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all feature cool, clean white tiles and whitewashed walls; some have antique furniture offset with bright block-printed fabrics. Book an air-conditioned room set around a cool open courtyard to beat the heat—they’re substantially larger and still great value; unit 108 is a gorgeous first-floor room with a large four-poster metal frame bed and big bathroom. Alternatively, book one of the quiet, cool cottage rooms, which have marble floors and bright block-print fabrics—these all have tubs and showers, and some have antique furniture; most significantly, they’re away from the potentially noisy main building and overlook the garden. If you want access to a semiprivate veranda, ask for no. 209, a spacious “suite” with a large bathroom and shared balcony overlooking the courtyard. Meals are served in the spacious restaurant and on the open-air, first-floor veranda; dinner costs from Rs 150.

Tip: Over the past 3 years Diggi Palace has played host to the internationally recognized Jaipur Literary Festival, which takes place in January (21–25, 2010) and attracts famous authors such as Ian Mckewan, Salman Rushdie, William Dalrymple, and Kiran Desai. If you intend to stay over this exciting period, which coincides with the high season, be sure to book ahead.

Shivaji Marg, C-scheme, Sawai Ram Singh Hwy., Jaipur 302 004. 0141/237-3091, 0141/236-6120, or -6196. Fax 0141/230-359. www.hoteldiggipalace.com. 48 units. Rs 1,200 air-cooled double; Rs 2,000 A/C standard double; Rs 3,200 A/C deluxe; Rs 3,800 A/C suite. Rates include breakfast, taxes extra. AE, V. Amenities: Dining hall; bar; station (free) and airport transfers (Rs 400 one-way); doctor-on-call; room service; Internet (Rs 60 per hour); pool; In room: A/C in most, fan, TV in most, minibar in most.

Where to Stay Outside Jaipur

K Country Villa A top choice for anyone grown weary of hotel anonymity, this dressed-to-kill luxury home just outside Jaipur, personally run by impeccably debonair hosts, Ridhiraj (“Tony”) Singh and his wife, Rithu, provides a fine introduction to aspirational Indian life. The plush accommodations, beautifully decorated by Rithu, are outfitted with top-quality fabrics, furnishings, and fittings (with some borderline kitsch thrown in for good measure) and artworks collected from across the country. You can stay in one of the large guest rooms in the main house or in one of the huge cottages a short distance away. Meals are taken in the company of your hosts, with predinner drinks in any of the different lounge spaces; conversations can be a real eye-opener. Various sightseeing trips can be arranged (Rithu is the ideal source of lowdown shopping information), and you can go horseback riding or fishing if you’d like to take a break from polluted city life.

Near Malpura Hill, Kanota Irrigation Dam, Vill. Post—Sumel, Jaipur 303 012. 98-2906-3897 or 98-2921-3897. Fax 0141/237-7531. www.kcountryvilla.com. kcountryvilla@mail.com. 7 units. Rs 9,000 luxury double; Rs 12,000 luxury deluxe double; Rs 17,000 premium cottage; Rs 1,200 extra bed. Rates include breakfast, dinner, and soft minibar; taxes extra. MC, V. Amenities: Dining room; bar; billiards table; bird-watching; currency exchange; cultural performances; doctor-on-call; horse riding; jeep safari; library; pool; Ayurvedic massage and yoga; transfers Rs 800 A/C car; room service. In room: A/C, TV, DVD; minibar, luxury deluxe room and cottages have Jacuzzi; cottages have massage chairs.

Samode Palace An hour’s drive (45km/28 miles) from Jaipur, 400-year-old Samode Palace is popular, pretty, and newly renovated. The original palace suites are beautiful: huge, with loads of natural light and furnished with a mix of antiques and contemporary pieces but best value-for-money option is one of the rooms overlooking the lovely pool area—ask for one with a balcony and a renovated bathroom. If you have the cash, ask for the newly renovated Royal Suite 314, which is of Oberoi quality. Many visitors use this as a relaxing base to explore Jaipur, whose major attractions can be covered in a day trip, and it’s also a good