A group of us were going to visit Jaipur and heard this charming little ’’haveli-ish boutique hotel’’
Having visited Jaipur innumerable times and having stayed at the likes of the Taj’s and others before, staying in an old quaint haveli was an endearing if not adventurous thought!
I decided to be prepared and make an informed decision about where our group (which included first time India travellers would stay). I “Googled” it. I “Lonely planet-ed” it and was convinced it was an excellent choice.
I’m telling you – there is something to be said about being photogenic! This place looked like an idyllic retreat for post a Jaipur city tour flurry! So, I booked. I emailed the hotel and decided to book the Royal Suites – what the hell – if I ‘aint gonna stay five star, may as well get the best in an old haveli…
Imagine our shock when we reached the hotel and realised it was much more decrepit than the pictures we saw online! Anyway, we decided to brave it, went in and were unceremoniously informed that the Royal Suites were unavailable as its previous occupants had all got food poisoning and were all in hospital! While we felt bad for the poor poisoned souls, it didn’t get us out of the sticky situation we were in. Alarm bells starting “gonging” in our heads but due to a full tourist season, we were forced to stay one night as all other ’’acceptable’’ hotels were fully booked.
What can I say about this place? Said to be run by a retired Army Colonel & his family, I expected a little bit of the ’’perfectionism’’ one associates with the Armed Forces. What we actually got was a whole different story! From regurgitating toilets and shower drains to foul smelling interiors and an exceptionally indiscreet staff , not to mention- extremely rude, the place had the charm of skunk! The bellboys showed us the room disinterestedly and then pulled off the bed covers and dumped them in a heap on the floor!
In an attempt to placate us, we were invited to a cultural evening on their rooftop, which incidentally was adjoining one of the rooms we got. Our friends had to listen to un-melodious music till midnight and were rudely awakened at 5 am when the staff decided to wash the dirty dishes of the previous night outside their room door, all of course while they were chatting loudly about mundane everyday things.
I refuse to recommend this hotel for the sake of sparing you the horrors of it. If you do decide to brave it even after reading my comments, all I can say is : good luck and don’t forget to pack a good medical kit equipped with stomach pills and the likes.
And oh yes, some ice water to cool you down after your obligatory fight with the mis-management.