurge	Over Rs.750

Cuisine

Hyderabadi cuisine developed as an attempt to satisfy the palate of the Nizam, his court and his army. While heavily influenced by traditional Telangana cuisine, it is distinct from it.

The most famous Hyderabadi dish is the Hyderabadi Dum Biryani. Dum refers to the baking process where Basmati rice and meat or vegetables are mixed in a pot and heated for a long time. During the Nizam's time, the Biryani was made with lamb's meat carefully cooked with rice. Culinary delicacies of Hyderabad include Gosht, which is made from a buck/billy/young goat, and is associated with the Hyderabadi cuisine. Hyderabadis prize the meat of a male goat.Kachchi gosht ki biriyani of Hyderabad, where raw meat is stir fried with spices(masala) for couple of minutes and then covered with rice and put on dum. Today, Biryani is also made using vegetables, chicken, seafood and beef. The beef Biryani is known as Kalyani Biryani, available at many small eateries in the city. Although any Irani cafe might serve this delectable dish, there are a few places better known for tasteful food than their hygiene.

Hyderabadi Haleem is another dish which is available only in the month of Ramadaan(Ramzan).

Mirchi ka salan — spicy chilly gravy, is another dish that serves as a tasty accompaniment to any rice item.

Khubani ka meetha is Hyderabad's preferred dessert sweet. It is made from apricots boiled in sugar syrup till they achieve a thick consistency. It looks similar to, but tastes different from gajar ka halwa. It is often topped with ice-cream or cream.

Double Ka Meetha is a dessert made from bread, milk and dry fruits.

Among the drinks, falooda is a favourite of Hyderabad. Irani chai is the tea of Hyderabad, available everywhere in the old city.

Street food in Hyderabad is likely to be disappoint those who have appreciated the better stuff in North India or even Mumbai, but is inexplicably popular with the locals.

In recent times, there has been an explosion in the number of restaurants in Hyderabad, fuelled by demand from young professionals with money to spend. Quality and variety of food, however, has not kept pace. There is a disproportionately large number of restaurants that aspire to be called "fine-dining" restaurants, but the food they serve is usually indifferent. In general, keep away from restaurants that call themselves "multi-cuisine" or if you see multiple cuisines on the menu, as the chances are that they are attempting to serve every kind of palate and will not satisfy any.

The older areas of Hyderabad are better places to find good and cheap food. Places close to Hi tec city, such as Madhapur and Kondapur, tend to have expensive and bad food, while in Banjara Hills and Jubilee Hills you will find restaurants that are expensive, but which sometimes serve good food. Those misled by the fact that Hyderabad is in South Indian and expecting South Indian food may be disappointed. While there are excellent South Indian restaurants in some of the older areas like Koti and Abids, the average South Indian food served here is quite bad.

Two of the biggest names in Hyderabad's restaurant business are Ohri's [44] and the BJN Group [45]. It will seem as if every second restaurant in the city is run by either one or the other. BJN generally runs upscale restaurants, while Ohri's runs both upscale and mid-range restaurants. It also runs numerous fast food places all over the city, including at Prasad's Imax, Banjara Hills, Somajiguda, EatStreet, Hyderabad Central & Basheer Bagh.

• Alpha, Opposite Secunderabad Railway Station, Secunderabad, ☎ +91-40-2770-2291. famous for its Beja Fry available only in the morning, served for breakfast.  edit
• Cafe Bahaar, Opp. Commissioner Office, Old MLA Quarters, Basheerbagh, ☎ +91-40-2324-3798, +91-40-2323-7605. Biryanis and meat curries, moderately priced  edit
• Baawarchi, Plot no. 66, RTC Cross Roads, Chikkadpally Musheerabad (Opposite Sandya Theatre), ☎ +91-40-27605308, +91-40-27634490, [46]. 11:30AM-11PM. Biryanis, not for vegetarians. Rs. 150.  edit

• Bowl O'China, [47]. This is a chain restaurant started by the same folk who run Hyderabad House. It is present in multiple locations all over the city. Average Indian Chinese food. Rs.200.  edit

• Chutneys, 1: 2: Nagarjuna Circle, Near Punjagutta flyover, ☎ 91-40-2335-0569, 2335-8484, 5557-8651. Vegetarian, and quite well-known in Hyderabad. It shines in South Indian dishes like dosas, idlis and uttappas. "North Indian" also available, but best avoided. Is extremely crowded on weekend nights, and there is awaiting time of upto 30 minutes. Does not serve alcohol. Rs.150.  edit

• Road no. 36, Banjara Hills, ☎ 91-40-2335-0569, 2335-8484, 5557-8651. Rs.150.
• Nagarjuna Circle, Near Punjagutta flyover, ☎ 91-40-2335-0569, 2335-8484, 5557-8651. Rs.150.

• Deli 9. 9:30AM-10:30PM. Bakery and Cafe. A hit with the young crowd for its cakes, pastries, quiches, and puffs. Present in two locations Rs200.  edit

Road No. 1 Banjara Hills, Opposite City Center Mall, ☎ +91-40-6550-6662‎.

Ground Floor, My Home Tycoon, Begumpet (Lifestyle Building), ☎ +91-40-6677-7727.

• Hyderabad House, Multiple locations, [48]. This is a chain of restaurants, serving Hyderabadi food located all over the city. There are also outlets that comprise just a takeout counter. Try the Lukhmi. Vegetarians will be served, but have few choices. Rs.200.  edit

• Kholani's Kitchen, 4-3-548/1, Shop No. 16 & 17, Needs Arcade, Tilak Road, Abids, ☎ +91-40-2475-3444, +91-40-2475-7657. 11AM-11PM. Try the Malai Kebabs (chicken) and Apollo Fish Rs 150.  edit

• New Astoria Restaurant, Address:1-8-563/2, Surya Mukhi Complex, RTC X Roads, Hyderabad - 20, ☎ +91-40-27667115, +91-40-66625520. Great Biryani  edit

• Minerva Coffee Shop. This is a bit of a local institution, serving tasty vegetarian South Indian snacks along with coffee. It is present in four locations: Rs. 150.  edit

• 3-6-199/1, Ground Floor, Himayathnagar, ☎ +91-40-2322-0448. 8AM-10PM.
• 22-8-290/291, Ahmed PlazA 1St Floor, Near Salarjung Museum, Nayapul, ☎ +91-40-2450-3838, +91-40-2440-0988. 11AM-11PM.
• Door Number 6-3-1110, 1st Floor, Amrutha Mall, Somajiguda, ☎ +91-40-2340-4635, +91-40-2341-5910. 7AM-11PM.
• Plot No. 3, Mithri Vihar, Ameerpet Lane Besides Huda Maitrivanam, Ameerpet, ☎ +91-40-2375-7525. 7AM-11PM.

• Paradise Restaurant, Paradise Circle, M G Road, Secunderabad. 11:30AM-11:30PM. This restaurent is one of the oldest places serving Biryani and of late has lost some of its sheen owing to explosion of business Also serves the best falooda in Hyderabad. It has both a sit-down restaurant and takeaway. They do not have branches, but imitators with similar names have sprung up all over the city. Avoid them.  edit

• Rayalseema Ruchulu, 1st Main Road, Shanti Nagar, In The Lane Behind JNTU, Masab Tank, ☎ +91-40-6510-0033, +91-40-6510-0044, +91-98856-50789. 12PM:3:30PM,7PM:11:PM. Mildly spiced food from Rayalaseema, rustic decor. Not for vegetarians. Rs.200.  edit

• Shadaab, Madina Building, ☎ +91-40-2313 4446. Famous for its Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani and Jabda Gosht available only in the morning, served for breakfast.  edit

• Sandarshini. Delicious South Indian dishes. Is present in over 5 locations  edit

• Parklane X Roads, S D Road, Secunderabad, ☎ +919885110007.
• Masab Tank, Mehdipatnam, ☎ +91-40-2332-1152.

• Shanbhag. 7:30AM-11:30PM. Another local institution for South Indian vegetarian food. Present in two locations: Rs.150.  edit

• 6-3-672/101 & 102, Ground Floor, Panjagutta X Road, ☎ +91-40-5562-3457, +91-40-5562-3458‎‎.
• 3-6-354/A 1st Floor,Karan Singh Build,Main Road,Under Flyover Basheer Bagh, ☎ +91-40-2322-2628‎, +91-40-2341-0073‎.

• Taj Mahal Restaurant, # 4-1-999 Abids, ☎ +91-40-2475-8250, +91-40-6551-1122. 11AM-11PM. One of the original "Udupi" style restaurants, this is strictly vegetarian and does not serve alcohol. It is part of the Taj Mahal Hotel, not to be confused with the nationally famous Taj chain of luxury hotels. The food in the restaurant is tasty and good, and like Udupi restaurants, serves South Indian, North Indian and "Chinese". You are advised to stick to South Indian. The ambience in the airconditioned section is old-school. Rs.200.  edit

• 4 Seasons, Toli Chowki, Hyderabad. Serves multiple cuisines, but raved about for its Arabic and Lebanese food.  edit
• Aangan, 1-8-1/0/B, Yatri Nivas, Sardar Patel Road, Secunderabad, ☎ +91-40-2781-6881, +91-40-2781-6882, +91-40-2784-0005. 10:30AM-11:30PM. Well-rated restaurant, serves Mughlai, Chinese and Hyderabadi dishes. Rs.300.  edit
• Angeethi, Unit 701-703, 7th floor, Reliance Classic, Road # 1 Banjara Hills, ☎ 91 - 40 - 6525-5550, [49]. 12:30PM-3:30PM, 7:00PM-11:30PM. The ambience is of a Dhaba, complete with a pan shop, a well and a quack peddling herbal remedies for "marital problems". The food is excellent, with some interesting variations on traditional Punjabi dishes, but the dessert selection is meagre. The beverage menu has a quirky location at the end of the main menu. Rs.500.  edit
• Bombay Palace, # 6-1-79 & 80 Hampshire Plaza, Lakdi-Ka-Pul, ☎ +91-40-2333-5555. 7:30PM-11:30PM. Has a decor that reminds you of Mumbai. Menu specialities include ragda patties and other items popularized by Mumbai's streets in addition to Mughlai and Hyderabadi dishes. Live Ghazals every evening. Rs.300.  edit

• Celebrations, Plot No.66A, Road No.1, Jubilee Hills, ☎ +91-40-4010-0888, +91-40-2360-2888, [50]. A complex of four restaurants and one bar.  edit

• Chinese Pavilion, Opposite JVR Park, Road Number 1, Banjara Hills, ☎ +91-40-6678-5680. 11:30AM-3:30PM, 7:30PM-11:30PM. Has got good reviews, makes an attempt to move away from Indain Chinese. Rs.500.  edit
• Chung Hua. 11:30AM-3:30PM, 7PM-10:30PM. Try out the Thai varieties, nice, cosy place. Present at two locations Rs.300.  edit
• MoMo Cafe, 1-3-1024 Lower Tank Bund Road, Hyderabad, ☎ +91-40-2752 1222,, [51]. 24 hours. Well-rated restaurant, serves Mughlai, Chinese and Hyderabadi dishes. Rs.300-Rs. 500.  edit
• 5-9-299, Mira Mansion, Plot Number 1, Basheerbagh, ☎ +91-40-2322-2295, +91-40-6682-2295.
• 1st Floor, 1-8-303/48/43, Minister Road, ☎ +91-40-6632-2551‎.
• Ginger Court, H No 1-74/1, Guttala, Hitech City, Madhapur, ☎ +91-40-23113732, +91-40-2311-3733, +91-40-2311-3734. Close to Hi tech city, Mughlai and Indian Chinese. Rs.300.  edit
• Kabura. 12:PM-3:30PM, 7:00PM-11:30PM. Cuisine from the Northwest Frontier. Rs.500.  edit

• IndieJoe, 5th Floor, City Center Mall, Road No. 1, Banjara Hills, ☎ +91-40-6657-0000, +91-40-6668-3333. 12:30PM-3:30PM, 7:30PM-11:15PM. Serves global cuisine. Only buffet for lunch and only a la carte for dinner. Rs.500.  edit

• Malgudi, 6-3-1192/2/1-16, 1st Floor, My Home Tycoon, Begumpet (Lifestyle Building), ☎ +91-40-6662-8800, +91-40-6663-2277, +91-40-2383-9671. The name is inspired by the fictional South Indian town created by R K Narayan. It has an ambience that suits the name, with waiters clad in dhotis. On the menu, you will find foodstuff from the four southern states that are rare to find in other restaurants, like gutti vankai or kodi pulusu. Service is extremely fast. In Hyderabad, it has three branches: Rs. 500.  edit

• Life style building 1st floor, Begumpet, ☎ +91-40-6663 2277, +91-40-66632272.
• Lumbini Mall, 4th floor, Banjara Road no. 2, ☎ +91-40-6452 2195.

• Mediterranean Cuisine, Toli Chowki, Opposite RTA office, Yousuf Tekdi Complex, ☎ +91-40-6453-2326, [52]. Turkish restaurant, also serves traditional Mughlai and Indian cuisines. Rs. 500.  edit

• Ming's Court, Baseraa Inn Hotel, Opposite Old Gandhi Medical College, Basheerbagh, ☎ +91-40-2329-8811, +91-40-2329-8822, +91-40-2329-8855. 11:30AM-3:30PM, 7PM-11:30PM. Mostly Indian Chinese. Rs.500.  edit

• Nanking, 103 Parklane, Near Hussian Travels, S D Road, Secunderabad, ☎ +91-40-2772-9893, +91-40-2784-3634, +91-40-2784-8986, [53]. 11:30AM-3:30PM, 6:30PM-11:00PM. Hyderabad's oldest Chinese restaurant.  edit

• Olive Garden, 1-98/90/1, Hi-Tech City, Madhapur, ☎ +91-402311-0900, +91-40-2310-0300. 11:30AM-3:30PM, 7:00PM-11:00PM. Do not be misled by the name and expect Italian. It serves passable Mughlai and Punjabi fare. Close to Hi tech city, so this is an option if you are looking for a quick place to eat.  edit

• Our Place, 8-2-602/E, Charan Pahadi, Road No. 10 Banjara Hills (look out for a small lane that goes upwards), ☎ +91-40-23353422. Has received great reviews for its kebabs and tandoori dishes. But avoid the Thai stuff, as it looks like a pale imitation. The ambience is great, the seating is outdoors amidst much greenery. Often, they have live gazal music for dinner. Rs.350.  edit

• Punjabi by Nature, ☎ +91-40-2331 7284‎,+91-40-2331 7285‎, [54]. 12:00 noon-11:30 PM. Kitschy decor, good food, but overpriced. As the name suggests, serves Punjabi and Mughlai food, but the menu is entirely mainstream. The drink menu has exotic stuff like Golgappa with Vodka, and Gulab jamun with brandy. Rs.500.  edit

• Serengeti, 8-2-682/3, Road No. 12, Banjara Hills (Ohri's Banjara), ☎ +91-40-2330-2200. 12:00PM-3:30, 7PM-11:30PM. Cuisine is from the Northwest Frontier Province while the decor tries to create the ambience of an African Safari. The food is good, the wine list is extensive and quite good. For a change, the dessert menu does not suck Rs.600.  edit

• Southern Spice, 8-2-350/3/2, Road Number 3, Plot Number 34, Banjara Hills, ☎ +91-40-2335-3802, +91-40-2335-3803, +91-40-6682-2619. 12PM-3:30PM, 7PM-11:30PM. Highly rated for Andhra delicacies like Ragi Sangati and Gongura Mamsam Rs.300.  edit

• Mainland China, G. S. Plaza, Gr. Floor, S-2-672, Road No. 1, Banjara Hills, ☎ +91-40-2330-4500,+91-40-5521-4500, +91-40-2330-4700, [55]. Excellent Chinese place, though it tends more towards Indian Chinese. Try the Dim sums and the Darsaan for dessert. Good ambience and excellent service. Rs. 600.  edit

• Moksh, Necklace Road, ☎ +91-40-6620 0111, +91-40-6620 0112. 11:30 AM-3:30 PM, 7:00 PM-Midnight. The Rs.140 Non-Veg, Lunch-buffet is really tasty. Service, ambience and the lake-side location is awesome. Rs.?.  edit
• Sahib Sindh Sultan, City Center, 5th Floor, Road no. 1 & 10, Banjara Hills, [56]. 12 noon-3:30PM,7PM-11.30PM. The restaurant is themed on the eponymous 19th century train. Seating is available inside the "carriage" or on the "railway station". Waiters are dressed in turbans and railway announcements are interspersed with the music. The food is good, the pickles interesting and you have a good choice of drinks. Try the licchi ki taheri for dessert. Rs.350.  edit

• Terrace Bay, 501, 5th Floor, Babukhan Mall, Punjagutta, ☎ +91-40-2341-8545, +91-40-2341-8546. 11AM-11PM. A fairly successful attempt to recreate Mexican cuisine in Hyderabad. To be visited more for the food than for the ambience. Rs.600.  edit

• Tex Mex, Plot 217, Road No 2, Banjara Hills, ☎ +91-40-2354-1493, +91-40-2354-2835. 12PM-3PM-7:30-10:30PM. Indian and World cuisine. Rs.500.  edit

• Tulips - The Coffee Shop, -1-26, Hotel Green Park, Greenlands Road, Begumpet, ☎ +91-40-2375-7575, +91-40-6651-5151. 24 hours. Famous for its midnight biryani and buffet.  edit

• Ullaasa, 7-1-59/1, Athithi Inn, 5th Floor, Dharam Karam Road, Ameerpet, ☎ +91-40-2373-9091, +91-40-2373-9097. 11:30AM-11AM. Nice ethnic ambience and the rooftop setting is amazing, and the food is excellent. Rs300.  edit

• Utsav, 221 Tivoli, Secunderabad, ☎ +91-40-2772-0638‎. 11AM-3:30PM, 7:30PM-11AM. Indian vegetarian cuisine, has got good reviews. Rs. 400.  edit

• Villa No 1-8-46, P.G.Road,Sindhi Colony,Secunderabad (Next to Food world), ☎ +91-40-66481846. Coffee, teas and shakes are on the drinks menu while the food ranges from Cheesy Nachos to Croque Monsieur, Steaks and parathas. The breakfast and dessert menu is impressive. The food is priced modestly.  edit

• Wang's Kitchen. 12:30PM-3:30PM, 7PM-11:30PM. An upmarket Chinese restaurant, present at two locations: Rs.500.  edit

• 1-99/64/30 , Rohini Layout Madhapur (Below HDFC Bank, Opp Cyber Tower).
• 6-3-456/C/1/2, MGR Estates, Dwarakapuri Colony, Punjagutta, ☎ +91-40-6678-8000, +91-402335-2303.

• Zafraan Exotica, Road No. 12, Banjara Hills, [57]. 11:30 AM-3:30 PM, 7:00 PM-Midnight. A rooftop restaurant with an exotic ambience. Serves Mughlai and Chinese. Rs.500.  edit

• Zaitoon Arabic Restaurant, 3rd Floor, Minerva Sweets Building, Mehdipatnam, ☎ +91-98490-33786. 12:30PM-11:30PM. Offers Dishes From Afghanisthan,Pakistan, Iraq, Arabia Rs.400.  edit

• Fusion 9, Number 4, First Avenue, Road Number 1, Banjara Hills, ☎ +91-40-6657-7722, +91-40-6657-7755. 11:00AM-4:00PM, 7:00PM-11:30PM. Lounge bar and restaurant, with an astonishing range of cuisines from different parts of the world.  edit

• Golden Dragon, Taj Krishna, Road Number 1, Banjara Hills, ☎ +91-40-6666-2323, +91-40-2339-2323, [58]. 12:30PM-2:45PM, 7:30PM-11:45PM. Opulent Chinese restaurant. Rs.800.  edit

• Arena, Taj Deccan,Road Number 1, Banjara Hills, ☎ +91-40-6666-3939, [59]. 24 hours. The Coffee Shop serving the best and most sumptuous Sunday Brunch in the city, with the only, live, Sushi Bar in Hyderabad  edit

• Spice Junxion, Taj Deccan,Road Number 1, Banjara Hills, ☎ +91-40-6666-3939, [60]. 12:00PM-3:30PM, 7:00PM-11:30PM. A feast for all senses, this restaurant serves South Indian cuisine with a trendy twist. The restaurant has a unique menu for Lunch, the Chef’s Tasting menu - designed to give guests a taste of South India on a platter. The Tasting menu is a delightful spread of 10 Starters, 8 Main course items and four Desserts served in a span of 40 minutes.Spice Junxion also offers a set of unique combinations innovated by the Master Chef, Sachin Joshi including Dosa with Mutton curry and Idly with Chicken curry. Its condiment trolley is a highlight with seventeen different types of chutneys, pickles, spicy powders, papads and vadiyalu offered from South India.To top off the spicy fiesta, Spice Junxion presents its very own desserts created in-house such as paan ice cream, all-spice chocolates and traditional south Indian sweets. As a grand finale to the unique dining experience, the guests can have ‘paan on the rocks’, which is paan served on a bed of ice in a shot glass.  edit

• Kebab-e-Bahar, Taj Banjara, Banjara Hills, ☎ +91-40-2339-9999, [61]. 7:30PM — 11:45PM. Kebabs from all over, including Hyderabad and Northwest Frontier.  edit

• Little Italy Bar and Restaurant, 275, Film Nagar, Opp. KBR Park, at Applo Crossing, ☎ +91-40-23558001/2/3, [62]. 12pm-3:30pm, 7pm-11:30pm. Wonderful, almost-authentic Italian fare, completely vegetarian. Rs. 700.  edit

• Waterfront, Beside Eat Street, Necklace Road, ☎ +91-40-2330 8899, +91-40-6527 8899. Does not deserve its reputation. Has a nice view of Hussain Sagar lake, but the food, at its best, is passable. Rs. 700 (Cover charge of Rs. 300, Rs. 500 on weekends).  edit

• Zafraan Laguna, 5th Floor, Lumbini Jewel Mall, Road No. 2, Banjara Hills, ☎ +91-40-6451-1988, +91-99664-40408, [63]. Su-Th: 11:AM-10PM Fr-Sa:11:00AM-10PM. The place to visit for Mediterranean food. Rs.800.  edit

Bakeries, Cafes, Sweet shops and other Fast food

Hyderabad has a large number of outlets that are positioned as bakeries. These are primarily takeaway places, where one can buy sandwiches, burgers and puffs to go (called parcel in local parlance.) Usually, there are a few chairs and tables thrown in as an afterthought.

Many Western chains have set up shop in the posh areas of Hyderabad. Among these are Texas Chicken, McDonalds, KFC , Pizza Hut, Dominos and Subway. Most of these have multiple outlets and all of them have Indianized their fare to varying extents. The Indian pizza chain Pizza Corner also has many outlets. Barista[64], Cafe Coffee Day[65] and Java Green[66] outlets are good places to have coffee and conversations.

Pulla Reddy Sweets is an iconic chain of sweet shops. The outlets are found all over Hyderabad and are so popular that it has spawned imitators who copy the distinctive yellow signs and choose some variation of "Reddy" (a common last name in Andhra Pradesh) as the name.

• Almond House, Shop No. 3-6-237, Lingapur Building Himayath Nagar, ☎ +91 40 2322-6068, [67]. This is a must visit for the quality of Indian sweets and other titbits that you can only find in India  edit

• King & Cardinal, 3-5-907, Himayathnagar X Roads, Himayathnagar, ☎ +91-40-6661-5444. Pizzas and Burgers. Also serves Indian Chines snacks. Rs100.  edit

• My Cafe Latte, Plot No. 1100, Road No. 36 Jubilee Hills, ☎ +91-40-2355-3709. Coffee, mocktails and sandwiches, with Hollywood themed decor.  edit

• Ofen, Plot Number 49, Road Number 10, Banjara Hills, ☎ +91-40-2337-2205, +91-40-2337-2235, [68]. 8AM-11PM. Excellent place for breads and related foods - especially for health conscious. Includes breads like whole grain breads, ragi breads and sugar free cakes. Rs. 150.  edit

• Pista House, 20-4-140/1-8, Shalibanda Road, Charminar, ☎ +91-93965-00786. 10AM-11PM. Famous bakery in Hyderabad  edit

• Sarvi Bakers and Confectioners, Opposite Care Hospital, Road Number 1, Banjara Hills, ☎ +91-40-6663-1113, +91-40-6663-1114. Place for sandwiches, burgers and puffs. Rs 50.  edit

• The Chocolate Room, Plot no:-268, Kavuri hills, Near Madhapur Police Station Crossing, Jubilee hills,, ☎ +91-40-6458-9595, [69]. Wonderful drinking chocolates and crepes. Also a good place to hang out and have a conversation, though it does get crowded on weekends during the evening. Rs150.  edit

• Universal Bakers, 3-6-12, Himayatnagar, Himayathnagar Paradise, Himaythnagar & Masab Tank. 8AM-10PM. Great for baked biscuits, cakes and burgers. Has three outlets:  edit

A1 3-6-12, Samad Complex, Himayath Nagar, ☎ +91-40-2322-1779.

Near Paradise, Secunderabad, ☎ +91-40-2784-4089.

10-3-316/B, Near NMDC, Masab Tank, ☎ +91-40-6682-5060.

Drink

There is plenty to do at night in Hyderabad, though local regulations have most places serving last drinks by 11PM. On weekdays, drinks in the some of the pubs have best offers, as most clubs are empty until Thursday or Friday nights, when the clubbers emerge. But the sheer number of nightlife spots makes it hard to choose which ones to list. As a general rule they tend to be clustered around Begumpet and Road No.1, Banjara Hills.

Alcohol is available easily from numerous Liquor Shops, known as wine shops in local parlance, spread across the twin cities, in restaurants with bars attached (includes most upscale ones) and in pubs.

Some of the good pubs and bars are part of hotels, and they have been covered along with their hotel listing under Sleep.

• 10 Downing Street, #10, Ground Floor, My Home Tycoon Begumpet, ☎ +91-40-6662-9323, =91-40-6662-0015. 11AM-11PM. Expensive place, nice music, good crowd, but small dance floor Rs300-1000.  edit

• Bottles and Chimney, 1-10/1, Prakash Nagar, Begumpet (Near old airport), ☎ +91-40-2776-6464, +91-40-2776-2368. 12PM-4PM, 7PM-12AM. Large spacious pub with plenty of room to dance. Plays an eclectic variety in music. Rs100-Rs700.  edit

4 Seasons, Toli Chowki, Hyderabad. * Easy Rider, Lakeview Palace, Opp. Taj Banjara, Rs. No. 1, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad 500 034 Tel.+91-40-2784 2267 --shutdown temporarily  edit

• Firangi paani, City Center Vth Floor, Road No. 1 & 10 Banjara Hills, ☎ +91-40-6668-3336, [70]. 12PM-11:30PM.  edit

• Sparks, My home Tycoon, Building 6-3-1192/2/1-16 Begumpet, ☎ +91-40-6662-9977‎. 11AM-11:30PM. Redone pub, nice hip ambience, reasonable rates.  edit

• Escape (The fun place), Hotel Green Park, Greenlands Begumpet, ☎ +91-40-2375-7575. 12PM-11:15PM. Reasonable prices, good food and often find one-for-one beer offers Monday to Friday  edit

• Passport, Ramada Hotel Manohar, (Old) Airport Exit Road Begumpet, ☎ +91-40-2790 3333, +91-40-5531-3333‎.  edit

H20 Amrutha castle , Near lumbini garden. Resonable rate 150 to 300.

Club8, Life style building Ameer pet, Cheap beer, usually have offer (1+1) before 7 pm.

Cloud9, ICICI bank near old airport. Have dance floor. not very good crowd.

Hard Rock Cafe. Part of world wild chain. Excellent ambiance , check website for events. Address : GVK 1 mall road no 1 banjara hills.

• Atrium Bar, Taj Deccan,Road No.1 Banjara Hills, ☎ +91-40-2339-2684, +91-40-6666-3939, [71]. 11AM-11:30PM.  edit

• Liquids Again, 5th Floor, ABN Amro Bank Complex, Bhaskara Plaza, Road Number 1, Banjara Hills, ☎ +91-40-6625-9907, +91-406625-9908. 11AM-11PM. Sleek, trendy lounge bar. Rs200.  edit

• Touch, 1st Floor, Trendset Towers, Road Number 2, Banjara Hills, ☎ +91-40-2354-2433, +91-40-2354-2422, +91-40-6651-6666, +91-40-2354-0600. 11:30AM-11;30PM. Upscale,celebrity hang-out, great place but very expensive. Has a dress code - shoes mandatory. Rs500.  edit

• Fashion (FTV), Banjara Hills. Trendy lounge bar  edit

• Hydrate, # 6-1-79 & 80, Hampshire Plaza, Lakdi-Ka-Pul, ☎ +91-40-2333-5555‎, [72]. The elegant bar at Hampshire Plaza  edit

• Seventh Heaven, 6-3-883/5, Seventh Floor, Venkat Plaza, Punjagutta, ☎ +91-40-6666-8833, +91-40-6666-8822. 11AM-11:30PM. Nice rooftop bar and restaurant.  edit

This guide uses the following price ranges for a standard double room:
Budget	Under Rs.1,500
Mid-range	Rs.1,500-4,500
Splurge	Over Rs.4,500

Accommodation in Hyderabad is unlikely to bust your budget, especially when compared to cities like Mumbai or Bangalore, and rooms are usually easily available. However, because the city sprawls so much, you need to be careful about the hotel location if you want to avoid a long commute and traffic bottlenecks.

Plentiful budget accommodation is to be found around the Nampally railway station and in Abids, Koti and other new city areas for a few hundred rupees a day, and tourist attractions aren't very far off. However the facilities tend to be basic, the towels aren't necessarily clean and air-conditioning tends to be extra. It might make sense to pay a little more and choose mid-range accommodation. The area around Hussain Sagar Lake, Begumpet, Punjagutta, Somajiguda, Banjara Hills and Lakdi-ka-Pul are close to both tourist attractions of the old city and the business areas of the new city. Hotels in Secunderabad might be slightly far for the tourist, but may still work for the business traveller.

Unfortunately, hotel rooms tend to be expensive and scarce closer to Hi tec city, and commuting from any of the above areas, except perhaps Banjara Hills, is not a good option because of the traffic. Areas around Hi tec city are Madhapur, Kondapur and Gachibowli. For longer term stays, you might want to consider serviced apartments (See below)

• Aahwaanam, NTR Estate, Jawaharlal Nehru Road Abids (Opp. Ramakrishna Cinema Hall), ☎ +91-40-2474-0301, +91-40-2474-0305, +91-92913-33108. checkin: 24hr; checkout: 24hr. Basic budget hotel. Most rooms are not air-conditioned. Rs.600-1,000.  edit

• Ashoka, 6-1-70, Lakdi-ka-Pul, ☎ +91-40-2323-0105, +91-40-6651-0222, +91-40-3062-0222, +91-40-6651-0220. Has both air-conditioned and non-airconditioned rooms. Busy and crowded lobby, but the rooms are better. Rs.600-1,500.  edit

• Dwaraka Heritage, 116, Chenoy Trade Centre, Parklane, Secunderabad, ☎ +91-40- 27845020, +91-40-2789-5111. 50 rooms, basic facility, but does offer internet Rs.600-1,100.  edit

• Hotel Geetanjali, 4-1-938/26/A, New Marketing Complex, Abids, Tilak Road, ☎ +91-40- 66635500, [73]. checkin: 24hr; checkout: 24hr. A/C and Non A/C rooms. Budget hotel, offers room service and free wi-fi, online reservations, rated environmentally friendly, no restaurants. Rs.500-1,000.  edit

• Haridwar, 4-6-464, Esamiya Bazar, Koti, ☎ +91-40- 6663-5500, +91-40-66845444. checkin: 24hr; checkout: 24hr. Basic functional hotel with attached vegetarian restaurant. Caters mainly to visitors from North India. Rs.350-850.  edit

• Minerva, H. No. 3-6-199/1, Himayatnagar, ☎ +91-40- 2322-0448‎. Minerva is close to the Birla temple and other attractions. This is a good budget choice in an area where there aren't many budget hotels. Rs.1,300-1,800.  edit

• Parklane, 115, Park Lane, S D Road, Secunderabad, ☎ +91-40-2784-0466, +91-40-2784-0399, +91-40-2784-0377. 30 years old and looks its age. Rooms are comfortable, with both air-conditioned and non-air conditioned options. Breakfast is complimentary. The hotel caters mainly to senior government officials. Park Lane has a vegetarian restaurant Madhura. Rs.950-1,800.  edit

• Sitara Paradise, No. 6-3-788/34, Opp. Lane of Chandana Bros, Ameerpet, ☎ +91-40-2373-5222, +91-40-2373-5333, +91-40-6684-4449, [74]. This is a small hotel, bang in the middle of the Ameerpet shopping district. Don't expect a quiet stay, but the rooms are spacious and elegant. This hotel is geared more towards weddings and celebrations, not for business travellers or tourists. Pricing is value for money. Rs.1,100-1,500.  edit

• Anmol International, Opp. Public Gardens, Chapel Road, Nampally (Nr Sujatha Public School), ☎ +91-40-2324-4041,+91-40-2324-4042,+91-40-2324-4043,+91-40-2324-4044,+91-40-2324-4045, [75]. An adequate and comfortable hotel, located close to the Nampally railway station. The rooms are large, and there is a restaurant and fitness centre on the premises. Rs.2,500-3,500.  edit

• Asrani International, Plot Number 179, M G Road, Secunderabad, ☎ +91-40-2784-6901, +91-40-2784-2271, +91-40-2784-2267, +91-40-3911-0100. checkin: 24hr. Has most basic facilities you'd expect from a business hotel. Located in Secunderabad, which is far from Hi-tech city, but close to the main city. Hosts a popular pub Spanish Fly. Rs.2,500-3,500.  edit

• Athithi Inn, # 7-1-59/1, Dharam Karam Road Ameerpet, ☎ +91-40-2373-9091, [76]. checkin: 12PM; checkout: 12PM. Cozy hotel, slightly far from the city centre. Room service and laundry available. Has conference room facilities. Houses two restaurants, among which Ullasa is highly rated. Rs.2,000-4,000.  edit

• Best Western Amrutha Castle, #5-9-16, Opp. Secretariat, Saifabad, ☎ +91-40-66633888, [77]. Designed after castles from medieval Bavarian Europe, Amrutha Castle features all-suite accommodations, meeting and event space, onsite restaurants, a fitness centre and swimming pool. Close to important attractions.  edit

• The Central Court, 6-1-71, Lakdi-ka-Pul, ☎ +91-98493-23232,+91-40-2323-2323,+91-40-2323-3262, [78]. Centrally located and targeted at the business traveller who needs a place to sleep. Provides complimentary internet and most other business facilities. In addition, it has a couple of reasonable restaurants.  edit

• Baseraa, 1-9-167/168, Sarojini Devi Road, Secunderabad, ☎ +91-40-2770-3200, [79]. checkin: 12PM; checkout: 12PM. If the location fits, this is an excellent choice for a good, reasonably priced hotel. It has been recently renovated, and the rooms are plush without being opulent. Baseraa provides free wi-fi and a complimentary breakfast. Dining is available at Mehfill a restaurant with live ghazal shows every evening. Pickles, the coffee shop is also a good choice, as is Outswinger, the cricket themed pub. Rs.2,500-6,500 (extra for foreigners paying in dollars).  edit

• Grand Solitaire, 1-240, 41 & 43, Parklane, Secunderabad, ☎ +91-40-4433-3999, [80]. Clean and functional hotel, suitable for business travellers. Rs.3,200-4,500.  edit

• Harsha, 39,Public Garden Road, Nampally, ☎ +91-40-2320-2729‎, +91-40-2320-1188‎, +91-40-6663-1188‎, [81]. checkin: 24hr; checkout: 24hr. Close to the railway station. Basic, but adequate facilities. Vegetarian dining available. As it is close to the main road, it is somewhat noisy. Rs.1,600-2,500 (higher rates for foreigners, payable in USD.  edit

• I K London Residency, 6-3-656, Kapadia Lane, Somajiguda, (In The Lane Diagonally Opposite NIMS), ☎ +91-40-6662-5555, +91-40-6675-9516, +91-40-6675-9517, +91-40-2330-6600, +91-40-2330-6622, +91-40-2330-6631, +91-40-2330-6632, +91-40-2330-6634,, [82]. checkin: 24hr; checkout: 24hr. I K London caters to business travellers and has easy access to Punjagutta, Begumpet and the secretariat areas. Complimentary breakfast, wi-fi internet and most other facilities you'd expect from a business hotel are available. Rs.2,500-5,000.  edit

• Kamat Lingapur, 1-10-44/2, Chikoti Gardens, Begumpet, ☎ +91-40-2776-4242, [83]. checkin: 24hr; checkout: 24hr. This used to be close to the airport before they moved the airport. Nonetheless, it is an adequate place to stay for the average traveller who isn't looking for frills. Has a pretty good restaurant Shrirang which offers vegetarian fare. The hotel offers complimentary breakfast, though the menu heavily favours South Indian vegetarian. Rs.2,500-3,500.  edit

• Karan, 1-2-261/1, S.D.Road,Secunderabad, ☎ +91-40-4022-3344, +91-40-2784-0191, [84]. checkin: 24hr; checkout: 12PM. Good mid-range business hotel in Secunderabad. Wheelchair accessible. Rs.2,500-3,500.  edit

• Kasani GR, Hi-tec City Madhapur, ☎ +91-40-4040-9999,, [85]. Rather adequate business hotel, the advantage being that it is in Madhapur, close to Hi tec city. Rs.4,500-7,000.  edit

• Leo Continental''', Number 2-4-77, M G Road, Secunderabad, ☎ +91-40-4040-0400, +91-40-6633-3366, [86]. Small rooms, but good facilities otherwise. Rs.2,500-6,000.  edit

• Minerva Grand. Minerva Grand sells itself as a "Boutique Business Hotel". Rooms are elegantly furnished and provide a cozy atmosphere without pampering you too much. It has a business centre, internet is available in all rooms, and both locations have branches of Blue Fox, a multi-cuisine restaurant. Present in two locations:  edit

• Minerva Grand Banjara, 8-2-616,Road No 11,Banjara Hills, ☎ +91-40-6612 7373, [87]. This is the newer property and is closer to Hi tech city. It has Stir, an all-day coffee shop. Rs.3,000-6,000.  edit
• Minerva Grand S D Road, Sarojini Devi Road, Secunderabad, ☎ +91-40-6611-7373, [88]. This is closer to the city centre. It has a lounge bar Enigma and Fiesta a 24hr coffee shop. Rs.4,000-8,000.  edit

• Quality Inn Residency, 5-8-231/2,Public Garden Road, ☎ +91-40-3061-6161, +91-40-2320-4080,+91-40-5551-4060, [89]. checkin: 24hr; checkout: 24hr. Quality Inn is a business hotel well worth the price. Internet is available, as are conference facilities. Venue, a vegetarian restaurant is part of the hotel, as is One Flight Down, a basement pub. The location is more suited for access to the main city rather than Hi tech city. Rs.3,300-11,000.  edit

• Rukmini Riviera, 6-1-1062, Behind Hotel Dwaraka Lakdi-ka-Pul, ☎ +91-40-6678-5566, +91-92465-91237, [90]. checkin: 24hr; checkout: 24hr. Rukmini Riviera is a basic, functional and clean hotel. It has two restaurants, one is vegetarian and the other has a bar. It is located near the city centre, at a reasonable distance from both tourist attractions and office complexes, though it is not suitable if you need access to Hi tech city. With two banquet halls, the hotel is geared more towards weddings and other celebrations than towards the business traveller or the tourist. Rs.1,600-2,200.  edit

• Sai Prakash, 5-4-434, Station Road, Nampally, ☎ +91-40-2461-1726, [91]. The hotel is close to the airport, strictly adequate. Rs.1,500.  edit

• Aditya Park, Aditya Trade Center, lane beside Huda Maitrivanam, Ameerpet, ☎ +91-40-6678-8888. Aditya Park is a highly rated hotel in Ameerpet, close to business areas, but far from tourist attractions or from Hi tech city. They provide free internet, and have a restaurant Promenade and a bar Harry's. Rs.4,500-6,000.  edit

• Fortune Select Manohar, Old Airport Exit Road, Begumpet, ☎ +91-40-6654-3456, [92]. checkin: 12PM; checkout: 12PM. As the name suggests, this used to be the hotel closest to the old airport. Though it has lost that advantage now that the airport has moved, it hasn't lost the advantage of being located close to the busy commercial area of Begumpet. Complimentary breakfast is included with the tariff, and hi-speed internet is available, as is a well-equipped business centre. Has good, but not great dining options Rs.10,000-18,000.  edit

• The Golkonda, 10-1-124, Masab Tank Crossroads (Opposite Polytechnic), ☎ +91-40-6611-0101, +91-40-2332-0202, +91-40-2332-0404, 1800-425-0202 (Toll Free), [93]. This is one of the few 4-star hotels in this area. For the price, the facilities available are more than worth it. Complimentary breakfast and free internet is provided. Has a fitness centre and a swimming pool. Suitable both for business travellers and tourists. Rs.5,000-9,000 (extra for foreigners paying in dollars).  edit

• Green Park, Greenlands, Begumpet, ☎ +91-40-6651-5151,, [94]. checkin: 12PM; checkout: 12PM. Green Park is located most conveniently close to the city's business areas. Rooms are well-furnished, and the tariff includes complimentary breakfast at Tulips, its coffee shop, internet and access to the minibar. Once upon a time is the speciality restaurant. The Mustang Bar and Escape - the pub - are drinking options. Rs.5,000-11,000.  edit

• Hampshire Plaza, 6-1-79 & 80, Diagonally Opposite To Amravathi Theater, Lakdi-ka-Pul, ☎ +91-40-2333 5555, [95]. checkin: 12PM; checkout: 12PM. Well worth a stay if the location is right. Well-appointed rooms, with wi-fi internet connectivity and all amenities you would expect at the price. Rs.7,000-11,000.  edit

• Ista, Road No. 2, Nanakramguda, Gachi Bowli, ☎ +91-40-4450-8888, [96]. checkin: 12PM; checkout: 12PM. Apart from the Novotel, this is the only luxury hotel in the Hi tec city area, and this one is determined to pamper you. Unfortunately, rooms are small, but otherwise excellent facilities and great international cuisine. Rs.8,000-22,000.  edit

• ITC Kakatiya, 6-3-1187, Begumpet, ☎ +91-40-2333 5555, [97]. If price is no object, this is the place to stay. Located bang in the centre of the business district, this hotel is opulence personified. It has three excellent full-service restaurants, of which Deccan Pavilion is open 24 hours, and serves up a great Sunday Brunch from 12:30PM-3PM. The South Indian restaurant Dakshin and the Irish-themed pub Dublin are also highly recommended. Rs.15,000-30,000.  edit

• Marriott. Marriott has two properties within walking distance of each other in the Tank Bund area near Hussain Sagar Lake, of which the Courtyard is set to open only in October 2009  edit

• Marriott Hotel & Convention Centre, Opposite Hussain Sagar Lake,Tank Bund Road, ☎ +91-40-2752-2999, [98]. checkin: 3PM; checkout: 12PM. The more expensive rooms have a delightful view of the Hussain Sagar Lake right across the street. Rooms are luxurious. Wireless as well as wired connectivity is available in all rooms, charged extra. There are three restaurants and a bar, including Bidri an Indian restaurant serving Hyderabadi cuisine. Rs.7,000-16,000.  edit
• Courtyard Hyderabad, 1-3-1024 Lower Tank Bund Road, ☎ +91-40-2752-1222, [99]. checkin: 3PM; checkout: 12PM. Opened in December 2009, this is a business hotel, and many rooms here also have a view of the lake. Rs.5,000-7,000.  edit

• Novotel, [100]. Novotel has two properties in Hyderabad and is trying to cater to the newly emerging areas.  edit

• Novotel Accor, # Near Hitec City Izzatnagar Kondapur, ☎ +91-40-6682-4422, [101]. checkin: 3PM; checkout: 12PM. Novotel is one of few options for those who need to stay close to Hitec city. As a business hotel, it has opted for function over form, but has not skimped on what matters to the traveller. Has more than adequate facilities for conferences, trainings, etc. Provides many dining options, and its bar is known simply as The Bar Rs.7,000-9,000.  edit
• Novotel Hyderabad Airport, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport Hyderabad, ☎ +91-40-6625-0000, [102]. checkin: 3PM; checkout: 12PM. In the unlikely case that you actually need to stay close to the new airport, this is the place to stay. Rs.5,000-7,000.  edit

• Taj Hotels, [103]. Taj, India's most famous hotel chain, has three iconic hotels in Hyderabad, all of them on the same street in Banjara Hills.  edit

• Taj Banjara, Road No. 1, Banjara Hills, ☎ +91-40-6666-2323, [104]. checkin: 3PM; checkout: 12PM. Taj Banjara is located by the side of its own private lake. The lake is not very well-maintained or clean, but the rooms are. The hotel has great conference facilities and is a good inexpensive choice for business events. The open-air restaurant Kabab-e-bahar serves up great Indian barbeque. Also has Underdeck, a basement pub. Rs.5,000-16,000.  edit

• Taj Deccan, Road No. 1, Banjara Hills, ☎ +91-40-6666-3939, [105]. checkin: 12PM; checkout: 12PM. This is the least expensive of the three Taj hotels in the Banjara Hills area, but is no slouch when it comes to luxury. A newly opened restaurant Spice Junxion serves up excellent fusion South Indian cuisine, with a wide variety of pickles being and various spiced martinis being a speciality of the restaurant. Rs.5,000-13,000.  edit

• Taj Krishna, Road No. 1, Banjara Hills, ☎ +91-40-6666-2323, [106]. checkin: 3PM; checkout: 12PM. This is the closest that Hyderabad has to a grand old hotel. Taj bought a failing property and turned it into one of the premier hotels in Hyderabad. The hotel interiors are over the top, but rooms are tastefully done, though the hotel's age shows in some places. The Golden Dragon Chinese restaurant and Ahala the pub, are great options. Conference faciliteis are top-notch. Rs.9,000-15,000.  edit

Serviced apartments

For stays of a week or more, serviced apartments are a good bet. They are the accommodation of choice for those who are relocating and need a place to stay while they are looking for permanent accommodation. Typically, serviced apartments have tie-ups with corporates and give good rates to them, and companies may hire apartments on semi-permanent basis to house even their short term visitors. Like hotels, you reserve rooms by calling or writing to the property, you follow a check-in and check-out schedule, and you don't have to pay extra for services such as housekeeping, maintenance and utilities. Serviced apartments are usually 40% to 50% less expensive than hotels.

• Cleopatra Serviced Apartments, Road No. 2, Banjara Hills, ☎ +91-98854 41999,+91-99491-71810 (reservation.cleopatra@gmail.com), [107].  edit

• Creative Service Apartments, ☎ +91-97014-42227 ,+91-97014-42226, [108]. Rs.1500.  edit

• Falcons Nest Service Apartments, Road No 3, Banjara Hills Road no 6, Jubilee Hills Road no 9, and Madhapur, ☎ +91-98661-41982,+91-40-2335-2263 (info@falconsnest.in), [109]. With air-conditioned bedrooms, wi-fi internet access, a gym.  edit

• Ivory Sands Serviced Apartments, Begumpet, ☎ +91-99002-27835,+91-98853-91679, [110].  edit

• Navlok Serviced Apartments, ☎ +91-93945-68888, [111].  edit

• Service Apartment Touchinn, Srinagar Colony Main Road, Near SatyaSai Nigamagamam (Conveniently located at Srinagar Colony surrounded by Banjara Hills, Jubliee Hills, Ameerpet, Panjagutta and easily accessible to Hi tec City and Secundrabad.), ☎ (+91)09848288481 (info@touchinn.com), [112].  edit

• Treats Serviced Apartments, Ameerpet & Begumpet, [113]. Rs.1,500.  edit

Contact

Post Office

India Post[114], a govt-owned ent.,has its headquarters at Abids known as GPO. And its second biggest centre is located in Secunderabad.

Landlines

The dialing code for Hyderabad is 040. When calling from overseas, dial +91 40 XXXX XXXX. If you have a non-working phone number with only 7 digits try to add "2" in front of it. There are public booths scattered around the city.

Mobile Phones

One can get a mobile with a calling rate of 49 paise/minute for a local call. It is very easy to get a Prepaid mobile, which is very cheap to get and for calls. One needs to give a Photo ID proof and a photograph for prepaid as well as postpaid connection as per the Govt. regulations.

• Cell One[115]- GSM 900, 1800 and 1900 MHz.(Tri-Band)
• Airtel [116]- GSM 900, 1800 and 1900 MHz.(Tri-Band)
• Vodafone [117] - GSM 900, 1800 and 1900 MHz.(Tri-Band)
• Idea[118] - GSM 900, 1800 and 1900 MHz.(Tri-Band)
• Reliance Com [119]- CDMA
• Tata Indicom[120] - CDMA.
• Aircel[121]- GSM 900, 1800 and 1900 MHz.(Tri-Band)

Internet

Internet cafes are spread around town and most easily found in the city and residential areas. Charges vary between Rs.5-15 an hour.Reliance WebWorld provides Broadband internet centres.
For a longer stays with a laptop, it's better to get a Data plan either from Tata Indicom[122] or Reliance Mobile, which are around Rs.1000 a month or if you have WLAN(Wireless lan or Wi-Fi) enabled laptops. There are many wireless public Wi-fi networks available in Hyderabad for free access to high-speed internet.

Stay safe

Hyderabad is one of the safest large cities in India.

However since May of 2007, Hyderabad has suffered from multiple terrorist outrages in the form of bombings. These blasts have taken place at Mecca Masjid, Lumbini park and at Kothi, places often frequented by travelers. Though the chance that you will be in danger is quite low, you should obviously make your own risk assessment. Rather than physical danger, it is likely that the intrusive security that will dampen your enjoyment of your Hyderabad vacation. Every shopping mall, theatre and palace has metal detectors and security guards patting you down.

The old city area was historically known as a communally sensitive zone and a venue for religious riots. It was common for the police to impose a curfew in that area while the rest of the city went about life without any problems. However, the situation has vastly improved in the past few years.

Outside of these, Hyderabad is a rather safe metropolis. Muggings and violent crime are uncommon, most crime involves thefts. Avoid staying out late at night, especially if you are a woman.

The usual tourist-oriented scams in India are not as bad in Hyderabad as they are in other places. However, foreigners will be hounded for money at tourist sites like the old city. Just ignore the beggars and they will go away.

• Toll Free Number for Medical, Police and Fire: 108
• Child Line Facility 1098

Cope

Money Changers

Many hotels will change money for you at the front desk. However, they may not offer the best rates.

It is best to change money at the city-based money changers than the ones located at the airports. You'll find many money-changing operations located in Saifabad, some with door-step service. It's also possible to call them and agree on a rate before the transaction.

• Secure Forex Private Limited, Nasir Arcade (beside RBI Saifabad), ☎ (+91)-(040)-2321 2734, (+91)-(040) 2321 2759 (fax: +91 040 2721 2733). Offers the best rates. Contact Shaik Rahman for more details.  edit
• Thomas Cook, Nasir Arcade, Saifabad, ☎ +91 40 23231988.  edit
• UAE ExchangeCurrency, 1-8-303/33/C, Nagam Towers, ☎ +91 40 27897528.  edit
• Janaki Forex, 204, Saidatha Arcade, 3-6-517, Main Road, Himayat Nagar (Beside Maruthi Mithra Agencies), ☎ +(91)-(40) - 24365441.  edit

Newspapers

The Deccan Chronicle is Hyderabad's oldest newspaper, and indispensible if you need to look up classifieds, for, say, renting a house. The Times of India with its new office in Hyderabad has good local content and is increasingly widely read. Eenadu is the most popular local language (Telugu) newspaper. For events, business listings and movie listings, fullhyderabad.com is popular.

• Deccan Chronicle [123]
• The Times of India [124]
• The Hindu [125]
• Indian Express [126]
• Eenadu [127]
• Andhra Jyothy [128]
• Vaarttha [129]
• Full Hyderabad [130]

• Apollo Hospital, Jubilee Hills, ☎ +91-40-2360 7777.  edit

• CARE Hospital, Road no 1 (Banjara Hills), ☎ +91-040-3041 8888.  edit

• Medwin Hospital, Chirag Ali Lane, ☎ +91-40-2320 6666.  edit

• Owaisi Hospital, DMRLX Road (Kanchanbagh), ☎ +91-40-2444 3129.  edit

• Yashoda Hospital, Raj Bhavan Road (Secunderabad), ☎ +91-40-2455 5555.  edit

• RAINBOW Hospital for Women and Children, Karvy Lane (Banjara Hills), ☎ +91-40-2339 9888, [131].  edit

• Asian Institute of Gastroenterology, (Somajiguda), ☎ 91-40-2337-8888, [132].  edit

• Winning Smiles Dental Hospital, (Ameerpet), ☎ +91-40-23753063.  edit

• Gandhi General Hospital Ph:+91-40-2770 2222
• Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences Punjagutta Ph: +91-40-2339 6561, 2332 0332
• Osmania General Hospital Afzal Gunj Ph: +91-40-2460 0122
• Niloufer Hospital Ph: +91-40-2339 1652

Pharmacy/Chemist

Modern medicine is widely available at pharmacies located around the city.

• MOR Medical Hall, (Basheer Bagh).  edit
• Mukesh Medical Hall, (Opposite NIMS).  edit
• Sonee Medical Hall, (Sarojini Hospital Rd, Mehdipatnam).  edit
• Medplus, ☎ 040 - 66743000. Free home/office/hotel delivery of medicines.  edit

• The City Central Library (Afzalgunj). Contains many important archives.  edit
• The British Library (Secretariat).  edit

• Aalankrita Resort, Shameerpet[133] Ph:(+91)-(040)-5527 0037, 2780 2020
• Ramoji Film City, [134]. Located on over 2000 acres, a visit to these film studios can make for a pleasant day trip or weekend visit.  edit
• Guntur, (Located about 282 km southeast of Hyderabad by train).  edit
• Tirupati, (Located about 571 km from Hyderabad). The town is home to the well-known Sri Venkateswara Temple  edit
• Vijayawada, (Located 270 km from Hyderabad). Home to important Hindu pilgrimage sites.  edit
• Visakhapatnam, (Located 627 km from Hyderabad).  edit
• Warangal, (Located 144 km from Hyderabad).  edit
• Anantapur, (Located about 350 km from Hyderabad).  edit
• Puttaparthy, (Located 366 km from Hyderabad).  edit
• Aruku Valley, (Located 475 km from Hyderabad). A hill station famous for its forests and coffee plantations  edit
• Rajahmundry, (Located 422 km outside of Hyderabad). Beautiful ghats and parks located along the Godavari River.  edit
• Sangareddy, (Located abou 60 km from Hyderabad).  edit
• Nagarjunasagar Dam. One of the earliest hydroelectric projects in India the dam impounds the Krishna river.  edit
• Srisailam Hydel Project, (Located about 245 km from Hyderabad). The dam is surrounded by beautiful natural flora.  edit
• Medak Church, (Located about 90km from Hyderabad).  edit
• Yadagiri Gutta, (Located about 60km east of Hyderabad). Home to the Narsimha Swamy Temple.  edit

• Bhongir. It is 50 km from city of Hyderabad on the outskirts moving towards warangal via Uppal and as we pass by the highway we can see a huge Rock fort on very smooth rock. At the foot of the hill there is bhongir bus stop. It is a marvelous experience to climb the fort and needs great skill and balance at few places  edit

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!

From LoveToKnow 1911

There is more than one meaning of Hyderabad discussed in the 1911 Encyclopedia. We are planning to let all links go to the correct meaning directly, but for now you will have to search it out from the list below by yourself. If you want to change the link that led you here yourself, it would be appreciated.

• Hyderabad, India
• Hyderabad, India (Capital)
• Hyderabad, India (State)

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

English

Wikipedia

Proper noun

Singular Hyderabad

Plural -

Hyderabad

1. State capital of Andhra Pradesh (India).
2. A city in the Sindh province of Pakistan.

Translations