A new concept of transforming independent houses into guest houses is fast catching up in the city. Many families provide accommodation to guests in independent houses they own during marriages and other functions and the latter have no reason to complain as the option comes as a viable substitute for costly hotels.
Each of these private air-conditioned guest houses can easily accommodate at least two dozen guests. With green lawns, sprawling parking area and other amenities, the new-found cost-effective ‘havens’ dot areas like Poranki, Moghalrajpuram, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Governorpet, Kothapet and Gandhinagar.
Several owners have even kicked off a publicity campaign by putting up flexi-boards at public places, offering to provide guest houses (‘vidudhulu’) at competitive price.
Many senior citizens, whose children are either married and settled elsewhere or staying abroad, are taking to the new practice of converting their premises into a guest house. Most of them stay in one portion of the building while the remaining part of the building is let out to the guests. “This concept helps us generate additional income during marriage season,” says B. Hanuman Singh, owner of Krishik Residency in Poranki.
Advantage Another advantage is that the owners can avoid ‘nuisance’ created by several tenants when the premise is given on rent. Each guest house owner charges nearly Rs.10,000 per day plus electricity charges. Visitors must pay an additional Rs.500 towards cleaning charges. “We provide AC in all rooms. It’s almost like rooms in a hotel,” explains Mr. Singh.
Hotels charge more for providing accommodation and if the same is provided in a guesthouse, it reduces the financial burden. Families visiting the city from places like Hyderabad, Nellore and Visakhapatnam are said to be availing of the facility during marriage seasons. “We expect the patronage to go up once the concept becomes popular,” another owner says on condition of anonymity.
Taking a cue from it, a few building owners have started providing even single-room accommodation to frequent travellers to the city, says Mr. Singh, adding that liquor is not allowed on the guesthouse premises.
