Rajasthan, the largest Indian state by area, is among the top tourist destinations in India. While we have all heard of celebrity weddings in the forts and havelis of Rajasthan, the good thing is that many of these structures have been converted to hotels, allowing tourists also to experience the royal life to a limited degree. Since I had an occasion to celebrate, and a momentous one at that, I decided spending 2 nights and 3 days in an erstwhile palace converted to hotel would be apt. Amongst all locations in Rajasthan, Jaipur had the most convenient direct air connectivity to Bengaluru and hence the choice of destination was somewhat automatic and quick.
But not so when it came to selecting hotels.
Jaipur is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Most of buildings in old Jaipur are painted ‘Terracotta pink’ that gave rise to acronym ‘Pink City’.
Hotels in Jaipur
There are plenty of 5 star hotels in Jaipur with the likes of Hilton, Trident, ITC, Crowne Plaza, Leela , Taj and Marriott being present, besides several boutique hotels. But the choices got fairly limited when I narrowed the search to erstwhile palaces and havelis converted to hotel and fitted with modern amenities, without losing the old world charm. The options included Raj Palace, Rambagh palace, The Oberoi Rajvilas, Raj Mahal palace, Jai Mahal palace and Samode Haveli.
The choice was difficult as room rent per night for a couple with breakfast ranged from ~INR 10k at Samode Haveli to ~INR 25k at Oberoi Rajvilas to ~INR40k at Rambagh Palace. Eventually, I picked Rambagh Palace Hotel run by Taj but also decided to visit Samode Haveli for a meal to check it out. While the experience at Rambagh Palace Hotel was great, the hotel is no doubt expensive. But I was celebrating a milestone and hence did not bother too much about cost. Was it worth it? Would I have been better off choosing a less expensive but possibly equally good option?
My first impression of Jaipur
Over the years, the impression that got ingrained in my mind was that Rajasthan is all desert, except certain pockets of forest reserves and hills. But I was wrong. Jaipur hardly looks like it is located in a desert state. It has a fair bit of greenery, though it is not like Bengaluru, and I hardly saw any patches of sand while driving around. I always believed I was good in geography but not this time! For a real desert experience, I was advised to head to Jaisalmer.
Like most other Indian towns, Jaipur is a city of contrast. New Jaipur is slick and modern while Old Jaipur is highly congested. Most historical structures, whether in Old or New Jaipur, have been well maintained. Tourism is one of the key drivers of local economy and therefore the number of people depending on tourism for a livelihood is relatively large.
Travelling around Jaipur
I hired a car from the hotel which was ~double the normal cost but the cars were very well maintained. Hiring a car is the best option for a tourist though if you are looking for some authentic local experience, try auto rickshaws for visiting attractions within the city.
Colourful Auto Rickshaws in Jaipur, Rajasthan 
Jaipur street opposite Hawa Mahal, Rajasthan
What to see and do in Jaipur
All the key attractions in Jaipur can be covered in one day. But Jaipur is very touristy. Every place of tourist attractions is swarmed by vendors selling variety of stuff. On couple of occasions, I hired a guide, and after the tour, I was led into shops where the owner/manager took lot of pain to clarify there is no obligation to buy anything and that they are sharing relevant knowledge so tourists do not get cheated. A very familiar scene that I have witnessed at multiple tourist spots all over the world.
One of the good things about Jaipur is that some of the attractions are open in the evenings and are beautifully lit. It is worth driving around after sunset to watch some of these historical structures.
Other than sight seeing and relaxing in the hotel, I chose to watch a game of horse polo and flew in a hot air balloon.
Hawa Mahal, Jaipur, Rajasthan 
Jantar Mantar, Jaipur, Rajasthan 
Central Park, Jaipur, Rajasthan 
Amer Fort, Jaipur, Rajasthan
How many days in Jaipur
In one full day, I could visit all the key attractions. In 2 full days, one can visit almost all the recommended attractions. If you have over 2 days, plan for day trips. There are plenty of locations to choose from – from history to art to wildlife to nature.
When to visit
November to February is the peak season with maximum temperature well under 30 and minimum often dropping below 10 degrees Celsius. I visited in March and that is a good option(along with October) with day temperatures touching 30 but with cool evenings and mornings. April to June can get very hot(upto 45 degrees) and is avoidable but the moderate rainy season from July-September can also be considered.
Try Rajasthani cuisine
The local Rajasthan cuisine has quite a few vegetarian options available with the most popular being Dal, Bhatti, Churma which is a complete meal by itself. I also tried Rajwadi Handi which was very spicy. Then there is Ker Sangari, Gutta curry, Sarso curry and Bajra khichdi. For dessert, other than Churma, I liked beetroot halwa. Ghee is liberally used and that accentuates the taste. I dined at Rambagh Palace(very good), Samode Haveli(good), Nataraj(avoid) and Govindum Retreat(very good).
Good place for shopping
Rajasthan is famous for gemstones, mojris (footwear), Rajputana paintings, carpets, block printed or embroidered textiles(bed sheets, quilts, female attire, pashmina shawls) and so on. The price difference between shops near places of tourist attractions(City palace, Amer palace etc.) and city markets in not very significant. In fact, the jewellery shop in our hotel was selling some exclusive jewellery made from certain gemstones. The price too appeared reasonable. We did not find similar pieces with the city jewellers. So wherever you like something, negotiate and buy.
All the shops offer to send puchases by courier if one is unable to carry personally. I got quilts to be delivered home and they arrived within a week.
Tipping is expected
My sense is that tips are normally expected. Even in hotels like Rambagh Palace. What you wish to tip is upto you.
