WinterTravel

We'd love some advice from Fodorites who have stayed at either of these properties in Rajasthan. Do people typically dress for dinner at the hotel? Is there more of a "dressed-up" feel during the day, or are khakis/jeans acceptable? Any advice would be great - thanks!

BostonHarbor

I would also like to know this answer as I am also staying at Oberoi properties. The restaurants at these hotels look quite upscale from the pictures on the website.

Also, we are going to be at the Udaivilas for New Years Eve. Has anyone been in Udaipur for New Years?

Craig

We did not dress for dinner at Rajvilas or Amarvilas which were the Oberoi properties we stayed at in February - just khakis or cotton skirt, crew neck shirt, sneakers probably - pretty much what we wore during the day - we did not feel at all out of place. The restaurants are quite upscale (grand, really) but I did not see anyone wearing jacket/tie or fancy dresses.

WinterTravel

Craig - thanks for the insights. Did you find that there was anywhere on your trip when a jacket was appropriate for men/dress for women? Did you find that sneakers were the best shoes for exploring during the day, or would we need trail/light hiking shoes? Many thanks for the continued help...

Craig

We wore sneakers for touring - the toughest thing we did was climb the steps to the top of the minaret at Jama Masjid mosque in Delhi.

Craig

I did not bring a jacket to India - even in the finest restaurants in Delhi (Bukhara, for example) a jacket was not needed.

agtoau

Dress at Oberoi and elsewhere in India is business casual to smart casual. No suits or jackets required. At the same time shorts may be frowned upon.

WinterTravel and BostonHarbor - I hope you both will report back on your travel experiences and hotel stays in India.

WinterTravel

Will definitely post a trip report when we get back. Thanks so much for the input!

BostonHarbor

I'm planning a report as well.

WinterTravel, when are you going to be there? I'm at Rajvilas from Dec 23-26 and Udaivilas from Dec 28-Jan 1.

hobbes

One note of caution w.r.to sneakers - some days loafer style shoes are better as u will need to keep removing them to enter temples and mosques and laces can be a pain.

shazip

Good tips on dress codes. I do, however, often like to change for the evening, especially shoes.

We will be at the Imperial from Dec 29 - jan 2. Will nayone be there at athat time.

Cicerone

I think Agtou is referring to dress in the hotel restaurants. In the hotels themselves you can wear pretty much whatever you want; although in the lobby of the Oberoi in Delhi or Mumbai you may feel a bit underdressed as these are business hotels and you will see a lot of people in suits. However, I would not worry about it at all. Khakis and jeans are certainly fine, and certainly in the case of Jaipur and Udiapur.

I disagree with Agtaou a bit on the dress for restaurants, I think even business casual is not expected of tourists, pretty much anything will go, although I agree that shorts are pushing it in a good restaurant, but are fine for the coffee shop restaurants and for places like Bukhara. You aren't going to be wearing shorts in the winter anyway. Of all the restaurants listed as favorites by many posters, I think only Dumpukth in the New Dehli Sheraton is the most dressy and even there I have seen Indian women in jeans (rare as that used to be, but that certainly has changed in my 4 years away from India).

I went to a new restaurant (new to me anyway) in Delhi last week which I would recommend, although it is not Indian food and is a bit out of the center but near the Qutub Minar. It is however very good Italian/Med food with a nice ambience in an old courtyard house with a garden. Lots of trendy Delhi types. Would be nice for lunch as well. They have a branch in Mumbai as well which was the first, don't have that address but I am sure your hotel could provide it:

Olive
6-8, Qutub Haveli
Sarai Kalkadass Marg
New Delhi, 110030
Phone: +91 11 2664 2552

Lindsey

Shazip, we will be there Dec 28-31. Where are you coming from for your visit to India? Have you been there before?

BostonHarbor

I have always dressed for dinner no matter where I am if the dining room is elegant. The Oberoi dining rooms are elegant and I will dress like I would in a fine restaurant in NYC.

Just because you don't *have* to dress, doesn't mean that it isn't correct to dress elegantly.

It's nice to have the choice: Khakis or silk. Nice.

Cicerone, thanks for the tip on Olives. I had read about it and another called "Made in India, Noida"

Here is a review of the bothOlive and Made in India, Noida: http://ceourl.com/Delhi_Restaurants

shazip

Boston Harbor, my sentiments exactly! I like to dress up, too, for dinner in an elegant restaurant.

Lindsay, I am going to India from Berkeley in the Bay Area, CA. We will be staying at the Imperial for 3 nights once we leave our tour with OAT.

celeste60

The original olive restaurant is in Mumbai. The address is 14 Union Park KharBombay (Mumbai), Telephone: 00 91 22 600 8248. Need reservation. If you are staying at the Marriott or Taj Land End, it is an easy drive. Too far a drive from South Mumbai (Taj and Oberoi are located in South Mumbai)

lcuy

I've eaten at Amarvilas, Udaivilas, and Spice Route in the Imperial. Dress went from casual to business suits and Saris. I'm guessing there will be more people dressed over the holidays.

To dress up, I wore black slacks and a nice blouse with a scarf or Salwar kameez once I bought one. My daughter looked right at home in a tunic or a sari.

I wouldn't wear jeans anywhere in India; you can wear Khakis or loose slacks and look much less like a tourist with no sacrifice in comfort. I also have a really comfortable pair of plain black leather slip-ons that feel like sneakers. Not only could I use them for everything from dining nicely to camel rides, but I could get them shined for Rs 15 every few days. Shoes get really nasty on Indian streets! My daughter wore flip flops and washed her feet often after tossing her dirty sneakers.

MN_traveler

In regard to appropriate dress: I will be there on business and frequently I wear tanks under my suits (silk, cashmere, sweater). I have read on other sites that tanks are not appropriate but I imagine those of the young girls today which cover very little and not necessarily those work for dress. Is it accepted to take my suit jacket off if I have a sleeveless top on underneath? The last think I want to do is offend while in Delhi.
Thank you for any input.

Cicerone

See my response to your other post.