Udaipur Pics #2

I went around Udaipur a bit, especially around the lake. It is an enchanting place, very romantic in the evenings especially when the sun sets.

I tried my hand in shopping but that did not work out well - the paintings were overpriced.

Nevertheless, I am sure that Udaipur ought to be in one’s India itinerary. Its regal splendour would charm most people.

Some more pics here for your viewing pleasure - you can see that one needs a Digital SLR instead of ordinary Digital Cameras for such shots. But given the compactness and convenience of small digital cameras, one can’t complain too much. Here you go !

DSC07552, originally uploaded by vjsri99.

The Lake Palace - beautiful in its white splendour and solitude in the middle of the Lake…….

DSC07576, originally uploaded by vjsri99.

Lovely Sunset from the banks of the Udaipur Lake - in the background is the Lake Palace

DSC07582, originally uploaded by vjsri99.

Fateh Prakash Palace Hotel

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Beautifully lit lake palace at Sunset

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Garlanded landing station for boats

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Fabulously lit Pichola Palace on the lake

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Inside the courtyard of the Pichola Lake Palace

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Entrance of the Pichola Lake Palace

Enjoy the pics, and do visit Udaipur !

Cheers

Vijay Srinivasan
22 December 2007
Mumbai

Udaipur Pics #1 (Udaivilas)

Sometimes, one wishes to be a King.

If you are one of the folks who would like to temporarily feel like a King, then one of the best places to go (in India) would be Udaipur. Actually, Udaipur is a small town in the State of Rajasthan. The State is famous for its palaces and forts, and ofcourse, the eternal city of Jaipur also known as the “Pink City”. Jaipur is the capital city of the State.

If you wish to be a modern King, then again Udaipur offers the Oberoi Udaivilas Hotel, a modern grandeur on the lines of the traditional fortress looking structures of Rajasthan. It is a wonderful experience to stay in this Hotel and enjoy the service levels that one can only dream about in other 5-Star Hotels around the world. Oberoi is anyway known for outstanding service and courtesy. While the grand entrance astounds the senses, I was not impressed by the lobby area which was quite small for a King’s presence. The fusion of modernity with the elegance and tradition of Rajasthani palace was a bit jarring at some places around the Hotel. This is not really a King’s Palace outsourced like many others around Rajasthan to hoteliers who convert the same into grand hotels without destroying the original beauty and elegance. Udaivilas is a newly conceived palace. Take a look at the pics below :

DSC07507, originally uploaded by vjsri99.

Oberoi Udaivilas View

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The Swimming Pool area

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Beautiful Courtyard

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Garden View

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Breakfast at 8 deg Celsius !

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At the entrance

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Intricate Structural Beauty

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A view of the entrance

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The Grand Entrance to the Hotel

DSC07636, originally uploaded by vjsri99.

One feels like a King !

I took more than 50 pics of the Hotel…….it’s again a great experience to visit Udaipur and stay in this outstanding Hotel, recommended strongly.

Have A Wonderful Weekend Folks,

Cheers

Vijay Srinivasan
16th December 2007
Mumbai

Udaipur Weekend

I was at Udaipur all of this weekend.

Stayed at the famed Oberoi Udaivilas, rated as the second best hotel in the world by Conde Nast Traveller, a leading travel publication “Conde Nast Gold List 2006″ . The description here states that it is a “A newly built Mewari-style palace hotel complete with gilt domes, fountains, colonnades and hand-painted murals. Located on Lake Pichola, across the water from Udaipur, Udaivilas is set in 30 acres of immaculate grounds.”

While it was a great hotel by several measures, it has its own idiosyncracies which I discovered. I will outline these along with the photographs I took in the next blogpost. The hotel website is located at “Oberoi Udaivilas” .

Cheers

Vijay Srinivasan
9th December 2007
Mumbai