Hill Forts of Rajasthan

RooFlyer · Nov 29, 2019

I stayed here in 2016, the lounge was open and it was one of the reasons I came back.

just had brekky there and was excellent.

craven morehead · Nov 30, 2019

Just caught up .......... ✈

p--and--t · Nov 30, 2019

Along for the ride ✈

. Hoping to pick up some good tips for 2021.

LadyC · Nov 30, 2019

Sounds like an interesting trip. I've done a little travelling through part of where you are visiting so looking forward to your perspective.

RooFlyer · Nov 30, 2019

I had a day just veging around the Pullman, with a couple of walks to the Aerocity centre to find an ATM that work ( unsuccessful).

If nice and really this morning, meet by my driver and a SUV which is an update over the sedan that was booked.

A typical foggy start out of Delhi for this time of year:

Out on the rural roads, the usual hazards

Looks like lunch, right there

Today we are headed for Madawa, about 5.5 hrs drive.

RooFlyer · Nov 30, 2019

Mid morning break pit stop

RooFlyer · Nov 30, 2019

We arrived at the first tour hotel in the early afternoon. I had left the booking of most of the hotels on this trip to the tour organiser, Magan, who is know to a number of AFFers. He gave a list of suggestions, most of which I accepted after a cursory check, and a chat with jacques vert, who had been through much of my trip earlier this year.

So we turned off the highway onto a main road, then down a secondary road, then into a village which you wouldn't give a second glance to - like thousands of others in India - run down, grotty and not looking very prospective for a good night.

So - the outside looks promising:

Inside, its totally unexpected (for now). An old haveli - or mechant's mansion, wich is designed around several courtyards and built over several levels.

RooFlyer · Nov 30, 2019

Some more of the public spaces. I'm battling very slow internet (which is a bit surprising)

daft009 · Nov 30, 2019

i have to ask... how are the bathrooms?

RooFlyer · Nov 30, 2019

Pics coming up ... I'm posting main pics from my laptop with the very slow wifi. My phone can use a hotspot they've given me.

RooFlyer · Nov 30, 2019

Oh screw it. That'll take forever.

So here is my own little boudoir:

My courtyard ( not exclusive

)

My door - check out the lock!!

Bathroom is on the 'gallery' level

It's the Vivaana culture hotel.

drron · Dec 1, 2019

Looks like they finally finished the Marigold hotel.

tgh · Dec 1, 2019

Fantastic atmosphere….Roo flyer wins best hotel room pics 0f 2019...

OATEK · Dec 1, 2019

RooFlyer said:
Oh screw it. That'll take forever.

So here is my own little boudoir:

My courtyard ( not exclusive )
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My door - check out the lock!!

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Bathroom is on the 'gallery' level

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It's the Vivaana culture hotel.

Did you look up at the mezzanine level expecting someone was watching you from behind a column?

RooFlyer · Dec 1, 2019

Well, that all went pear-shaped in a hurry.

The rot started just after I posted the pics above - a tour bus of French people pulled up for tea. They occupied the grassy courtyard where I was reading, smoking etc so I decamped back to my room for a bit. Imagine my surprise when a couple of them wandered in ... the group was being shown the hotel and apparently no discrimination made between occupied & unoccupied rooms!

A bit later I went to one of the 'lounge' areas, only to witness the arrival of about 20 extended family members, including about 12 kids (it seemed more). The kids apparently were just told :"this is a castle - go and have fun" so for the next 3 hours or so, and then through and past dinner, we had about a dozen feral kids, from about 8 to about 16 going nuts in every corner of the hotel. I retreated to my room again but then thought - why the hell should I have to do that? I went to reception and asked if there was some corner they could provide me with out of the kid's range, when what sounded like a fire alarm went off. It wasn't an alarm, but some form of celebratory, deafening bells than went on for 10 minutes or so. I went to the tiny bar and had a beer and chatted to a ice NZ couple who were on a tour, and who were here last night. Apparently there was a wedding next door last night, and probably again tonight.

Then, at last it was time for dinner. The tour groups were set up outside - the couple said it was pretty cold, in spite of a few fires in barrels type of things, so I went for the regular inside restaurant. Ummmm. no chairs - all outside. I was 'encouraged' to sit outside. I said it was cold. They said they would put me next to a fire.

The non restaurant

I gave up. Outside, with no light to read the menu. I chose something and ate it, among kids screaming and running about, then went back to my room, with my clothes now happily smoked.

The wedding next door started at 8:30pm but mercifully stopped at 11pm. The workmen, somewhere in our building then started at 4:30am (Sunday morning). The power tools started at 5am.

So: Cute room, abominable stay. I know India is a noisy country - I've been here twice before, but this was just ridiculous.

I know how she feels:

RooFlyer · Dec 1, 2019

Some pics of the hotel in the evening (view these while imagining the sound of a dozen shrieking kids in the background)

mrs.dr.ron · Dec 1, 2019

RooFlyer said:
Well, that all went pear-shaped in a hurry.
The rot started just after I posted the pics above - a tour bus of French people pulled up for tea. They occupied the grassy courtyard where I was reading, smoking etc so I decamped back to my room for a bit. Imagine my surprise when a couple of them wandered in ... the group was being shown the hotel and apparently no discrimination made between occupied & unoccupied rooms!

O M G !! I hope you can say p*ss off out of MY room in french !

RooFlyer · Dec 1, 2019

There isn't a lot to see in Mandawa, except for some crumbling havelis - mansions of rich merchants from the 19th century. A local guide walked me past a number ... an interesting view on 'real life' in an Indian village, too.

A feature of the havelis is the paintings and frescoes, inside and out, depicting religious scenes, everyday life, anything, really (including things the Brits brought with them, such as planes and trains!)