Fodor's Expert Review Samode Haveli

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.