We’re in Jaipur today for Caroline’s latest blog on India…

With a bumpy three hour drive ahead of us, the staff at Vanyavilas were most concerned in case we suffered from travel sickness and four pills were duly produced, just in case. Their concerns proved unfounded and we enjoyed the trip through rural Rajasthan, where despite grinding poverty the women wear pure gold and silver on their arms and legs.

The Rajvilas lived up to expectations. The website’s description of a haven of mystical peace and natural serenity proved accurate. The hotel is built around an 18th century Shiva temple and for clientele of a spiritual slant morning yoga sessions and meditation were available.

After an afternoon drive round town seeing such sights as the Palace of the Winds and the State Parliament Building we headed back to the hotel and made good use of our sunken marble bath before dressing for dinner.

Marble bath and private terrace

Again the bar was a beautiful colonial style room, this time with lithographs of Maharajahs. After pre-dinner drinks we made our way through to the candle-lit courtyard where we were entertained by traditional Rajasthani dancers and musicians whilst we enjoyed yet another superb dinner of Cochin prawns as a starter and a lamb biryani, unlike any I had tasted before. A complimentary nightcap and tray of truffles in our beautiful room rounded off another memorable day.

The following day was our trip to Amber Fort, the epitome of picture-book Rajasthan. An early start again not only meant that we avoided the hottest part of the day and the crowds, but also gave us time to enjoy the superb surroundings of the hotel in the afternoon.

Breakfast!

Beautiful grounds alive with native bird life and vibrant flora, elegant courtyards with fountains, around which clusters of rooms are located, and intimate lounging areas around the pool all make for an ideal place to relax.

The hotel gardens

I would have been happy to stay put at the Rajvilas but an early flight to Udaipur awaited us, so after another wonderful meal by candlelight we retired to our four poster, still reliving our elephant trek to the Amber Fort.

Tomorrow sees our final post in what has been a special India week, so make sure you keep an eye out…