Of course, there are many different routes one can take out of the nation’s capital, Delhi, and many first-time visitors to India will head directly to Agra to see the Taj Mahal. But whichever direction you are coming from, the next stop is very likely to be the state capital of Rajasthan, Jaipur. 

Home to some of the region’s best-known sites, like the famous Palace of the Winds, the City Palace and a few miles out of town, the incredible Amber Fort, there is much to attract the visitor. At dawn and dusk, it’s also a great place just to go for a wander to experience the city going about its daily life. 

And the town also has many wonderful hotels, the most luxurious probably being the Rambarg Palace. But my own favourite is the smaller Samode Haveli. This charming boutique hotel, sympathetically renovated and expanded over the past 20 years, has 40 rooms, a beautiful swimming pool and fabulous dining facilities. Positioned just inside the city walls, it also has a great location from which to explore the town.

From Jaipur, most will head southwest, either directly to Udaipur or via the Blue City of Jodhpur, but there’s a fabulous detour northwest, off the well-worn tourist trails, to the small town of Nagaur. It’s not as if Nagaur has any particularly noteworthy tourist sites, but what it does have is an incredible fort hotel, Ranvas Nagaur.

Although there is evidence of a mud-walled fort here dating back to the 4th century, the current fort and palaces were constructed between the 16th and 18th centuries. Surrounded by a two-kilometre crenulated wall, with multiple palaces, pavilions and terraces – many adorned with stunning murals – intricate gardens, bathing pools and an elaborate natural water-cooling system, it’s an incredible place to explore. Better still, the last great ruler had 16 wives and each having their private apartment which have now been converted into sumptuous rooms for visitors. The place is particularly beautiful at night, especially when lit by 500 oil lamps.

From Nagaur we recommend one then heads south again, back to one of the main tourist routes to the desert town of Jodhpur. Known as the Blue City, for its cluster of blue houses, it has a colourful market, a famous clock tower, a number of interesting temples and stepwells, but most importantly its home to what is arguably the country’s most spectacular fort, Mehrangarh Fort. And there is no better way to see that than having a private tour with the museum curator accompanied with a glass of champagne.  

And although the Oberoi’s vast Umad Bhavan is probably the most luxurious hotel in town, in our opinion, the best place to stay here is the stunning Raas Jodhpur. 

Located in the centre of town, with spectacular views up to the fort, it has around 30 rooms, a lovely dining area, a great swimming pool and a rooftop bar.  

After the hustle and bustle of Jodhpur, we’d recommend getting back into the countryside. Rural Rajasthan is both beautiful and interesting, and spending time here not only enables you to unwind and relax in a calmer and softer atmosphere, but it also helps you to learn about how most people in the state live. Go on a leopard safari, go bird watching or simply take a village walk to learn about rural life. There are a few good hotel options in this region. Chhatra Sagar has 16 incredible tents perched on the side of a dam from which the birding is second to none. The old royal palace of Rawla Narlai has attractive rooms, an amazing candlelit stepwell dining experience and some of the best leopard safaris in the region. We saw two different leopards on our afternoon jeep safari. Sejan’s Jawai Leopard Camp is also a great place from which to see one of India’s most iconic animals. And near the Jain temple of Ranakpur, there is also the unique four-room Mountbatten Lodge. 

But as you get closer to Udaipur, in our opinion, the most impressive of the region’s palace hotels is the incredible royal palace of Devigarh.

Converted into a luxury hotel in the late 90s, and recently renovated to an incredibly high standard, the 18th century palace of Devigarh has 39 suites, two swimming pools, a spa, two bars and two restaurants and impeccable service. And from here you can do village walks, cycle tours, horse rides, or extended hikes into the nearby hills.  

But saving the best till last, we arrive in Udaipur. Often referred to as the Venice of the East, this lakeside town with its palaces, havelis, ghats and bazaars, was created in the middle of the 16th century and is without doubt the most romantic town in Rajasthan, if not the whole of India.  

And although there are many fine hotels in Udaipur, including the Oberoi’s Udaivilas, The Leela Palace and the Fateh Prakash, which is part of the City Palace, for the discerning traveller, there is only one place to stay – and that’s the Lake Palace Hotel. 

Sitting in the middle of Lake Pichola, the iconic palace was originally built at Jai Singh’s pleasure dome. Now, having been restored by the Taj Group, it’s the country’s best-known hotel and the second most photographed building in India. There are 83 rooms, spa and swimming pool, multiple dining options all with epic views of the this most picturesque town. 

As I wrote at the beginning of this blog, there are many options when travelling through Rajasthan. Although this is one of our favourites, featuring many of our favourite hotels, there are others. If you’d like to know more, please get in touch, and one of our India Travel Specialists will be happy to work out the best trip for you.