HOTEL: Udaipur, Trident

Hotel searches for Udaipur, Rajasthan, bring up one name time and again: Taj Lake Palace Hotel. This 5 star Taj property, part of the TATA Indian conglomerate, has a near monopoly on incoming tourists eager to see the heart of Udaipur. Because I had heard so much about the hotel, it was surprising to see on our itinerary that my travel partner and I had been booked into the Trident Hotel. Situated on the edges of Lake Pichola, Trident Hotel commands an impressive view both on and off land.

Walk into the breezy lobby and you can’t help but notice the plethora of Hindu pendant lanterns hanging from the ceiling. These gorgeous lights were too numerous to count as they lined the lobby, the main hallway and the dining room. My interest in them went so deep as to purchase a similar style at Pottery Barn when I returned home in Fall 2005.

The rooms here are every bit 5 star in their finish and cleanliness. Crisp sheets on the beds, overstuffed towels in the bathroom and luxurious fabrics used for drapes and bed coverings made our room feel elegant India. Outside, the architecture is classic Indian. The hotel sits on 43 acres with walking paths carved into lush landscaping.

Hindu lanterns line the main hallway

A breakfast buffet is offered just off the lobby in the sun soaked dining room. Huge windows with magnificent views of the property add to the breakfast conversation. Fortunately espresso was available here upon request. The spread is as you would expect here: fresh fruits, yogurts, juices, breads, and other Western dishes as well as some lightly spiced Indian fare. For dinner, a buffet is an option in addition to an edited menu selection. Something was off during this meal whether it was my mood, or, the food really just wasn’t that great. Had I stayed longer I might have tried again but the options in the city are too numerous to be a repeat offender of hotel food.

The only issue my travel partner and I ran across came the morning we had an early flight to catch. We were assured the previous night that breakfast would be available before we needed to leave. However, most of the food items were not placed yet when we arrived for our meal. Our choices were quite limited from just the day before when we took our breakfast around 8 A.M. But if that was our worst problem here, I’d say Trident Hotel was just as good as Lake Palace any day.

© 2009 FullStopIndia.com India Travel Blog

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