Rooms

Live like royalty as you languidly lounge in the dreamy rooms. Scattered around the building, they vary in size, shape and design but all are colourful and unique, with intricate marble and woodwork. All rooms are decorated in a classic style that perhaps looks a little ‘chintzy’ today, but it’s all in keeping with the age of the hotel. Bathrooms have an old world aesthetic: slipper bathtubs and big powerful showers.

The Deluxe Rooms are the cheapest, with adequate space and charming décor, though some can be a bit too dark for our liking. Paying a bit more will get you one of the large Deluxe Suites, with a sitting area and possibly a balcony and dressing room. Really splashing out? Then opt for one of the spectacular Royal Suites on the top floor, which have private balconies, Jacuzzis, vast lounges and large TVs. As befits a palace they are stunningly and tastefully decorated with some of Jaipur's finest block-printed fabrics covering carved or four-poster beds.

Thoughtful touches include hot-water bottles for cold nights, fruit baskets, coffee machines, a jar of cookies, and mosquito coils for the warmer months. You'll also find DVD players and a wide library of films to choose from. The room we reigned in (a Royal Suite) overlooked the walled garden and valley; other rooms have balconies and views of the village, the mountains or Samode fort.

Features include:

• Fan
• Hairdryer
• Minibar
• Safe box
• WiFi

Eating

The food at Samode Palace is a feast of Indian and Continental dishes. For casual dining, a breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffet is served in the collonnaded dining room. This is a great option for those with good appetites, though smaller appetites may find it a little overpriced.

Fruit salads, Bircher muesli, warm pastries, eggs to order or a Full English are all available for breakfast, as are a selection of hot Indian favourites. A veritable feast of Rajasthani (lentil, vegetable, lamb, chicken) curries and accompaniments are laid out for lunch and dinner, whilst assorted baskets of rotis, papad, and naan whizz around the dining room.

In recent years the western menus have improved a lot. You’ll find a choice of healthy modern inclusions from courgette spaghetti to sautéed vegetables, as well as staple favourites like vegetable bakes - welcome respite from the heavy hotel food that most travellers experience throughout Rajasthan.

Table d'hôte and à la carte meals are also available, and we’d recommend doing this from time to time. Or dine in the speciality restaurant, where the chefs really show their skills. We tucked into a tasty red and yellow pepper soup, okra tempura and mutton Daruwalla. Those with a sweet tooth will revel in the Kashmiri chilli chocolate fondant.

Features include:

• Bar
• Restaurant
• Room service
• Vegetarian options

Activities

• Take a tour of the palace rooms to see their incredible frescoes, ornate ceilings and mirror-work - the exquisite Durbar Hall, the Diwan-i-Khas (halls of private audience) and the Sheesh Mahal (hall of mirrors) are not to be missed
  
  
• Recline beside the tranquil marble and mosaic pool while sipping a cocktail, rejuvenate in the Jacuzzi, or watch the sun set from a daybed by the rooftop infinity pool
  
  
• Soothe your mind and body with an Ayurvedic treatment or a Balinese aromatherapy massage
  
  
• Wander around the cobbled lanes of Samode village
  
  
• Take a horse-riding expedition or camel safari in the surrounding countryside, or treat yourself to a hot-air balloon ride and get a bird's eye view of it all
  
  
• Scramble up to the hilltop fort for breathtaking views across the valley and back towards the palace
  
  
• Book a special dinner in the nearby sand dunes, and you'll be entertained by dancers as you dine
  
  
• Spend the day at sister property Samode Bagh, with its fine Mughal-style gardens, grass tennis court and cool pool. Its restaurant is very good; in fact, we had our best Rajasthani curry here
  
  
• Jaipur’s famed monkey temple is just 3 km away. Go with a guide (mostly for stick- wielding purposes)
  
  
• Sightseeing excursions and onward travel can be arranged to the historic 'pink city' of Jaipur (with monuments and exceptional shopping opportunities), as well as Amber and Jaigarh Forts, Ramgarh Lake and Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Birdwatching
• Historical sites
• Hot air ballooning
• Shopping / markets
• Swimming
• Tennis
• Traditional cultures
• Well being
• Wildlife

Kids

The hotel welcomes children of all ages. Extra beds, cots and babysitting can be arranged for an extra charge, and there's a children's pool.

Best for:

All ages

Family friendly accommodation:

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Samode Palace is set 42km northwest of Jaipur, in the small village of Samode in Rajasthan. It's approximately an hour by car from the city.

By Air
Jaipur Sanganer (56km away) has internal flights from most Indian cities. Delhi Indira Gandhi (250km away) is the nearest international airport.

From the Airport
The hotel is happy to arrange transfers (at an extra cost) from the airport. Please enquire when booking.

By Train
You can reach Jaipur by rail from Delhi, Mumbai (Bombay), Jodhpur and Sawai Madhopur. It takes 4.5-6 hours to get there from Delhi or Jodhpur by rail, depending on whether or not your train is one of the faster Express ones. From the station it's a 1-hour car/taxi journey; the hotel can arrange transfers.

By Road
It's an easy drive from Jaipur, Neemrana, Kishangarh and Pushkar, and a longer drive from Shekavati, Delhi, Agra, Nimaj and Deogarh. If you want to book a car and driver for your entire trip around Rajasthan, enquire through our Tailormade Tour Operator.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.