we are starting to think about a return to india... this time we think we would prefer to stay in as many heritage hotels as possible...

we would love your suggestions... generally in the north, but in kerela is also welcome, or other really exceptional places---we might make a special trip there....

thanks

B&K

Judge's Court, Pragpur. In HImachal Pradesh. Wonderful!!

You could start by taking a look at the Neemrana properties.They have some great heritage hotels.
http://www.neemranahotels.com/
Will dig out some good places for you in Kerala.

Lake Palace in Udaipur is one of the most memorable hotels I've ever stayed at. I had a swing in my room!

Windamere in Darjeeling was also memorable.

I've stayed in quite a few of these but had no idea that they are now grouped together under the Heritage Hotels banner....

Here's a website to check: heritagehotelsofindia.com.

We stayed mostly in heritage hotels and enjoyed them, but they don't always have elevators. One observation: in order to accommodate plumbing and wiring after the buildings were constructed, the floors in a suite are often of differing heights. The Jagat Niwas in Udaipur had one height of flooring in the bedroom, a step down to the sitting room, then a step up to the bathroom. The hotel where we stayed in Jaipur was the same, even in the public rooms.

Shapura Bagh in Rajasthan (between Udaipur and Jaipur) was gorgeous as was the Usha Kiran Palace in Gwalior.

thanks....keep them coming....we have stayed at the neemrana fort palace hotel and will perhaps return there for a night or two on this trip.....really fantastic..

Also liked the Umaid Bhawan in Jodphur and a great old place in Kochi whose name I cannot recall right now...my trips to India were a long time ago, I am afraid!

Do you mean that they have to be part of the Heritage Hotel program or that they are just great old historic properties? The Fairlawn in Calcutta belongs to the latter category, as do quite a few others..



Where exactly are you going in India?

We stayed in Rajashan at Lake Palace in Udaipur and at Rambagh Palace in Jaipur.
At Lake Palace you arrive by a special boat, decorated with a red carpet. Soem girls will wait for you to give you flowers. On the halls in the palace you hear how sing the birds in the interior courtyard.
In Jaipur we had a suite of three rooms with beautiful old furniture and a terrace.
Both of the palaces where superb, it was a extraordinary experience for us.

Then, in Agra, Kajurhrao , Varanasi and New Delhi we stayed at 5 stars hotels, but modern buildings.
Our trip in India (September 2001) was memorable , it was like a dream or a beautiful story for us.

Hope you will enjoy this trip.

will be doing some golden triangle areas again, but will also be in kolkata and varanasi and maybe a couple of the J towns, but not jaipur...

Plan a stay at Lake Palace hotel in Udaipur, truly unique. Take a boat ride to the nearby island in the hotel boat one evening....they also have a free show of Rajasthani dances and costumes before dinner.

Also, if you are in Mumbai, visit or stay at the Taj Palace Hotel near Gateway of India...good restaurants and unique rooms.(This is the same hotel that was attacked by the terrorists). Get a room in the heritage section of the hotel, if you request you might get it.

In New Delhi, the Hotel Intercontinental is excellent...close to Connaught Place and yet a short distance away from the hubbub.(This is not a heritage site but has excellent service and facilities). Or if you prefer some old Raj atmosphere try the Imperial.

In Kerala, do an overnight in an airconditioned houseboat...great atmosphere, a look at local village life, village waking up in the morning, pastoral and very scenic lake. It's my idea of camping, lol.

In Jaipur, if you go there, Rambagh Palace has rooms with giant old doors, a restaurant with original painted ceilings and walls. They are really suites, large rooms with attached sitting, dressing and bath room.

How long a trip are you planning?
I suggest that you book the prime heritage hotels early to avoid disappointment.

Looking forward to your planning the trip and we are all here to help you with that.

I don't think valtor and magical have a clue as to what you are actually looking for...

Jodhpur has the most dramatic fort in Rajasthan and has an elevator to the top so you can take a leisurely stroll down to the bottom. The Umaid Bhawan (very pricey) is there. We stayed at the Ratan Vilas, a sweet little place outside the main drag. We had a car, so it was no problem. The maharaja is very pleasant and greeted us a couple of times. He has a dog named Mallet.

thanks for all this info...

i did a quick run through tonight and i have it pegged at 39 days....

bkk-kolkata-delhi-kathmandu-varanasi-delhi (all flights)-neemrana (this and all the rest by car/driver)-jodhpur-jaisalmer-bikaner-delhi-bkk

average 3-4 days per town... plus one day travel for each switch...

we would jump around at the beginning to accomodate lower air fares, thus some criss-crossing...

i have made contact with anoop's (our fabulous driver in india the last time) cousin to drive for us and he is working out some costs for me....

would love and all comments... and suggestions

like lucy and craig, i am going to try to do this totally on my own without any aid from reps in india....

Here are a few recommendations for some historic hotels.


<b>Delhi
Maidens</b> - Dated close to 1903 and now managed by the Oberoi group. This is the place where Lutyens stayed in Delhi.
<b>Imperial</b> - Dates somewhere close to 1932 and is still one of the best bets in the capital. Expensive though.

<b>Calcutta/Kolkata
Oberoi Grand</b> - one of the first in the Oberoi chain, turned into a hotel in 1938.

<b>Shimla
Clarke's Hotel</b> - Dates back to 1898, charming little place.
<b>Chapslee</b> - Estate dating back to the 1830s, now run as a heritage hotel. Lots of Raj era charm.

Wow, that would be quite a trip. Not sure about what the visa rules are currently but entry and then reentry into India was tricky at one time. They may have relaxed the rules by now. If not, you can always make Kathmandu either your first or last stop from Bangkok.

I note that you did not include Udaipur in your itinerary?

You will have no problem arranging this on your own.

Looking forward to following along as your travel plans evolve.

For certain, the Imperial in Delhi.

In Varanasi, this is the "old" place I stayed:


http://www.clarkshotels.com/

They have a sister hotel in Agra.

Sorry but where is Neemrana; they seem to have hotels in many cities..(??)

Well, I was going to make some suggestions for the south, but I see you've given up on that idea and are doing predictable biggies in the north. Why Rajasthan again?

So far as I know the difficulties with re-entering India less than two months after leaving have not gone away - it's supposed to be do-able, but a hassle. But I don't think I'd go to Nepal for just a few days in Kathmandu anyway - why not visit the mountains in India instead? Hill stations, or Dharamsala, or Ladakh....

It's not bad enough the OP defiles American Heritage sites with his presence. Now he's going to branch out and defile those in other countries. Fortunately, India has so many heritage spots, even HB (His Bobness) can only ruin a few for a few days. Everyone should schedule their India trips to avoid this moving international incident. If you conincide with HB, think Chris Farley.