Jaipur - Luxury on a Shoestring

 

I have to say that I'd never been much of a fan of Rajasthan.  Don't get me wrong, it's incredibly beautiful, littered with romantic forts and exotic temples. If you're looking for incredible India, then this is as close as you get to the fantasy experience but I'd decided that the hassle of touts, guides and scams just weren't worth the effort.

However, last year I found myself accidentally stuck there for two nights and decided I'd take a look at how the City had changed in the years since my last visit.  I didn't want to do too much and I wanted a five star a/c bolthole in case it became too much so I booked at the Country Inn & Suites by Carlson, a modern high rise hotel, close the train station.  Cool, clean and very comfortable, but in all honesty I could have been in Berlin or Abu Dhabi.

Sitting in the bar reviewing the three guidebooks I had with me, I was struck by glowing reviews for the Pearl Palace Hotel over near the Hathroi Fort and I decided to contact the owner and get a sneaky peek at the hotel and its brand new sister hotel the Pearl Palace Heritage.  I met Santinder Pal Singh in the lobby of my hotel and he whisked me away to look at the Pearl Palace Heritage before heading across to eat at the other hotel.  I have to say I was pretty staggered by the new hotel.   Inside, every space is themed on different regional styles.  As a final touch, the corridor's are all lined with meticulous copies of fabulous temple sculpture from all over India in hand carved stone.  All this and the suite rooms are only Rs 2500 a night.  I ask him how he does it and he smiles 'I'm just not greedy, I know what my running costs are and I still make a good margin, it all about balance'.

Heading over to the Peacock restaurant, I asked Satinder about tourism in Jaipur and Rajasthan generally.  He shared my concerns about the rise of touting and the difficulties faced by western tourists on what would often be their first experience of India.  'What you have to understand' he says' is the balance between the local economy, which depends on the money western tourists bring and the need to give our guests a hassle free experience'.  He passes me a copy of a guide that he and his wife have put together to help western tourists find their feet. 'Jaipur for Aliens' is precisely the kind of guide that the state tourism authority should be producing.  It points out hassles and annoyances and how to deal with them as well as the best places to shop, eat and drink. Its a guide with a truly local flavour and its peppered with humour and wise advice for the first time arrivee.

 The restaurant is every bit as quirky as the guidebooks say and the view of the crumbling Hathroi fort next door forms a spectacular backdrop to the twinkling lights and lanterns lit on the fourth storey rooftop of the hotel.  There are snug little cushioned recesses perched at different levels on the rooftop and in the evening the effect is magical.  The range of food is excellent (I recommend the Butter Chicken) with Indian and Chinese being the mainstay, but with a sprinkling of more familiar stuff. 

I stayed at the Pearl Palace Heritage two weeks later for four nights and found it every bit as much of a retreat as the five star round the corner - only better.  The warmth of the welcome, the help you'll get from all the staff and the kindness of the Singh's makes this possibly one of the best Indian hotels I have ever stayed in.