India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) - Keith Bain [486]
Widely regarded as the best tourist restaurant in town, with a great nighttime atmosphere (make sure they’re serving in the garden), On the Rocks (next to Ajit Bhawan; 0291/510-2701 or -7880) is famous for its barbecue dishes—skewers of spicy vegetables, paneer, or meat tenderized in a yogurt-based marinade and cooked over an open fire. For a more leisurely dinner, with decent Indian food and enchanting views of the Fort, head to Indique, the rooftop restaurant at Pal Haveli.
Ajit Bhawan This recently renovated resort-style hotel is a hugely popular place, and some may prefer its more laid-back, down-home atmosphere to Umaid’s plush palace. It’s also significantly cheaper and has a wonderful outdoor pool and a good restaurant. Built at the turn of the century for Maharaj Ajit Singh (younger brother of the Maharaja Umaid Singh), it incorporates crenelated castlelike walls and traditional Hindustani elements, as well a variety of rooms depending on budget and mood: from the luxury thatched “Bishnoi” stone cottages, with their own little garden and patios, to a selection of gorgeous luxury tents, to slick executive rooms. Decor is the work of Raghavendra Rathore, the owner’s son and one of the country’s most celebrated designers. (Car enthusiasts may dig the fleet of 10 vintage cars on offer—the oldest Buicks and Fords date from 1928.)
Near Circuit House, Jodhpur 342 006. 0291/251-1410. Fax 0291/251-0674. www.ajitbhawan.com. 54 units. Rs 9,000 deluxe double; Rs 10,000 executive double; Rs 15,000 luxury double; Rs 30,000 suite. Rs 2,000 extra bed. Breakfast included. Taxes extra. AE, DC, MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; pool; airport transfers from Rs 400; currency exchange; vintage cars for hire; doctor-on-call; evening folk dancing; health club; Internet (Rs 100/hr.); room service; safaris—horse, camel, and village; spa. In room: A/C, TV, minibar, Wi-Fi in some rooms (Rs 100/hr.).
Devi Bhawan This low-slung sandstone residence is a great surprise—a bungalow with free-standing cottages set within a lush, tranquil garden with pool, personal service, and offering unbelievable value. Ask for an air-conditioned semideluxe (bungalow) room (particularly no. 10), or spend a little extra on deluxe unit no. 11, or try booking one of the new rooms (nos. 17–21) in the new pool facing block. All the rooms are clean and neat with simple, casually stylish furnishings—there’s not a hint of plastic anywhere. Completely overhauled in 2007, with the added advantage of air-conditioning, the restaurant spills out onto a neat little lawn surrounded by greenery; you can (and should) dine here. All in all, a very comfortable, relaxing, good-value option, and once seduced by the pool, you may just find yourself extending your stay in Jodhpur.
1 Defence Lab. Rd., Ratanada Circle, Jodhpur 342 011. 0291/251-1067 or 98-2803-5359. Fax 0291/251-2215. www.devibhawan.com. devibhawan@sify.com. 18 units. Rs 1,200 standard/garden double; Rs 1,500 semi-deluxe/bungalow double; Rs 1,800 deluxe double. 10% luxury tax on rooms over Rs 1,200. MC, V. Amenities: Restaurant; bar/lounge; doctor-on-call; Internet access (Rs 60/hr.); pool; Wi-Fi free. In room: A/C (most rooms), fan, TV.
Pal Haveli This heritage haveli is the place to stay if you want to be in the real heart of the bustling (and admittedly noisy) town (especially if you want to get those early morning shots of the empty medieval market place); it also has wonderful views of the Fort towering directly in front of it. Once you enter—via a steeply sloped ramp and through massive traditional doors—you can shut out the world. Rooms are a mixed bag so have a look: All are spacious and decorated to enhance the ambience of an earlier era; beds are comfortable, and bathrooms are exquisitely clean. You have a choice of either lake-facing, fort-facing,