Just info about Udaipur and Jodhpur

metoo

Instead of giving you a detailed account of my traveling adventure in Udaipur and Jodhpur, I like to write about tips that may help other travellers.

Udaipur- I stayed at Mewar Haveli hotel for 2 nights. Nice place but you don't need to pay extra for a view of Lake Palace. You can see if from any roof top restaurants. Very close to City Palace. Best to hire your own auto rickshaw and pay 50 rps from train station to hotel than to pay for the service through the hotel which was 100 rps.
My experience in my week of India is that every auto rickshaw driver wants to be your friend and is very pleasant but he seems to ignore your request for the sightseeing part and will take you shopping and receive at least 40 to 60 % commission.

Best place for miniature painting is Shreenarth on city palace road right outside the palace. Prakeesh and his son work there and is recommended by Frommers. Very honest and good quality work. I bought 3 items.

There is a travel agency store about a block away from city palace which offers good prices for Udaipur to Jodhpur with stopovers at the fort and jain temple (2500 rps for non ac car and driver). I paid 2750 rps through booking of hotel.

You probably don't need to book in advance. We stopped by one heritage hotel near city palace for 1000 rps per night and he offered us 700 rps since it was vacant.

Jodhpur- Omelette man is the best. He charges 25 rps for marsala cheese omelet which is sooooo delicious and cheap. He is right at the lst gate by the clock tower. Bottle water should be 10 rps.

I bought 100% pashmina shawl for 1800 rps. fixed price and recommended by a tourist I met at Udaipur. It's called Baba Emporium just outside lst gate. Geez, i think it is a good price after paying 3 times the price at Varanasi (place taken by autorickshaw driver)

Hotel to train station is 30rps.

mjothi

Thanks mate.

Short and clear infos. Will surely help people like us planing to visit there.

I heard that you normally get good and decent hotel for less or around 1000rs in there. So seems its true.

Cheers

metoo

Know your material before you buy pashmina. Very easy to get ripped of like I have a couple to times.

In Jodhpur, best to take a rickshaw to the Clock tower (where all the happening is) and go to hotels and negotiate for good rates. I booked mine on hostelbooker.com and paid 1500 rps per night which i am very content with till i met a young couple paying 800 rps per night for the same room. They didn't have a prepaid booking.

roseyc

Thanks Metoo.
My friend and I need to travel between Pushkar and Udaipur to connect with a flight to Mumbai. We thought a car and driver with overnight stay and city tour before airport transfer in the afternoon.
Travel is Jan 10th leave Pushkar for flight next day.
What would be the travel time from Pushkar? Does anyone know anything about Hotel Krishna Niwas, Udaipur - we liked the idea of their cooking class!
Have been quoted 8900INR (by 4WD India)and 6500INR (Gajraj)from 2 different companies for the car and driver, but it seems expensive compared to what others have paid. The car is an Indigo.
Any suggestions/ comments would be welcomed. Thanks very much.

metoo

I am at the end of my india tour and will be on the plane in 4 hours. I find that it is best to go to a travel agency when you get to the city to find the best price for car for hire. If your hotel does it, they will call the travel agency and charge you a commission.

roseyc

Thanks Metoo, I wasn't sure if it would be ok to do that given it is peak season

metoo

There are many more car for hire than tourists who need a car.
Also, try Omellete man by the lst gate at the clock tower in Udaipur. 25 rps for the best marsala cheese omellete.

TimMakins

I'm staying in Jodhpur at the moment, in the Hotel Arun, 5 minutes walk from the station (turn right). Cost just 300R/night for single with attached bath and TV - one of the cleanest I've been in at this category. They also have a nice dining room on 1st floor, with delicious veg thali (2 veg, dhal, curd, papad, rice, 4 chapatti, pickle, salad) at 55 and for bfast: omlette, 2 toast, and tea pot for 24 - pretty good. It doesn't make me sick, either haha.

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roseyc

Thanks Metoo,
I actually had the same advice back in an email from Namaste India who said they couldn't help as they were based in Delhi. I appreciated them taking the time to reply and reassure me. Feel much happier about it all now and will certainly try Omelette Man.
Hope you are back safely.
Happy travels for next time.
Cheers
Roseyc

metoo

we booked at mewar havelis in Udapipur. I wouldn't do it again. We walked a couple of short blocks and found a heritage hotel with a room for 1000 rps and he said he would reduce it to 700 rps. Much nicer than our room and we paid 3000 rps.

Supersun007

what was the name of the haveli that offered you room for 700. Thanks

mazha

More on the Omlette Man.

http://specials.rediff.com/money/200...elette-man.htm

anonymouse

I stayed at the Govind Hotel, near the station. They had a variety of rooms, I paid Rs700 for a nice room on the roof. The restaurant is a good place to hang out while waiting for a late train or bus.

Guide books indicate that auto-rickshaw drivers don't like taking you to the Govind as the hotel doesn't pay commission. Personally I didn't have any problems. I asked the taxi driver to take me to the GPO as recommended and he asked "oh do you mean the Govind", and charged Rs50 from Bombay Motor Circle.

I ate at the Midtown Restaurant, which did a good Thali. Wish I'd tried the Omelette man for breakfast. :-)