15 Best Hotels in Jaipur, Rajasthan

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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 super-deluxe rooms, only a shade more expensive, are decently large with big bathrooms.

This 15th-century Rajput fort turned heritage hotel, set on 6 acres in the Aravali Hills between Delhi and Jaipur, is one of India's acclaimed retreats. The rooms and suites, each with a different name and varying in size and price, are masterpieces, and the architecture is fascinating and fun to explore. The main restaurant serves Rajasthani and decent European dishes and is open to nonresident guests with reservations; meal times are fixed. There's a dilapidated yet charming stepwell to discover nearby (ask for directions). Room prices vary greatly from average price small rooms, to suites that go for double or triple the price. Activities such as zip-lining and hot-air ballooning can be arranged.

This fabulous 32-acre luxury retreat, 20 minutes outside Jaipur and set against a hilly backdrop, is a destination unto itself, whether you want to splurge on a private villa with its own pool, enjoy a spacious standard room, or revel in a romantic luxury tent with rich wood fittings on grounds that are home to hundreds of peacocks. Re-created to look like a grand heritage fort, the resort brings back to life a certain majesty and romance of another age. Honey-gold buildings, orchards, reflection pools and fountains set the tone, though the marble-and-stone carving blends well with the arid environment. Standard double rooms are minimalist in concept, but the real standout is the sunken marble bathtubs, which look out over private gardens.

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. 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.

Set on 47 acres of lawns punctuated by arcaded patios with fountains, courtyards, long colonnades, and prancing peacocks, this wistfully romantic palace was one of the first in Jaipur to be converted into a heritage hotel and is one of the most classically elegant properties in India. Simply the best address in town, it was once home to the last maharaja of Jaipur and his legendary and beautiful wife, Gayatri Devi, and preserves much of its history while providing up-to-the-minute comforts thanks to being run by the Taj group. You are nothing less than royalty yourself when you check into 19th-century Rambagh Palace, as shown by such details as the shower-of-petals welcome to the room butler (in some rooms) ready to attend to your every need. Standard rooms are spacious and largely contemporary, while opulent historical and royal suites have traditional furnishings and Shekhawati-style frescoes. Public spaces are packed with marble, domes, dainty arches, filigree work, and antiques. There's even a train parked in the corner of its grounds that has been converted into a fun restaurant, Steam.

Hidden amid the lanes of the Pink City, this stately and rambling heritage hotel built for a prime minister of the royal court in the mid-19th century preserves its Rajasthani character and harbors a few surprises, including elegant gardens and a beautiful open-air pool with poolside bar. Rooms are spacious and opulent, including the luxurious quarters of the local Rajput himself. Arranged around two courtyards, the hotel contains some original frescoes; low arches and mazelike corridors also add to the character. Walk up the elephant ramp entrance, built to accommodate the pachyderm-riding guests at a Samode clan wedding, and you are arriving at a royal manor built in the popular Indo-Saracenic style of the time.

This lavishly restored hotel has a long history of serving royalty (Queen Elizabeth once stayed here), though it’s much more opulent now than it was in the 1960s. The ultra-luxury palace (it’s still owned by Jaipur royal family) has just 14 rooms outfitted with marble bathrooms, chandeliers, and custom-made wallpaper to reflect a modern interpretation of Rajasthani grandeur. Be warned, it’s one of the most expensive hotels in all of Rajasthan, but if you want to splurge, or are visiting during off-season (when it’s highly discounted), you’ll be treated to high tea and even higher levels of service. There are three restaurants and a bar. The 51 shades of pink room, with sparkling wallpaper, is a favorite spot for breakfast.

Nestled in the Aravali hills within an hour's drive of the city sights, this haven from the chaos of Jaipur offers secluded villa accommodations, spa treatments, and a chance to interact with the community. Dotted over 7-acres, 13 traditional-style domed villas have large bathrooms, walk-in closets, and high levels of privacy and relaxation; most have a private pool. Spa treatments are customized to suit each guest. Some of the fresh produce used in the hotel is from its attached organic garden, which you can visit. The resort supports a local school and guests are encouraged to interact with villagers—and even volunteer to teach the children if they wish.

While a stay at Trident—built to look like a rambling haveli 5 km (3 miles) from the center of town—does not offer the authentic royal experience, it does make for an interlude of gracious living. The property looks out onto the Mansagar lake and its exteriors are of light pink stone. Interiors feature the finest Rajasthani marble, with rooms furnished in soothing colors; opt for a lake-facing room.

One of those faux havelis that abound in the Bani Park neighborhood, this small, comfortable hotel does a zealous job of re-creating old Rajasthani charm with colored glass windows, Mughal arches, ornate ceilings, mirror work, murals, old photographs and portraits, painted peacocks, turrets, and a giant entry arch. Rooms are masterfully decked out with dark green marble floors and period-style furniture. The rooftop restaurant serves wholesomely made Indian cuisine and even a few continental dishes. It has an annex hotel around the corner—Umaid Bhawan—with similar rooms and facilities.