Thank you for all your feedback to date. I think I have decided on the following simpler itinerary. Can I get your feedback on the following:
1) Suggestions regarding the hotel options I mentioned below. I am trying to stay at a few great places but also control the cost a bit. Also need a suggestion for Varanasi.
2) We want to spend some time seeing the temples, forts, and palaces as tourists but also want a decent amount of time to just wander the streets and shops, sit in cafe's and soak up the culture. On our itinerary where are the best spots for that and can we do that on our own or do we need a guide or at least a driver to do this.
3) Do my travel methods make sense? Other suggestions?

Thanks again.
Day 1: Arrive Delhi evening stay overnight

Day 2: Fly to Udaipur ---stay at Devi Garh or Udai Vilas two nights

Day 3: Udaipur

Day 4: Drive Udaipur to Jodhpur see Ranakpur temples on route --- stay at Umaid Bhawan Palace or Ajit Bhawan Hotel for 1 night

Day 5: Drive Jodhpur to Jailsemer – stay at Fort Rajwada Hotel

Day 6: Jailsemer

Day 7: Jailsemer

Day 8: Drive Jailsemer to Jodhpur to get flight to Jaipur -- stay Rajvilas or Samode Palace or Samode Haveli for 2 nights

Day 9: Jaipur

Day 10: Leave morning to drive to Agra. See Fatehpur Sikri en route, check in Amar Vilas. See Taj at night?

Day 11: Morning Taj then drive to Varanasi or train? – stay 1 night at ____________

Day 12: Fly Varanasi to Delhi late in day – stay 4 nights at Imperial

Day 13: Delhi
Day 14: Delhi
Day 15: Delhi
Day 16: Depart India

Dear Paulo,
Just a couple of thoughts on your itinerary. We stayed at Devi Garh in Novemeber and it is a little ways from Udaipur.

The hotel is stunning but we didn't find service to match other hotels in this price range though everyone was very well meaning.

We ended up upgrading to the most expensive suites in the main building as these are really the most unusual. We have some pictures on eyebright.com/travels click on India and then Devigarh.

In Jaiselmer we stayed at Killa Bhawan (they have their own web site but the best way to check it out at is at i-escape.com) which is inside the city walls. We had a drink at Rajwada because I had considered it and I was curious. It was large and empty and though somewhat stylish I had the feeling it catered mostly to groups.

It is nice to stay within the city walls because theough it's touristy you can walk around at night when it is much quieter...Also the view from the roof terrace was lovely.

Looking at your itinerary it looks very tight from Jaislemer to Jodhppur with a flight to Jaipur in one day. We drove from Jaislemer stayed one night in Jodhpur (at a 40's styled hotel Inn Season), got up early the next day, visited the fort and then drove on to Jaipur which worked well for us.

The fort at Jodhpur is particularly interesting to visit because they have introduced a wonderful audio guide which really illuminates the place.However I have to admit the roads and drivers around Jaipur were some of the worst we encountered in India.

I have a trip report here somewhere. Hope this helps.

Udaipur is a great place for walking around.

I'd delete a night in Delhi and/or Jailsemer and add a night in Jodhpur and perhaps a night in Udaipur or Jaipur.

I can't comment on a lot of this itinerary but I really feel you are rushing it in Jaipur - it will be hard to see all of the sights without being stressed.

We found that our guide and driver offered a certain measure of "protection" from all of the touts, beggers etc. They may not be as much of a nuisance in cities like Udaipur. I would forget about wandering the streets in Delhi, Agra and Jaipur.

your itinerary looks very good seems like a professional itinerary.

i think you can't travel by road from agra to varanasi. Impossible
I went varanasi by train from agra it's take 12 hours.
Devigarh one of the best and lovely hotel. Peaceful and for the relax i did yoga there.
very near to devigarh you can visit the temple nagda as the welltraveledbrit
had. Wonderful hotel.

Fort rajwada wonderful and beautiful hotel in the desert. Choose the deluxe room.
We travel with a web based company. That person and the staff all where in rajasthan very nice. we spend very good time in rajasthan.

Have a nice journey.

Udaipur - if you stay at Udai Vilas go for a meal to Devi Garh, pref dinner so you get a chance to experience it or vice versa

I think you are OK with 1 night in Jodhpur esp if you time your departure so you gte a bit of time on 2nd day

I like the Killa Bhawan Jaisalmer reco

If you wanted to save some money on a hotel Jaipur is a place to do it - Raj Vilas and Samode must be a 100% difference? On this forum JasVilas is also highly recoed. I also find your time in Jaipur a bit of a crunch.

Varansai hotel options are NOT great. Taj, Clarks, Hotel Pallavi. I think you will be best off with the Taj.

Have u explored train Jaisalmer to Jaipur? Also Agra Varanasi seems like a train might work?

Delhi is a good place to soak ambience. Go to Santushti Complex not far from the Imperial for half a day. Good shopping and great little cafe, Basil & Thyme open only for lunch. Great place to see Delhi's "beautiful people". IMO you need a driver in Delhi through out tho you can dispense with the guide for part of your trip.

Thanks for the continued input. Can you tell me which of the places on my itinerary are the type of place we can wander around in the bazaars and neighborhoods and soak up the culture on our own? Which of these places might it be better to stay in town versus in a palace or heritage hotel outside the town? Also which of these places besides Delhi are more like big cities versus smaller towns? Is Jaipur more like a big city for example? Thanks.

If u are feeling very adventurous in Delhi go to Chandni Chowk, the oldest part of Delhi. The market is amazing. If you want to buy silver jewelry this is the place. Real market experience. Your car will drop you outside and you will traverse the lanes on foot.

Jaipur is a city, a crowded, noisy, dusty one but an experience again. Think you may enjoy the market street here tho they are packed with all forms of traffic. Raj Vilas is resorty i.e. it is on the outskirts of Jaipur. Samode Haveli is in the center of the city - but there is a huge quality difference.

You can also traverse Chandni Chowk via rickshaw and get off as needed. Interestingly, this area of Delhi is predominantly Muslim.

So is the Samode Haveli not really very nice? As I said I am torn regarding staying in a town versus outside a town for at least part of the trip. I guess I don't want to stay in completely removed resorts the whole time. Plus I do have to think about the budget a bit. In that case what do you think of Samode Palace for Jaipur?

Also, I am getting confused by the sense that people keep telling me I have to see so many sites and spend more time when to be honest I don't know much about Indian sites besides the Taj. I do want to see some of the famous sites, temples, forts etc, but I will get tired of doing that after a while. So I need to find some way to spend time in places that have both sites to see and just places we can spend a day just wandering around the town to see the neighborhoods, bazaars and people by ourselves without a tour guide. In fact I would rather skip a few forts and temples and spend time this way. Does this mean I should change my itinerary?

So it is reasonable for us to be able to wander around in some of the places we are going to maybe with a driver but without a guide? Which places would be best for that?

What are the "must see" sites in Rajasthan?

Not sure what you mean by "adventurous" regarding Chandni Chowk. As long as it is safe to walk around in I think I would love the adventure.

Thanks.

Udaipur is a wonderful place to "hang out" and roam around by yourself or with a driver.

Samode Haveli is very nice (at least it was on my last visit a few years ago) but it is not in the same luxury category as Raj Vilas. If you want to splurge opbv Raj Vilas is it. If you want to save some money think Samode Haveli will be fine - plus you are right in the center of town which IMo is an advantage. I think your itinerary is fine. Jaisalmer is a town to wander, soak ambience and gorgeous architecture, drive to the sand dunes. Ditto Delhi tho I would do at least 1 day of organized sightseeing. In Jaipur and Jodhpur you can see sights. Hope you plan to book a guide in these places. Varanais is an experience.

Anyone been to Alsisar Haveli in Jaipur? Comparisons to Samode Haveli??? Which is better?

alsisar haveli is very nice. I was stayed there and i did not stay in samode Haveli. But my travel agent told me before that samode haveli is not so good and he sent me picture before and we choosed alsisar haveli.

We enjoyed our stay at alsisar haveli and we walk from there and visit the market and also enjoyed the rikhsaw ride.

I stayed in Alsisar Haveli last February. The place is nice and fascinating and well located, not too noisy, a large front terrace, etc. I would consider going back there. Only, they could do something to freshen up the rooms a bit, because things are run down a bit. The walls haven't seen paint since quite some time, so it seems.