8 Best Hotels in Rajasthan, India

This luxurious boutique guesthouse is steeped in the folklore of Lord Krishna, with the interiors painstakingly hand-painted with scenes from his life as well as themes of festivals and nature. Each of the seven rooms and two suites is uniquely designed—some with lotuses, others with birds—and feature window seats, comfy beds, spacious bathrooms, and high-quality amenities. The garden is a mini fruit orchard, dotted with tables and block-printed sun umbrellas. There are plenty of cozy nooks and a library to lounge in, a pretty terrace with chevron flooring, and a mid-sized pool to cool off in. Meals are prepared in the onsite kitchen by local home chefs and range from Rajasthani fare to global cuisines. The hosts are warm and friendly, making it a point to meet all guests for high tea or a meal, and are in-the-know about everything that is interesting and cool in Jaipur. They also conduct hands-on cooking classes and take you on curated walks to meet Old City artisans and see how traditional crafts are practiced.

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.

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 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.

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 Patwon ki 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.

Perfect for foodies, wildlife enthusiasts, and those who like to engage with locals, this cozy homestay in the upscale C-Scheme residential area is run by an energetic young couple, the Rathores—one a naturalist who runs wildlife tours, the other a food enthusiast who offers cooking and rangoli (a form of folk art) classes. Rooms are simple and modern but comfortable and very clean, with coordinated color schemes and large bathrooms; the upstairs rooms have a rooftop patio. Apart from the four rooms, the homestay also offers a cottage with private courtyard. Outside there's a lush garden with a swing. A simple but enriching continental or Indian breakfast is included, and dinner is an option that's well worth taking up. The homestay is a little hard to locate, so call for directions before arriving.

More than 500 years old, this budget and mildly eccentric hotel is located at the highest point of the Old City, just below the fort, and has a great vibe—traditional, local, and chilled out. The haveli lodging has basic accommodations yet opulent decorations, sprawled across many levels, with each room having a distinct look. The highest rooms, which are spartan, open out onto a terrace and have wonderful vistas of the Blue City; other rooms open onto a second-floor sitting area or into the courtyard. The house was gifted by the maharaja of Jodhpur to his army commander Shri Akheraj Sa Singhvi in 1778.

There are very few comfortable lodgings located inside Jaisalmer fort, but this is one of them---but note that it is a climb to get to rooms on higher floors or the terrace. The rooms are done in an austere but comfortable manner, and some have nice views. They showcase yellow sandstone, multihued pane doors, and colorful Rajasthani furnishings. The rooftop terraces offer grand vistas of both the city within the fort and beyond.