‘My Favourite Hotel’ review – The Sind Club, Karachi, Pakistan

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• Sam says:

  5 Sep5 September 06:07

  I really like and enjoy the content on this website and am hardly ever critical about it. But I’ve gotta admit, this is the worst review I’ve read in this series! Nothing in it about why this hotel is special – it appears the writer purely seems to like this hotel because it reminds him of his boarding school days, there is an undertone of the colonial era in the article. The comment “When I die, I hope heaven is modelled on the Sind Club”, just sums it up! Seriously?!

  • TGLoyalty says:

    5 Sep5 September 10:06

    From the review I gather the Hotel is special for the atmosphere and service rather than the hard product itself, which is why there isn’t great detail on the decor/rooms etc.

    I found the review interesting and while the empire shouldn’t be celebrated it can’t just be swept under the carpet like
    It never happened and not to be mentioned again.

    Obviously people locally must enjoy it otherwise they wouldn’t still be in business.

    Regarding other comments below about why there’s Kiev etc on the menu when there’s lots of great local food … I’m sure the locals enjoy a variety of international cuisine just like you do 🙂

    • Novice says:

      5 Sep5 September 11:55

      I agree. Colonialism was wrong but it is part of history. History should be remembered so it is never repeated. I’m against the whole notion of erasure which some people seem to want.

• James King says:

  5 Sep5 September 07:09

  I beg to differ: I actually thought it was one of the better reviews, capturing the uniqueness of this colonial-era hotel/club, which current Pakistani members clearly want to retain. The tranquility, high levels of service and staff, and nostalgia make it an oasis away from the frenetic Karachi traffic. I personally hate to see stuffed animals but I also dislike the snide tone of “there is an undertone of the colonial era in the article”. What, because the reviewer enjoyed a colonial-era hotel. Seriously?!

  • Sam says:

    5 Sep5 September 09:05

    “What, because the reviewer enjoyed a colonial-era hotel. Seriously?!”

    No James, nothing to do with it being a colonial-era hotel. Its the way the writer is referring to ‘the good old days’.

    I wouldn’t say my initial comment had (or certainly intended) for there to be a snide tone. I’m just stating my opinion on how this review came across to me!
    (Just to add I’ve been to Karachi and believe Pakistan is an underrated country and there is a lot of (good) things to it which unfortunately this review does not touch upon).

• Jameel Malik says:

  5 Sep5 September 07:19

  Sounds like a great hotel. I couldn’t agree more with my alter ego.

• ChrisBCN says:

  5 Sep5 September 08:03

  This is a joke, right?

• OHR says:

  5 Sep5 September 08:10

  Were there any women playing blackgammon? I thought this would be interesting given the new VA routes. Think I will stick to Shoreditch House. HfP is better than this.

  • Mike Lo says:

    5 Sep5 September 08:20

    Better than what exactly……? Pakistan actually has some fabulous Mughal architecture, fantastic food and believe it or not the big cities have plenty of women out and about enjoying and living life! Trust me walking around Soho House Mumbai is not much dissimilar from Pakistan….;)

    • OHR says:

      5 Sep5 September 08:50

      I meant better than an old school review of a seemingly outdated institution. As you said, there must be some interesting places to visit in Pakistan which I am keen to see. This review put me off this “members club” and perhaps set the wrong tone for a gateway to a new destination. Not sure how to marry VS (which is the topical points link to Pakistan) with this…

      • Novice says:

        5 Sep5 September 12:00

        If one does their own research then no need to marry anything to anything else.

        Yes, the whole members only, colonial thing is nothing to be proud over but it is history so there’s that.

      • Mike Lo says:

        5 Sep5 September 14:01

        Fair enough….. I must admit I don’t like that old school vibe myself…let alone chicken kiev and spotted dick in Karachi of all places.

• Pete says:

  5 Sep5 September 08:45

  I really struggled reading this. Maybe it’s an age thing, but I find articles that wistfully look back at the time Britain ruled the world as “the good old times” very awkward and pretty tone-dead…

  • MikeL says:

    5 Sep5 September 09:22

    I agree with your comments. Not one of my favourite reviews tbh

  • Cat says:

    5 Sep5 September 10:38

    +1 with the awkward and tone-deaf. It’s one thing to appreciate some of the colonial era architecture, but it’s another thing entirely to be so wistful about that whole dreadful era. Plus, I think I would vomit if I saw a stuffed snow leopard right after dinner.

    • Novice says:

      5 Sep5 September 12:04

      I was imagining a really old guy with white hair. Although I agree with you Cat, this is the opposite to my beliefs and taste, I usually just treat these sort of opinions or views as history that is a lesson that it shouldn’t ever happen again.

      • AJA says:

        5 Sep5 September 12:27

        Reg reminds me of that wonderful parody Fast Show character by Paul Whitehouse; Rowley Birkin QC, drunk as a skunk in his club chair, verrry verrry drunnnkk!

        • Cat says:

          5 Sep5 September 14:57

          😂🤣 I must admit, he conjured up similar images for me!

      • Rob says:

        5 Sep5 September 15:17

        Here’s the thing. If you go to, say, the Reform or the Travellers clubs on Pall Mall, as I do very occasionally, it is like this. The last time I had lunch at the Reform, every guest except me was a white guy over 60 and every waiter was BAME and under 20 it seemed. No need to go to Karachi to find this stuff.

        • OHR says:

          5 Sep5 September 21:28

          Given the prevalence of very good members clubs in London I don’t know why you bother with those.

• Andy says:

  5 Sep5 September 08:55

  Each to their own but it sounds awful, and the review has a distinct whiff of private school colonial arrogance about it.

  There is so much great Pakistani food why on earth you’d want to eat chicken Kiev and spotted dick is beyond me.

  But as I said, each to their own.

  • Char Char says:

    6 Sep6 September 16:30

    seems so

• Paul says:

  5 Sep5 September 09:15

  It doesn’t sound like my kind of place, but I like the writing and the structure of the piece, particularly the heavenly theme. Having been driven around Bangalore a few times, I understand the feeling of relief on arriving at your lodgings.

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