Bharat Mahal Palace on 16, Parivahan Marg, Nr Civil Lines Railway Crossing in Jaipur is owned by a retired Colnel who enjoys dressing the staff in cadet uniforms. Call it my mistake(ignoring caveat emptor) but I was carrying the impression that checking in at 7 in the evening and checking out at around the same time the next day meant being charged one night. So I didn’t ask while checking in how much it was going to cost me. I was shocked to learn that I was to be charged two days at the same rate and that too in cash so that I can save some 5% in taxes, without a bill.
Having checked in alone and not having anyone to create a scene with me in their dungeon like lobby, I caved. The cab driver too reached an understanding with the manager, one Jai Singh there to con me out of double the fare. I was taken straight to Amer Fort which they claim is the ultimate sight in Jaipur and hence was charged Rs.1200 for that afternoon. In the evening, I was enticed to travel out of town into Choki Dhaani which meant shelling out another Rs.800. I remembered to deduct the Rs.300 I paid toward diesel in the morning and still ended up paying the driver/owner of the cab Rs.1700.
Not to mention the Choki Dhaani charges of Rs.400 for entry which meant only the meal as it rained that evening and I was not able to see the village tableau they had set up.
Please do not travel a class less than 2 tier A/c or FC by train from Jaipur. The waiting rooms are filthy and not air conditioned. People sleep on the floor and there is only one toilet, bathroom and urinal among hordes of waiting passengers.