The Oberoi Udaivilas

Arriving at the Oberoi Udaivilas is like an occasion. The hotel chauffeur, awaiting guests at the airport, steers the limousine into teh town alongside a private jetty from where guests are then ferried across the lake in an elegant hotel boat. the resort looks enchanting by the day: splendid and warm sunny colours crowned with a forest of pointed pumpkin-shaped towers. At night, The Oberoi Udavilas is transformed into a dream. The palace extends along the bank with a golden glow and its reflection in the lake is magical. When crossing the lake, if you find yourself wondering where the architectural inspiration for this fairy-tale holiday destination came from, you have to look back at the Udaipur, the "City of the Rising Sun", capital of the former kingdom of Mewar.

As you cross the lake, it is wonderful to be able to imagine what palace life would have been like, because its precisely the splendor of a Mewar residence that awaits guests of The Oberoi Udaivilas, combined of course with all the luxurious amenities of the 21st century. The curves of its grandiose golden dome rise up high creating a luminous space above four-arm crystal chandelier. The marble shimmera and karoli sandstone. The decorative floral frieze created with a technique unique to Thekri is simply wonderful and the central marble fountain is also white. The multi-paned bow windows afford views of the lake and the Aravalli Mountains.

Leading to the rooms are corridors line with 450 stone pillars, each one crafted entirely by hand. The rooms too are to stately. One is surrounded by furniture designed exclusively for the Oberoi Udavilas, hand knotted carpets and exquisite Indian Art. Even the Deluxe rooms are palatial and spacious and have marble bathrooms with freestanding bathtubs, private courtyard and balconies. The most most spacious and exclusive accomodation at the Oberoi Udavilas is Occupants of the Kohinoor Suite. The suite has two bedrooms, a living room with two fireplaces and a view of the City Palace, mountains and the lakes.

The culinary side is cosmopolitan and authentic. Guest at The Oberoi Udavilas have a choice of two different restaurants, the Udaimahal and the Suryamahal, both in the colours typical of the rich, livinng culture of Rajasthan and India. Overarching both are beautiful domes. The main restaurant is the Suryamahal serves excellent international cuisine, and the Udaimahal serves traditional fare of northern India and Rajasthan. The menu was composed after researching historic royal Mewar cooking. In the courtyard, dining under a starry night is a romantic experience, which is often accompanied by dancing and music, displays by torchlight.

The Oberoi Udaivilas Spa offers holistic therapies designed to rstore harmony to mind, body and spirit. Healing oils with massage reinvigorates the body and detoxifies the whole system. Treatment for face and hands is also combined with a cranial massage. The spa has a truly regal splendor. In such magnificient surroundings that is someone pampered in an atmosphere which conveys, the cultural legacy of a famous Indian ruling dynasty, will want to see the original thing at the same point. One of the musts visit is an excursion across the lake into the town. You can admire the view of Jagmandir and jag Niwas, it was the two 17th century island palaces. The Jagdish Temple built in 1651 and dedicated to the god Vishnu has a beauty all of its own. Become satiated with the fabolously preserved Indian culture. But that isn't all. Enjoy the reputation of being a city of colourful bazaars heaving Oriental life-you can call it a paradise for those who regard extended shopping trips as a major source of holiday pleasure.