Jaipur: PinkPearl or UmaidMahal or Bharat Mahal

quell

What do you think of these Jaipur Hotels I've narrowed down?

I'm travelling on family vacation (incld 2 kids under-eight). Need something large enough for 2+1 bed, for week-before-Christmas in Dec 2007. (yes, I'm getting down to the wire)

a. 4-star/$85USD-deluxe, Pink Pearl Hotel
Main Ajmer Road
(This is different from the Pearl Palace that's highly recommended per the comments at IM, and TripAdvisor, but alas looks Booked Up already ). It has the accompanying "Fun City" (mini-amusement-park). Kids would enjoy it, but not sure how structurally safe those contraptions are.

b. 3-star/$70USD, Umaid Mahal
Bani Park/ Jai Singh Highway
2-years-old, but built to look like a Heritage/Palace. Seems a neat idea to stay in a "palace" (though technically its not). It has A/C.

c. 3-star/$53/84, Bharat Mahal Palace
Parivahan Marg, Nr Civil lines
95-year-old Actual Palace, "renovated" 2 years ago, has A/C and hot water! This would be my preference, but it looks like the "larger" room (to fit 2-adults/2-kids) is booked up). Again, it would be nice to stay in a Palace (but have modern conveniences).

Thanks.

Edor

I have not stayed at any of the places you are asking about. I know Umaid Mahal from website and it is supposed to be the sister Haveli of the nearby Umaid Bhawan. Both places look beautiful from their websites. My comments are about the latter.

By far the least satisfactory experience I have had in reserving any room for 20 day India trip. Even more surprising as room was to be 1,400RS about 3 times my typical room so I expected more from this splurge Haveli.

Details if you want the full picture: Used their reservation form online and when I had not heard back in 10 days, I re-sent form and then sent same to the three email addresses I had found for them on their website. Finally heard from them after 15 days and two more nagging emails.

They indicated that they had had a wedding - I'm sure always a big event, but their very minor apology was quite perfunctionary. Much more importantly they ignored all of my clear information - namely they reserved a Room at 2,400 Rs and sked about my arrival train details which had been provided 3 times before.

One email later then finally say that they do not have any rooms at 1,400Rs for my two nights. My negotiations suggestion in my email to them: I suggested that to make my college aged son - a first time traveler to India - a satisfied customer who would then if happy with stay would post feedback on various forums that they consider providing the Room at only 1,400Rs but without the included breakfast which he would pay for extra. In addition he is an aspiring professional photographer and videographer and would probably be happy to provide them with copies of images that he took (with their permission).

To me this seemed reasonable given what I considered to be their very poor performance - quite frankly if their places were not so positively reviewed in Lonely Planet and elsewhere I would have given up on them much earlier. They had taken incredibly long to respond; ignored my clear reservation request; did not indicate in their first email that they were totally booked for for the room type requested but had held a different room at a higher rate. Their lack of clarity caused me further delays and limited options of finding other places for this mid-January 2-night stay.

Any their response was to ignore my suggestion and indicate that if I wanted the reservation to submit credit card by email. Aside from not being interested in blowing the budget completely I'd certainly never use an un-secure method like email to submit credit card information.

I expect that I probably insulted them by my proposal or correspondence in behalf of my son. I also expect that those who stay with them have been genuinely happy. This is simply one experience but if it should become a pattern, it might of use to those considering this Haveli. While the actual service of a place during reservations may not predict what it will be like when actually staying with them, it does create a first impression. In my case it was a very poor first impression.

Edward

npjai

Pink Pearl is a resort 15 km out of Jaipur. Umaid Bhawan you have read about above. Bharat Mahal is opposite the Civil Lines railway crossing where all trains blow a whistle for several minutes. Havent been inside their rooms but wonder if anyone can sleep there with that kind of noise. Looks like a nice place from outside.

Interesting research though. How did you dig up Bharat Mahal & Pink Pearl?

__________________
Pax Vobiscum - May you go in peace!

ChocolatNY

don't know abt these places, i stayed at the Dera Rawatsar in Jaipur, i'd rate it at 3 and half star, it was very comfy and well appointed suite. paid arnd 1600 rs. (42 USD)