Jaipur

Achrol Lodge: A palatial mansion set in a large garden, Achrol Lodge has 7 guest rooms, and serves breakfast. Retained in the turn-of-the-century style with none o~ the pictures or furniture removed from its premises, its lawns are ideal for parking caravans, or pitching tents.

Alsisar Haveli: Completely renovated for its conversion into a hotel, the haveli has a blend of Rajput and colonial architecture, with fluted pillars, elegant arches, stained glass windows, and open courtyards. The furnishings and lighting are all period, and it is fully airconditioned. One of Jaipur's more charming additions to its heritage accommodation.

Bissau Palace: Built by the. rawals of Bissau in Shekhawati as a handsome town house, it still retains its collection of armoury, portraits, library and furniture, and is reached from the hustle and bustle of the old city. Within its quiet gardens, however, peace pervades. It has 36 rooms and a restaurant, as well as a charming lounge.

Jai Mahal Palace: A sumptuous hotel, it combines an 18th century Nathani townhouse with more recent construction, but so skillfully has this been done, that it is difficult to tell the two apart. Essentially, the original part has the public areas and restaurants, while a new wing had added the guest rooms required to run it as a hotel. Managed by the Taj Group of Hotels, the rooms overlook a garden that has been specially created to replicate the first Mughal garden in India, laid by Emperor Babur at Dholpur. Its facilities include from solar heated pool to beauty parlour, a bar, lounge, multi-cuisine restaurant (with glittering chandeliers overhead) and 105 rooms and 5 suites.

Khasa Kothi: This wa's the guest house that Maharaja Man Singh built some two hundred years ago and which has since served in that function, becoming the state hotel after independence. An imposing Indo-colonial building, with a garden full of trees, it is located close to the old city, and has 36 rooms, bar, multi-cuisine restaurant, conference hall, and a swimming pool.

Mandawa House: The house that was home to the Mandawa family of Shekhawati in Jaipur, it was fully renovated to allow its conversion into a hotel with a charming Rajput atmosphere. The property has 19 rooms and suites, and serves meals on request.

Nahargarh Fort: Probably the most exclusive of heritage hotels, since it has only one room, and a popular restaurant, to offer, Nahargarh fort was built by Jai Singh at the same time as the building of the city of Jaipur. Subsequently, Ram Singh and Madho Singh added to it, and it became one of the favourite retreats of the royal zenana.

Narain Niwas: Constructed in 1928 by General Amar Singh of Kanota thikana, initially as a garden retreat, and later expanded into a complete house, its deep verandahs overlook the garden that was laid by the first Indian commissioned into the British army. The mod-cons inside are a whimsical mix of royal portraiture, opulent chandeliers, painted walls, religious images, ornate fireplaces, and hybrid colonial furniture. Run by the family, it has 28 rooms and a multi-cuisine restaurant.

Rambagh Palace: One of the country's finest, and oldest, palace hotels, Rambagh was home for the dashing Man Singh and Gayatri Devi before its conversion into a hotel. Initially a garden house that belonged to a royal maid, and later taken over by the state as a hunting lodge, Rambagh was converted into a magnificent palace by the British architect, Sir Swinton Jacob, who designed many of the palaces in Rajasthan. To this, additions were subsequently carried out, and on the occasion of the marriage of Man Singh to Gayatri Devi, his third wife, designers were called from London to renovate the palace as their chosen home. Ever since, Rambagh glittered on the global circuit for its 'season' when from polo to dancing balls became the talk of the glitteratti.

Today, the suites still retain their grandeur, the fountain plays in the Polo Bar, the formal restaurant has a painted ceiling reminiscent of Versailles, the rooms retain bits of the original furniture, and the many gardens and courtyards are well maintained by the Taj Group of Hotels. The palace has a colossal 106 guest rooms and 4 suites, and also a coffee shop, and a shopping arcade.

Rajmahal Palace: Almost untouched by time, and maintained with very little modern intervention, this charming palace was fIrst built in 1729 by the founder of the city for his favourite maharani. However, it was later used as the British resident's home, and fInally as the royal guest house where visitors from Queen Elizabeth to Jackie Kennedy stayed. Just the right lineage, one would say, to welcome select guests into its 11 rooms, formal lounge, bar, and restaurant. Extensive gardens, period furniture, and a swimming pool add to its ambience.

Royal Castle Kanota: Just outside Jaipur, on the Agra highway, this 18th century fortifIed residence has battlements, stables where horses are kept, and a unique library with a collection of extremely rare books, open to visitors only on request. There are 12 rooms that are appointed with the original furnishings, and the family stays in a separate wing of the castle.

Samode Haveli: The handsome townhouse of the Nathanis of Samode, the haveli was fIrst built some two hundred years ago, and has since been added to whenever there was the requirement, which gives it a whimsical charm. It also has the frescos for which their palace is so well known, and this is not only in the multi-cuisine restaurant, or in other public areas, but also in some of the rooms that are resplendently painted. The haveli has a total of 18 rooms, and is located in the heart of the old city.

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