The best accommodations Rajasthan

Budget & Tips

The major tourist centers offer a vast choice of hotels, so there's something to suit every budget and taste. The prices quoted are for a double room in high season. But they should be treated with caution. Hoteliers have been playing catch-up since the Covid came out in 2022, and are now relying mainly on their domestic market rather than foreign tourists. On the other hand, India is not immune to inflation. As a result, prices are constantly fluctuating.

The Covid-19 crisis, which saw the country closed to tourists for 2 years, has left its mark. Prices exploded with the recovery in 2023, with fares almost systematically rising by 50%, if not 300%! The development of domestic tourism has kept the Indian hotel industry afloat while waiting for better days. As a result, hoteliers are no longer relying on international clientele, and it has become virtually impossible to negotiate prices, except in very cheap and often disreputable establishments.

Generally speaking, the cleanliness of budget hotels has improved, especially in establishments catering mainly to foreign tourists.

The abundance of hotels guarantees healthy competition, which keeps prices down. However, the introduction of a federal tax to supplement the local tax in 2017 is driving up prices for the end consumer, particularly in luxury establishments. The tax is 28% for rooms priced over Rs. 7,500, 18% for rooms priced between Rs. 2,500 and Rs. 7,500, and 12% for rooms priced between Rs. 1,000 and Rs. 2,500 per night. Most establishments display prices exclusive of taxes, to remain attractive.

In Rajasthan, expect to pay between Rs 750 and Rs 2,000 for a budget hotel. You'll get a clean room, private bathroom and towels. For a boutique hotel, expect to pay between Rs. 2,500 and Rs. 7,000 per night. In luxury hotels and palaces, expect to pay between Rs. 7,000 and Rs. 20,000 for a double room. These hotels are often housed in beautifully restored former maharaja palaces or sumptuous havelis.

Hotels in Delhi are very expensive. You won't find a decent room for less than Rs. 2,000. A comfortable room in a decent hotel or B&B will not cost less than Rs 5,000 a night.

Some small towns are singularly lacking in hotel and tourist infrastructure, as is the case in Mathura or Vrindavan, major pilgrimage centers where Indians come for the day or sleep in dharamsalas, hostels for pilgrims.

To be booked

It's essential to book in advance during the high season, between October and February, especially for charming, value-for-money accommodation in the cities. That said, you'll always find a room to stay in, even at the last minute, but perhaps not in the hotel you're looking for.

What's very local

Many Indians don't hesitate to share a double room with the rest of the family. They often cram in 4 or 5 people, to keep costs down. However, this practice is rarely tolerated by hoteliers when it comes to foreign tourists.

When you arrive at the hotel, you'll be asked to fill in a register with your name, address, length of stay and passport number. The hotelier is required to make a copy of your passport and complete an online form, C-Form.

For food lovers

Indians never eat sweet for breakfast, but savory. South Indian specialties such as uttapams and dosas are among the most popular Indian breakfasts. In hotels for tourists, you'll always have a choice of Indian dishes and bread, butter, jam or eggs at the buffet.

Smokers

Smoking is prohibited in establishments open to the public. In Delhi, it's even forbidden to smoke outdoors, which is not the case in Rajasthan.

Tourist traps

The auto-rickshaw drivers waiting for you outside train stations may try to convince you that the hotel you want to go to is closed, fully booked, burnt down... to take you somewhere else. Of course, this is not true. The hotel they want to take you to pays them a commission. Tell them you have a reservation to cut them off.

In some cities where there is a shortage of hotels, or during festival periods when all the hotels in the city are fully booked, your hotel may not have "received" your reservation. In reality, the hotel may have given your room to a higher bidder, or it may wish to increase the price of your night's stay, sometimes recklessly. When you make your reservation, ask for written confirmation of the dates, rate and inclusions. The day before your arrival, reconfirm your arrival and specify your arrival time.