Rajasthan hotels
Sep 1st, 2001, 06:59 AM
#1
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Rajasthan hotels
My wife & I plan to tour Rajasthan in November. We have shortlisted the following hotels. We would love to hear from anyone who has first-hand experience of them: <BR>Jaipur: Alsisar Haveli (3 nts) <BR>Pushkar (during Fair): Pushkar Resorts (2 nts) <BR>Jodphur: Umaid Bhawan (3 nts) <BR>Udaipur: Fateh Prakash & Lake Palace (1 nt each) <BR>Deogarh: Deogarh Mahal (1 nt) <BR> <BR>We would also like to overnight in similar-type hotel in or near Agra to visit Taj Mahal & Farhpur Sikhri. Any suggestions? <BR> <BR>
Sep 1st, 2001, 12:02 PM
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Hi Eric, <BR> <BR>I thought it best to reply though I have not been to North India yet and visiting in January/Feb 02. <BR> <BR>I was first planning to visit India in November but then realized Lake Palace is not available in November along with Umaid Bhawan Palace. They are no doubt the best hotels in those cities. <BR> <BR>Alsisar Haveli - a small but nice hotel used by lot of people from Europe <BR> <BR>Pushkar - I do not think it will be available if you have not booked yet - its a beautiful hotel built in a resort style - check the website. <BR> <BR>Deogarh - no idea. <BR> <BR>At Agra you can go for Oberoi Trident - I am going to stay there. It seems to be a beautiful hotel. <BR> <BR>hope the above is of help to you Eric. <BR> <BR>Cheers..robin <BR>
Sep 4th, 2001, 10:00 AM
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Eric, <BR>Your choices are excellent except for Alsisar, which is a nice place but not in the same class as the other hotels you have chosen. Try Jai Mahal, Ram Bagh or the fabulously expensive Raj Vilas in Jaipur. <BR> <BR>Deogarh will be an experience to look forward to. You will find a slice of Rajasthan there! <BR> <BR>Enjoy!
Sep 6th, 2001, 09:52 PM
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If you are going to Jaipur and money is no expense, you must stay at the Rambagh Palace. This is the former home of the Maharaja of Jaipur, Bubbles Singh. This is wear the Duke and Duchess of Windsor stayed when in India....When I was in Agra I stayed at the Mughal Sheraton. It was very expensive, but the service was horrible. I met others who raved about the Amar Villas (sp?).....Fatahpur Sikri is ghastly hot. I wouldn't ever go there again. After a day there I came down with heat stroke. It almost ruined my trip....Are you going to Delhi? You MUST go there. It is a fabulous city. The Chandni Chowk market is not to be missed. I liked it better than the Taj Mahal!! You come into contact with ordinary Indians and share their lives for a moment. India is a dream. Enjoy!! John G
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Sep 7th, 2001, 09:38 PM
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Frances that is just too much!! My friend as came down with food poisoning at the Mughal Sheraton....I know she ate at that Chinese restaurant that was at the top of the stairs in the lobby. I was also suspicious of that juice that they were always passing around on trays in the lobby.
Sep 8th, 2001, 09:53 AM
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Re: problems with food in India <BR> <BR>Does anyone know if eating only vegetarian food + no salads, no unpeeled fruit and drinking water from bottles which come still sealed to the table is a way of avoiding problems? Does the fact of avoiding meat dishes make any difference?
Sep 8th, 2001, 10:42 AM
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I don't know what to tell you people; I went to India with a group of 20 and about 11 of us were sick. Some say it was food poisoning, some say the heat. I do know that there were two women in my group who constantly used ice in all of their drinks and they NEVER got sick. All of the hotels assured us that they only used bottled water to make ice, so it must have been true. Also, and Im not trying to be flip, but the people who drank the most alcohol never got sick either. They used to kid us all that it pays to be an alcoholic!! Now, I was in Nepal and I never got sick once there, and I ate almost everything that was given to me because I was so starved after having been so sick in India. But, people, what ever you do DO NOT LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IMODIUM. It will save you life and your trip. If I didn't have that stuff, I wouldn't have been able to finish my trip. Also, because of diarrhea, I would have probably dehydrated if I didn't take it. So you don't use the toilet for 3 days?--that is better than the alternative!! If you are staying at the Mughal Sheraton, DEMAND to have an electric tea kettle in your room. This way you can boil all your water for brushing your teeth and for drinking. DO NOT drink from the little green carafes that are on your nightstand. They say it has been boiled, but I wouldn't risk it. I think if some of the housekeepers are in a hurry they will fill them from the tap. Another thing, DO NOT eat any condiments that are in little jars on the tables. You will see these sauces in white jars on all of the tables at the Mughal Sheraton. DO NOT eat from these. I am almost certain that is how my friend got so sick.
Sep 8th, 2001, 10:59 AM
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Eric, don't you dare drink any water in India unless it is from a bottle with an UNBROKEN seal. When you go to the Taj Mahal there will be water fountains there for drinking that will say: COMPLETELY SAFE FOR DRINKING. DO NOT believe it....I don't think avoiding meat has anything to do with getting or not getting sick. Also, like I said above, don't use ice unless it has come from a 5-star hotel. Another thing I would avoid, Eric, are bowls of nuts in the hotel bars. If someone who has been ill has stuck their hands in that bowl before you they could contaminate it. My friend used to always ask for a fresh bowl of nuts and would throw the bartender a couple bucks for doing so. He never got sick. But, like I said above, he was one of the alcoholics. They say gin will kill anything. John G.
Sep 8th, 2001, 02:45 PM
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I'm so sorry if I have alarmed you all but this is how we think it came about. <BR>We were on a tour of North India and arrived in Agra on the fifth night.We ate in the buffet restaurant that night.We wanted to eat in the "Nauratna" restaurant but it was closed the first night so we went there the second night.The only thing my daughter and I had which my husband and other daughter didn't have was the fresh vegetables in yoghurt. <BR>The next morning we both had the start of stomach trouble as did another lady on the tour.We were travelling back to Delhi and by the time we got there I'd had to ask the driver to stop the bus. <BR>The next day we travelled to Shimla-the other lady was unwell on the journey and by the time we arrived my daughter was worse.The next day my daughter was worse couldn't eat,and was very cold.Shimla is actually very high but this was not the reason for her being cold.The next day(so 3 days after Agra) we both became incapacitated and the first sign it was more than just an upset, was the intense shivering -we just could not get warm.This was followed by the runs.! <BR>We had to call the doctor as we were due to leave the next day and as it was we couldn't have made it to the front door of the hotel leave alone a 3hour journey by car,3 hours by train ,5 hours in Delhi,7 hours back to London and then a 5 hour train journey home. <BR>The Dr asked the same thing of both of us-how many trips we'd made to the bathroom- it seems that this is what distinguishes gastro-enteritis from an upset. <BR>The medication prescribed could actually be bought across the counter.I was carrying immodium which i was told to take and rehydration fluids.However even though I started to feel better on taking the medication the Immodium had absolutely no effect at all until 48 hours later- so much for the ad which says that it works after just one dose! <BR>We were both completely off food to the extent that I didn't think I would ever eat again. <BR>The other group of four who also continued to Shimla with us all had it also. <BR>The day we returned to the U.K. my husband went down with it.He lost 12 lbs in 48 hours!Our Dr here had him tested for malaria but the symptoms were identical to ours and he persuaded the Dr to prescribe the same medication as we'd had in India. <BR>What we don't know is whether anyone else in our group also went down with it because the basic tour ended in Delhi and we all(except for 8)went our separate ways. <BR>In answer to your queries can I tell you that this was our fourth trip to India and we are fairly careful.We only drink bottled water which we carry everywhere with us.We clean our teeth with it. We don't eat salad or uncooked veg(except this time when I didn't realise until afterwards that the veg were actually raw)I carry a knife and peel apples and so on.I don't eat ice-cream. <BR>I suppose the odds were that it was going to happen sometime and I must say if you're going to be ill it could't be in a more comfortable hotel than the Cecil where the staff were most kind.The Dr by the way arrived within 30 mins on two occasions and charged £10 a time. <BR>The worst part of this was that it happened on a tour but thankfully when we were holed up for 4 days.Had this done its worst when we were on the road I would have had to have been left behind.Rajastan is stunning but there aren't too many bushes to squat behind.!
Sep 8th, 2001, 04:28 PM
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A travel agent has recommended the following and I would like some replies please from anyone who might have been there. This website looks like a good idea. <BR>Delhi Siddarth Hotel <BR>Udaipur, Hilltop Hotel <BR>Jaipur, Oberoi Trident <BR>Agra, Trident <BR>Khajuraho, Clarks Khajuraho <BR>Varsani, Clarks Varanasi <BR> <BR>Please help. Send replies!!! Thanks Andy.
Sep 9th, 2001, 03:32 PM
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Sweetie, the good of India certainly outweighs the bad. We are just commenting on food poisoning. We aren't saying: Don't go to India....Never take an antibiotic unless prescribed by a doctor. I had a doctor come to my hotel and he gave me an antibiotic. Even though I did get sick, I would do India all over again. John G.
