My DH (dear husband) surprised me by taking us on a mini vacation to Mount Abu. Looking at my vast experience of hotel stays..thanks to my previous crew life..usually I am the one who plays a major role in deciding on hotels but this time my DH finalized the hotel and decided to keep it as a secret. I kept my fingers crossed wishing that the surprise is gonna be a fine one...oh pls god pls!!! After a scenic drive of about 3-4 hrs from Ahmadabad to Mount Abu we reached our hotel..well it was not a hotel..ha!! It was a freaking palace!!
We checked in ourselves in Palace Hotel (Bikaner House) for a night and two days. True to its name the palace was built in 1893 by the royal family of Bikaner. The Late Maharaja Dr.Karni Singh, the 23rd ruler of Bikaner (1924-1988), converted the Bikaner House into 'The Palace Hotel' in 1962. When you drive in the gates of the Bikaner House, you will see a stretch of green lush garden, birds chirping, silence of nature and you get an immediate feeling of slowly been taken away from the hustle and bustle of city life. The property exudes the charm of old world and takes you back in time.
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| Palace Hotel at dusk |
Accomodation
Our suite was huge with a vintage bedroom, dressing room, huge bathroom and a sitting room opening up to a private portico. I am very particular about cleanliness of bathroom and linen. Bathroom had modern fittings and was absolutely clean and well maintained. Though the toileteries were very basic and I wish I had not forgotten my vanity kit home. The hotel has about 33 rooms which are divided into Super Deluxe, Suites and Grand Suites. We had a chance to visit various rooms and we were told that each room is different. Below are the snapshots taken during the palace tour:
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| Our Suite |
Dining
Either one could dine in the open air or inside the hotel premises. The dining/restaurant was again a reminder of the elegant past, with beautiful interiors, crisp white table linen, neatly placed crockery and cutlery.The staff was hospitable and warm. They were dressed in their crisp uniforms which reminded me of royal discipline. The menu was not elaborate and consisted of Indian and Continental cuisine. We almost had all our meals at the hotel, all the meals that we had cannot be called gourmet meals but was satisfactory. Although I Continental is definitely not their specialty. I would advise travelers to stick to Indian cuisine. While dining there I just imagined, the history that this place must have witnessed.
Other Facilities
There is a lounge area where you can see the walls adorned by the portraits and pictures of the royal family. You may also request for some indoor games here. Or you can go out on a walk within the premises of the hotel which has some great views of the valley, you can sit there, order a drink or a beverage and have a quiet moment of your own.
Tariff
According to the hotel staff, the hotel is usually busy during the weekends and the tariffs may vary from season to season. The current tariffs are as follows:
Superior Deluxe Rs7900/-
Suites Rs9300/-
Grand Suites Rs14200/-
The above tariffs are for double occupancy and includes breakfast and taxes. For further details you may contact here
About Mount Abu
Mt.Abu is Rajasthan's only hill station situated at about 4000ft. The hill station was a summer holiday destination for royal families of Rajasthan. There are many temples on the hill, there is a wildlife park, there is a busy Nakki lake and the headquarters of the world famous Brahamakumaris is situated in Mt.Abu. My personal favorite activity was simply to go on a long drive!! We did not venture out much in Abu except having lunch on the way back home, at Hotel Hillock, which was great. We stayed within our hotel most of the time during our stay and simply enjoyed the beauty and grandeur of the palace and its outdoors.
How to get there
By Air: Nearest airport is 185 km in Udaipur but the best option would be Ahmadabad which is 221 km by road from Mount Abu. Ahmadabad has better air-connectivity compared to Udaipur.
By Road: Mount Abu is well connected with most of the major cities. If you are travelling to Mt.Abu from Ahmadabad, it is about 3-4hrs drive.
By Train: Mount Abu railway station is about 25 Km drive from the city and is connected to couple of major cities.
Or you may click here for any further assistance.
My Experience
I will not do justice by merely putting down words here, as you need to experience it on your own . Though Mt.Abu is relatively very small hill station but if you are looking for a quite, refreshing get away, to have a 'Me-time' with your loved ones then this heritage Hotel, Bikaner House is highly recommended. I had my fill of peace and tranquility. I feel revived and headed back home happily. Had some unexpected visitors on the way back!
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