We had been anticipating our trip to India for so long, it’s hard to believe it’s over! It was our first time being away from Wyatt for more than a couple days, so we were excited and nervous at the same time!
Given this was our first trip away as a couple since Wyatt’s arrival, we wanted to be sure we had a bit of rest and relaxation. Our original itinerary followed the “Golden Triangle” route of Delhi > Agra (Taj Mahal) > Jaipur, but after hearing from friends about the long hours spent in the car traveling to see the Taj, and the air pollution issues that arose in Delhi just before our trip, we decided to divert our plans to explore more of Rajasthan, known as the “Jewel of India”.
Udaipur
Our first stop was Udaipur, called the “Venice of the East” due to its stunning man-made lakes surrounded by royal palaces.
Stay
There are several excellent five star hotels in Udaipur, but my research suggested that the Oberoi Udaivilas was not to be missed. I am so glad we splurged to stay here, as Tom and I both agreed this was far and away the nicest hotel we had ever stayed in, and the hospitality was exceptional. (Pro tip: if possible, wait until the last minute to book, as prices continued to drop in the week prior to our departure.)
See
We loved traveling by gondola from our hotel to and from all of the major sites in the city. The City Palace was lovely – you can find excellent English-speaking guides waiting right outside the gate to the palace who will shepherd you through the tour for a nominal price.
Taste
We enjoyed many of our meals at the hotel, and were disappointed we didn’t find the time to take advantage of one of their cooking classes. The hotel also arranged two group dinners for us with our larger group of friends who were also visiting Udaipur at the same time:
Buy
Rajasthan is a shopper’s mecca, and has been known for centuries for quality handicrafts. I think we only scratched the surface of what there is to offer here – I can definitely now understand why so many designers travel here to buy their wares.
- Ganesh Handicraft Emporium comes highly recommended by many international designers, and our group spent over an hour shopping their multiple floors of gorgeous textiles, rugs, scarves, handbags, as well as high-quality traditional Indian garments (sarees, kurtas). The price points are high for India (but still low relative to the US) and the quality is excellent, but do come prepared to bargain! The guideline we were given was to start with 50% of asking price and to work backwards from there, and to walk away (in anticipation of being pursued) to truly get the best offer. I found a gorgeous jacket (now known as my “technicolor dreamcoat”) that I am excited to sport back home. The walls are adorned with photos of celebrities shopping the store – everyone from Beyonce, Tory Burch and Nicole Richie seems to have had their pick!
- Boutique Blue Marine. All of the men in our group spent hours here having custom Western and Indian wear created, which was turned around same day and dropped off at the hotel by the proprietors. Tom is a big spender when it comes to custom-made suiting, and was very impressed by the quality of the fabrics and tailoring as well as the price point. The shop is completely unassuming from the outside, but worth the trip if this is your thing.
Jaipur
Our next stop was Jaipur, where the 4 days of wedding festivities began! More details coming soon in a separate post!
Stay
The wedding took place at the Taj Jai Mahal Palace as well as the Rambagh Palace, which are the two premier hotel options in Jaipur. Either would be an excellent choice for your stay!
See
The Amer Fort (aka Amber Fort), a UNESCO heritage site, is truly one of the most stunning historical sites I’ve seen. The Fort itself was built over 1,000 years ago, while the Palace was constructed 400 years ago by the Raja Man Singh I. As in Udaipur, we found an excellent guide upon arrival at the fort (roundtrip transportation by van arranged by the hotel), who guided us throughout our time and was even an excellent photographer! I highly recommend hiring a guide to learn about the history, in addition to helping to steer away unwanted sellers.
Taste
Bar Palladio at Hotel Narain Niwas came highly recommended and we are so glad we visited. The extensive cocktail list and Italian menu make it the perfect stop when you need a short reprieve from Indian cuisine. The restaurant is stunning, and I’m now convinced we need a cerulean room in our home!
Buy
I’m disappointed we didn’t spend more time shopping in Jaipur (Tom may not agree…), as it’s well known as one of the top destinations in India.
Also at the Hotel Narain Niwas are several highly recommended shopping destinations. We unfortunately didn’t have a chance to visit as were late for our reservation at Bar Palladio, but in particular I was excited to check out Hot Pink, founded by a Parisian jewelry designer. Anokhi was also recommended for traditional Rajasthani block printed clothing and textiles.
Check out this Conde Nast Traveler article, “Why Jaipur is the Best Place to Shop in India” for more shopping recommendations.
Note: I was a bit underwhelmed by the main city bazaar outside of the Hawa Mahal and City Palace in the city center. I recommend seeking out some of these curated boutiques instead of trolling the bazaars, where the quality is questionable and you’re likely to see similar merchandise at each stall.
Given we only wanted to be away from Wyatt for a short time, we didn’t have an opportunity to visit several other highly recommended destinations in Rajasthan. The two I was most excited to visit were the “Desert Cities” – Jodhpur, the Blue City, and Jaisalmer, the Golden City. If you’re able to incorporate these into your trip, the Raas Palace in Jodphur and the Suryagarh Palace in Jaisalmer came highly recommended and looked absolutely fabulous!
I hope you enjoyed hearing about our trip! Traveling to Rajasthan? Any questions I can help with? Leave a comment below or send me an email (see sidebar) and I’d be happy to help!