66 Best Hotels in Rajasthan, India

This small, enchanting palace and village complex has several intriguing perks—like a pool with waterfalls and caves; a lobby stuffed with atmospheric royalty-related memorabilia, such as portraits of maharajas, spears, and heads of deer; and even a garage full of royal vintage cars available for rent. The individually styled rooms are a funky mix of contemporary designs and traditional Rajasthani fabrics and artifacts; some even have trees growing inside. The prettiest rooms are located within round hut-style thatched cottages with mud-walled verandas that have swings. Attached baths are large with tubs and loads of sparkling granite/marble. In peak season nightly outdoor dinners feature live entertainment. Horseback riding, village tours, and safaris can be arranged. While it's located a good 10-minute tuk tuk ride from the Old City, this place still puts you close to boutiques, coffee shops, and restaurants.

In the heart of the Old City, this gorgeous and opulent haveli—one of the most popular family-run heritage hotels in Jaipur—is a pretty and relatively quiet sanctuary with a popular pool, numerous courtyards, and elegant rooms featuring carved antique furniture, restored frescoes, crystal chandeliers, and hunting paraphernalia. Built in 1892, it belongs to a clan of Shekhawati Rajputs; it is a chance to experience the real royal Rajasthan affordably. Guest rooms, with rug-covered tile floors and traditional Rajasthani-print bedspreads, vary in shape and size.

Spread across 9 acres, Pushkar’s loveliest and most expensive hotel has an outdoorsy lodge feel and there are golf carts to get around. Many of the cottages, with their beehive-shape tiled roofs and cobblestone walls, have private side patios and open-air showers set in greenery. Rooms, furnished with delicately etched tree murals and rich silks have an understated and modern elegance. There are better priced rooms in the main hotel building, but they lack locational charm.

Trusted, reliable, comfortable, and probably the most efficient family-run hotel in Jaipur---and one of the best bets for a budget stay---the Arya Niwas has that ideal combination of convenience to the heart of the city and cushioning from its noise and chaos. As a busy, large hotel, it loses some characteristic Rajasthani gracious hospitality, but it has a helpful staff, and rooms are clean and unfussy; the bathrooms are decently clean and have reasonable-size showers or tub. The large open area and adjoining café—serving home-cooked Indian and continental vegetarian food—overlooks a well-manicured lawn and garden.

Long a dreamy setting for royal getaways, this fine example of Rajput architecture offers a taste of country palace living at a reasonable price (unless you choose one of the suites, which are considerably more expensive than the rooms). The rooms are spacious and feature antique carved furniture and Rajasthani paintings on the white walls. The red sandstone heritage hotel is surrounded by lush, expansive green gardens on the outskirts of Jodhpur and on the banks of Balsamand Lake. The park around the artificial lake, built in the 12th century, contains a nine-hole golf course and other activities, plus a small bird sanctuary---but watch out for aggressive monkeys. The hotel provides bikes to cycle around the area.

Created to look like a faux fort, Brys tends to verge more toward back-lot film-set fantasy than historical accuracy---for example, the lobby is graced with large marble elephants, peacock murals, and chandeliers---but it's a brave effort. The rooms are spacious and contain large photographs of Jaisalmer, but the decor departs from the lobby here and is unremarkable; attached bathrooms are in yellow sandstone.

Cradled in the Aravali hills, this late-19th-century club is where British officers and royalty from Gujarat and Rajputana came to escape the summer heat, and now it combines modern amenities with its country style. Set on18 acres of gardens, with waterfalls and an artificial lake, the main building is a rambling old bungalow with a red-tiled roof and plain but comfortable rooms. There's a restaurant and bar on-site, as well as a billiards room.

One of the more moderately priced hotels in Jodhpur, this quiet hotel is in a spacious, pleasant garden, with plenty of spots to relax in the open air, and a nice pool. The homey rooms—with a choice of two sizes—are tastefully furnished with antique furniture and bathrooms with attractive black-and-white checked floors; some rooms have window seats. A small restaurant, open only to hotel guests, serves thalis. Safaris around Jodhpur can be arranged.

The hotel can be hard to locate so call ahead of your arrival for help.

In Jaipur's popular C-Scheme neighborhood (with hip coffee shops and boutiques), this palace, dating from the 18th century and retaining its regal ambience, is the venue for the famous Jaipur Literature Festival every January; the rest of the year it's a peaceful, intimate, and charming alternative to staying in the rowdy Old City. Run by the royal Diggi Rajput clan, this refreshing retreat has large open courtyards, lawns, and extensive gardens; rooms are simple, clean, and well maintained, with elegant dark wood furniture (some with four-post beds) and traditional Rajasthani features. The restaurant offers Indian dining with alfresco and terrace seating; the breakfast buffet is included in the price. The city's hub is just a 15-minute walk away.

If you plan to stay during the literary festival book way in advance.

The main reason to stay at this dramatic-looking royal retreat is to avoid taking on the twisting round-trip between Ranakpur and Udaipur in one day, because it's just a short drive from the Jain temple. It offers traditionally decorated, enormous rooms; some of the suites have Jacuzzis. Interestingly, it is not native to Ranakpur. It once stood neglected, outside of Udaipur, and brick by brick—65,000 in all—it was migrated to this new, prettier location in 2002. The honeymoon suite has a traditional wedding swing-bed hung from the ceiling and needs to booked in advance.

Environmentally friendly, community-minded, luxurious, and with an interesting backstory, this is one of Udaipur's notable boutique hotels, perched atop a hill adjacent to the Monsoon Palace. Originally in Bhilwara, around 160 km (100 miles) away, this small palace belonging to the Kelwa Rajput family was moved here, stone by stone, in 2007 and reconstructed using the Vedic architectural principles of Vaastu Shastra (think Indian feng shui). Antique doors and windows were also utilized. Rooms have elegant dark-wood furniture and pastel frescoes depicting concepts of Vedic science and are very large. The hotel has a water recycling plant, and windmills and solar panels produce electricity. The hotel has three pools, and the highest pool is one of the best around it has spectacular city views, as does the hotel's main restaurant. There's an interesting collection of vintage cars on the grounds—one of them is parked in the main portico.

Part of the haughty City Palace complex, this 19th-century retreat on the eastern bank of Lake Pichola looks across the water at the Lake Palace, and oozes stateliness and history—royal portraits, antiques, chandeliers, ornate ceilings, and an abundance of crinkled-edged arches set the tone. The standard rooms are spacious, with marble floors, furnished with silks and period furniture; some have window seats and great views. The dining spaces of this hotel are equally memorable—you can opt for lake garden breakfasts or a sunset terrace tea. The royal family of Udaipur, the erstwhile maharanas of Mewar, headed by Arvind Singh Mewar, runs Historic Retreat Hotels which operates their palace-converted hotels, and this is one of their prettiest properties.

This century-old, somber red fort in the dusty village of Luni is now a heritage hotel offering a real get-away-from-it-all experience. It has spacious courtyards and delightful rooms that have small, arched windows called jharokhas; Rajasthani-style furniture and fabrics; and old photographs. Many of the small rooms have stairways leading to an alcove or to the bathroom. The waterwheel—now a fountain in the bar—was originally used to channel water around the fort. The restaurant has a fixed-price Indian menu. Consider a night here if you are driving from Udaipur to Jodhpur.

The hotel might not be particularly convenient, but its architecture and interior design are interesting, and the suites are quite luxurious. Inside, French-style features are blended with historic Marwari touches: the large entryway once belonged to a 16th-century haveli from the local fort. Standard rooms are Western, with contemporary furnishings, but take a suite and you'll get frescoes and antique beds with pure silver bedposts. The restaurant, Sonal, serves à la carte Indian, Chinese, and continental food, and the rooftop bar is good for sunset and fort views. Bathrooms could be better.

The best reason to stay here is the hotel's proximity to city sights and access to a lovely garden barbecue restaurant out front. The rooms are simple, with no extra frills or great views, but clean and up to mark—some have lemon yellow accents and some have bold pink accents. There's also small lobby where you can relax for an evening cocktail. Set in the grounds of the vintage car museum and at the edge of Gulab Bagh near City Palace, this property is managed by the HRH group that runs many of the city's royal hotels.

This cozy haveli hotel, inside the 11th-century fort, is run like a homestay by the family who owns it, and makes for a special stay. Rooms, each quite different from the next with special names—Rising Sun Room, Sweet Purple Rooms, Opium Room and so on—with window seats, carved stonework and carved wood furniture, are accented in bright hues according to their theme, and are at different levels.

The terrace, where one can lounge about and watch Jaisalmer's spectacular sunsets/sunrises is the best spot to position yourself in this hotel.

This eye-catching edifice in a delicate pink stone on a low hill is one of the first landmarks visible as you enter the outskirts of Pushkar town coming from Jaipur. Inside, vast expanses of marble and white gives a sensation of immense space and grandeur, and the stylish and modern rooms have a touch of Rajasthani flair and most have a swing (!) and balcony. The royal looking accommodations are large, though the complex is relatively new and is run by the Taj Group and focuses on service.

Built of golden sandstone, this hotel away from the city center is spacious and elegant, and the rooms, with balconies, are arranged in haveli-style blocks around a series of small interior courtyards with skylights and fountains. Interiors are Western in style, with some Rajasthani touches and large, lovely windows; the suites are large and worth the price. The property includes a restaurant serving lunch and dinner, a small bar, a swimming pool, and a small spa. The hotel, popular with foreign tour groups, is run by the royal family of Udaipur's efficient hotel company, Historic Retreat Hotels.

Family owned and operated, this hotel in a 200-year-old sprawling haveli preserves many of its original features, including carved stonework, striking Bundi School of Painting murals, and other artwork, making a stay here like living in an art gallery. The hotel sits at the base of Bundi's fort and has fantastic views of the palace, the fort, and the city, especially from the higher-level floors and rooftop terrace, where meals can be served. Rooms are individually styled and contain antiques, paintings, books, and old photographs. A stopover at this hotel is a nice but out-of-the-way detour while traveling from Ranthambore to Jaipur.

This boutique heritage hotel, furnished with antiques, is in the heart of the town, with great views of the palace and fort. It offers a range of tastefully decorated bright-white rooms, from simple budget accommodations to elegant suites, and many have window seats to take advantage of the views. The rooftop restaurant on-site also has good views of the lake and Bundi's Old Town, but the food itself is mediocre.

An affordable option for those interested in staying in the heart of the Old City, this hotel, close enough for you to hear evening aarti (a Hindu prayer service) at the temples near the clock tower, is near the new retail area of Stepwell Square, and has a rooftop restaurant with excellent views of the city. The rooms are furnished with antiques, embellished with Rajasthani-style arches and decorations, and have bathrooms that are modern but could be cleaner. Tours to nearby villages can be arranged.

Cheapest rooms do not have a/c.

In the best location in town, this charming, small palace, where all rooms open onto a pretty courtyard garden, sits above its own ghat (private stairs leading down to the lake) and has fabulous, panoramic views of Pushkar. Rooms and public areas are outfitted with antique furniture and mirrors from Rajputana's heyday and have enormous bathrooms---opt for a lake-view room. Suites are more attractive than the rooms. The hotel has a relaxed, sleepy vibe, so don't expect luxury service. The hotel restaurant, on a terrace overlooking the lake, serves Indian and continental fare, and has a small selection of baked goods. Built by the Maharaja of Jaisalmer in the 15th century, the palace was later presented to the Maharaja of Kishangarh.

This comfortable, small, and well-maintained hotel is on the edge of town, with a great view of the fort from afar. Small sandstone rooms have tasteful old-style furniture, pebbled courtyards, and stained-glass windows, and some rooms face the fort; luxury tents are also an option during the October to March high season. and the hotel staff can arrange desert and village excursions.

Centrally located, this large and sumptuous ITC chain is a luxurious refuge from hectic downtown Jaipur. Decor is plush and elegant, with bathrooms in green granite; rooms sprawl in red-stone blocks that face a central garden, pool, and main building with a splendid marble lobby decorated with lattice screens.

Book directly on the website for free Wi-Fi.

Overlooking Lake Pichola, this airy, whitewashed, 17th-century haveli hotel is one of the best medium-budget places to stay in Udaipur; you'd be hard-pressed to find better value (or better views). The haveli, artistically decked out with filigree work, carvings, and paintings, is quite spacious and accommodations are located through different courtyards and at different levels. Rooms are neatly decorated with Rajasthani fabrics and heavy wooden furniture, and the bathrooms sparkle. There's a bakery on the premises. The charming rooftop restaurant has romantic open-air alcoves overlooking the lake. Most of the better-category rooms have lake views, and some suites have window seats to take full advantage of the vista.

The bearded guard, brandishing a spear and offering a salute as you arrive, is a good indication of the style of service at this mildly eccentric haveli-style hotel, with a promising view of the dunes outside Pushkar from some parts of the property. Rooms and bathrooms are furnished with period furniture and gray-streaked marble floors, quite like its sister property Pushkar Palace. Although not a heritage hotel, it is run by Khanpur Rajput rajas and the palace bearer--type service is a throwback to the royal era, as is the rich decor. The hotel has two wings located in manicured grounds with marble walkways and a couple of handicraft shops. You can opt to have afternoon tea or a meal alfresco by the central pool. Food is vegetarian, and main restaurant suffers from a lack of attention.

Rooms at this historic, Taj group--managed palace hotel are modern but plush, and many overlook 14 acres of lavish Mughal-style gardens. Located in the Civil Lines, quite close to the state governor and chief minister's residence, this hotel built in 1745 was once the home of the local prime minister and later Jaipur's British surgeon general Dr. Thomas Hendley, who was well-known for his artistic contribution to the city. Rooms are accented in either dramatic blue or a cheerful pinks, and ground floor rooms have garden terraces.

The quirky, charming, and nearly 500-year-old Juna Mahal, owned by a priestly family once attached to Jodhpur's royal temples, is tucked away from the congestion in one of the upper streets of the Old City (access is by auto-rickshaw) and resembles a carved dollhouse. While first impressions might be underwhelming, the wonderful views from the rooftop vegetarian restaurant and the warm and hospitable owners are good reasons to stay. Rooms are named after a Hindu gods and have neatly whitewashed walls, antique furniture, vegetable-dye handloomed soft furnishings, and private bathrooms (some are not attached). The Lord Ganesh room is the best due to its sweeping views and spaciousness.

This homey, colonial-style bungalow offers unique-themed rooms (each is decorated in honor of local festivals and former principalities) with standard (don't expect to be wowed) amenities. The large rooms are simple but clean with period furniture; bathrooms are quite basic. The restaurant serves Indian and Chinese cuisine—the Rajasthani food is better than other choices—and evening entertainment and dinner are organized in and around traditional thatched huts in the garden area.

Famous for its traditional Rajasthani thali, available in its rooftop eatery, comfy KB has accommodations that are equally authentic and striking and located smack in the center of town near the historic Patwon-ki Haveli. Room highlights are cheery Rajasthani furnishings, window seats, balconies, and accents in stone. Bathrooms are gray-tiled and clean. Views of the Fort and the Patwa Haveli from the terrace are impressive. Though KB Lodge's accommodations are more basic than its sister hotel Killa Bhawan, inside the fort, it is still pleasant.