10 Best Hotels in Rajasthan, India

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

This homey, colonial-style bungalow offers unique-themed rooms (each is decorated in honor of local festivals and former principalities) with standard 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.

Especially surprising given its price, this hotel has some great features, including a wonderful lakeside location, rooms with private terraces, suites with Jacuzzi or steam room, an Upre restaurant, and a rooftop pool. The rooms are homey, though not strongly designed, and many of them have great views. There are various options, including deluxe rooms (best value) and suites. The small pool gives the place an edge over the neighbors, and the restaurant menu ranges from standard Indian fare to Mexican food, with a large, reasonably priced wine list.

The well-priced rooms—all with Rajasthani decor and period-style furniture—are the main reason for heading to this Bani Park haveli-hotel. While it might not be a real Rajasthani mansion, the comparatively austere lodging does still lend the haveli atmosphere---though there are more traditional offerings closer to the city. Enter through an ornate gate, and the main hotel, embellished with all the Indo-Saracenic touches, is just beyond, where the rooms face a central courtyard. The royal deluxe rooms, only a shade more expensive, are decently large with big bathrooms.

A 10-minute walk from the Golden Fort, this 18th-century haveli exudes old-world charm and is owned and run by descendants of the Maharaja Kesri Singh, who ruled over Jaisalmer during the 1700s. Rooms vary in shape, size and style; most of them contain antique furniture and authentic family portraits, but quite a few lack windows. Built of compact golden sandstone, the property sits bang across the Jaisalmer "0" milestone (from where distances are measured), and has two small courtyards, fountains, and a lounging area with interesting, quirky antiques, trophies, and portraits.

It's hard to pass up regal accommodations at moderate prices in luxury-driven Udaipur, particularly when the hotel's rooftop is one of the liveliest places in town. Every room in this towering boutique hotel across Lake Pichola from the City Palace, re-created to look "heritage," is decorated with antique furniture and art that relate to specific regions and people in Mewar history—evidence of personal involvement of the Rajput owners. Most of the rooms lack lake views, but from the hotel pool and from the rooftop restaurant, which serves Indian and international cuisine, you get spectacular views of the Udaipur skyline. There's also a center courtyard garden to while away time.