More Traveler Reviews of Jagat Niwas Palace Hotel Udaipur
Great little Hotel
from boat01 on 2006-03-19
We were a little unsure about this hotel after reading some of the other review comments and on the whole I guess they give a fairly accurate picture. Our driver approached the hotel via several impossibly narrow alleyways and we walked the last 30yds past some shops and guest houses. The hotel is not perfect, there was a number of issues including a power cut each morning that we would have complained about at a 5 Star Hotel. However, we had checked that the lake was full and had booked a "superior deluxe lake view room" as suggested by others (thanks!). The room itself was simply furnished, but far better than we had hoped for with excellent views. The staff at the hotel spoke very good English, especially on the reception, which was a real bonus. The restaurant was excellent for both evening meals and breakfast (note the steps up to the restaurant are a bit steep). For a 3 Star hotel it was excellent, we really enjoyed our stay and would definitely go back.
The hotel is within easy walking distance of Palace and other sites in Udaipur. The small bookshop just outside the hotel was very useful and stocked much more than books!
Topline
from Palitana on 2006-02-28
My wife retired last January and to mark this we spent nearly six weeks doing a slightly offbeat trip in Rajasthan and Gujarat ending with nearly two weeks in Udaipur at Jagat Niwas.
We have been to India quite a lot and to Udaipur so we are able to make sensible comparisons. We have found the people here to be especially friendly and this applies to this hotel too. It is unusual for us to stay for more than a few nights in one place and the longer visit is well worth it. One starts to get to know people and very often they seem to know what you are going to do before you have decided yourself! This is by no means intrusive but helpful even to the point of arranging a rickshaw in case you had forgotten!
There was very little water in the lake at that time and we had a lake view room! It could be annoying for firstcomers but we found it good fun as there were camel races, a few flamingoes, caparisoned elephants and it was entertaining to watch the channel between the shore and the Lake Palace Hotel being dug to give the illusion of crossing water - not very James Bond!
Our elder daughter, who had not been to India before, was able to meet us in Udaipur and thoroughly enjoyed everything. Even the Holika Festival which can be difficult for women went well.
The Jagat Niwas Hotel was excellent throughout our long and special stay. That comment applies to everyone we got to know.
I hope we shall be able to go again soon.
Beautiful
from A TripAdvisor User on 2006-01-18
We lucked out with an excellent room. It was on the ground floor, right on the water, next to the courtyard. It had twin beds with an additional window-bed overlooking the lake -- perfect for three women.
Service was friendly, and the food was good. It was also in a peaceful part of town without much road traffic. I'd be happy to stay there again.
Horrible, Horrible, Horrible!!!!
from JJosephAlexandria_VA on 2006-01-15
If you are looking for a budget-style youth hostel, you may be happy with the Jagat Niwas. If you are looking for anything more upscale, this is NOT the place for you.
We booked a room here for two nights in Udaipur through our travel agent -- the Jagat Niwas was billed as a former palace now converted into an Indian Heritage-style haveli. Accordingly, we were not expecting the amenities of a five-star hotel in the West -- we fully appreciated that there would be some "rustic" elements to the hotel.
However, when we checked in, we were appalled. The clerks at the front desk spoke barely passable English. Our room was located in a wing separate from the hotel's main courtyard, with its own entrance to the main alley to the hotel. Our door did not have a lock; instead, you had to secure it with a padlock. Our room consisted of a flimsy mattress on a spare bedframe. A television was hoisted at the very top of the wall, the kind you see in a hospital room. That was the extent of amenities in the room. The telephone only worked ocassionally. All through the evening and into the night, we could hear plenty of noise from the street and our fellow hotel guests, whose loud conversations drifted into our room.
If we were right out of college and looking for a quintessential backpacking experience, maybe this would have been OK. The Jagat Niwas needs to engage in truth in advertising -- it is nothing more than a youth hostel. There was no evidence we saw that this hotel was ever a former Maharaja palace.
Great Hotel - Avoid the Manicure!
from DiamondGeezers on 2006-01-08
We stayed two nights at the Jagat Niwas. When we first arrived at the hotel we were shown a dark room that was located somewhere over the entrance of the hotel that reeked of smoke. We refused to accept this room and were instead given a room off the courtyard. The room did not have much light, but it and the attached bathroom were large and clean. The rest of the hotel was also very pleasant. There is a restaurant with a lake view. The hotel is located in the heart of the old town, close to The City Palace. Based on our experience and other reviews, it appears as if the standard of rooms in the hotel is very varied - we would definitely recommend the hotel, but you should try to get some commitment as to the room beforehand (non-smoking, lake view, etc.)
One other note: My wife had one hour to kill one afternoon while I napped. She decided to get one of the hotel-advertised manicures. This was a mistake! The "manicurist" massaged her arms with some sort of soap that caused a rash. She also had only two types of nail polish which she slapped on all over my wife's fingers. My wife then discoved that the hotel did not have any nail polish remover to rectify their mistake. Sadly, another example of a hotel in India trying to extract a few extra dollars for a service that they do not actually know how to provide. Assuming you can avoid this (and other similar pitfalls), this is a great hotel!
Some rooms are very small
from msague on 2006-01-05
This is a beautiful hotel with a fantastic restaurant. We had two rooms. Both were small. Room 111 had a great view of the lake and was confortable. The other room was like a prision cell with ceilings so low, my 15 year old kept bumping his head. He asked to be moved to a different room and we got another the next day, which was still very small but at least my son could move around without injury.
Rooms were very clean. Staff was very helpful.
Have dinner one night at the hotelīs restaurant and another day go to a restaurant called Savage Garden. Itīs fantantic food and atmosphere.
Loved Jagat Niwas
from A TripAdvisor User on 2005-12-30
This place is very busy and it's almost impossible to get in without a booking during December/January period. We had a suite the first day because we arrived a day earlier than expected and it was large, clean, and nicely decorated. The hot water wasn't too great as it ran out fairly quickly during a shower. We switched to a standard room the next day which was a lot smaller but still clean. It was a lot noisier and darker than the suite though. The room service was excellent and the food was awesome with a great menu which was very reasonably priced. Hotel staff was friendly and helpful and the view from the restaurant was amazing ... especially since the lake was full. Mosquitos show up at night but the rooftop part of the restaurant seems to attract less of them than the bottom part. Nice atmosphere all around and it's very conveniently located near the tourist sites. I highly recommend this hotel.
Beautiful, simple surrounds and excellent service
from A TripAdvisor User on 2005-10-12
The views out over the lake, the restaurant and the simplicity and cleanliness of the hotel, make this a must-do for any Udaipur visitor. The staff are courteous and very service orientated as well.
Jagat Niwas Hotel
from wwroam on 2005-09-24
The room was comfortable for this heritage style hotel, big bathrooms and plenty of hot water. Not as 'ethnic" as some. The view from the rooftop deck (above the dining pavilion) was spectacular, taking in the City Palace and the Lake Palace Hotel. Unfortunately droughts in Rajastan and the lake was dry.
Charming View
from Chrissybear on 2005-01-04
We had room 110 - try to get this room it overlooks the lake - towards the floating Lake Palace Hotel - where they filmed Octopussy. Unfortunately there was not much water in the lake when we went - mainly drybank. The room was delightful though. Two huge single antique beds and a wonderful window seat with cushions and a low table - could have got about 8 people into the space.
A very good reasonable restaurant with fantastic views over the lake. Down a small alley. The staff were extremely helpful and went out of their way to help - nothing was too much trouble. Would definately go back especially if more water in the Lake.
