The lack of private or tourist vehicles in the parking lot immediately told me the prices were either too high, the food was of bad taste, the portions were too small or it was a combination of all reasons. If a new dhaba were to open with smart pricing, large portions and great tasting food you can rest assured drivers from Tamil Nadu to Kashmir will spread the word with lightening authority.

Immediately inside the cavernous building is a snack section selling everything from chips to soda to packaged sweets as a one-last-chance-sale for easily duped tourists. Just beyond this section is the toilets A.K.A. the only bright spot of a stop at Tiger Treat Resorts. Neat and clean, and very spacious, this is what pulls in tourist buses yet it doesn’t justify what comes next. Moving from the front lobby toward the dining hall guests cannot help but pass through a gift shop stocked with the usual tourist schlock this side of the Ganges. For a dhaba stuck between one of North India’s most famous cities and one of North India’s most famous tiger reserves, the amount of “unique items which can only be found right here” was staggering. Even more staggering were the prices. And even more staggering than that? Tourists dressed in t-shirts, shorts and vecro closure sneakers were snapping up these ‘treasures’ as if they hadn’t just been trucked in overnight from Jaipur.

As expected, one look at the slick menu proved my first suspicion that the prices were entirely too high. If I were traveling alone I would have left at that moment of seeing roti being sold for Rs 40. But I wasn’t, and both of my traveling friends were hungry. We’d have to suffer through this with clenched teeth. Two of us decided on veg thali while the third ordered veg biryani and one Coke. Assuming we were at a dhaba run by self respecting Rajasthani gentlemen this meal would have cost no more than Rs 400. I priced the veg thali at Rs 125 each, the biryani at Rs 80 and the Coke at Rs 50. Alas, the total bill amounted to Rs 1098. I paid the bill but not before arguing that the price of Coke at Rs 100 was entirely too high when I can buy it chilled for Rs 27 at any market. And I may have thrown in that the spices were non-existent and portions only big enough for a small child to enjoy.

In the end I warn you not to patronize Tiger Treat Resorts unless you enjoy overpaying for the opportunity to eat marginal tasting Indian food in a stark hall with inadequate service at a place owned by non-locals. Instead try any handful of dhabas closer to Jaipur if you’re heading Northbound or wait just one hour more to reach your hotel near Ranthambore Tiger Reserve.

Fresh out of the car and into the market, I was ready to shop during my 3 day adventure here. Shops upon shops have sprung up from this desert locale (far in the western reaches of Rajasthan) catering to tourist’s tastes; jewelry, writing journals, scarves, clothing and bedding, it can all be found in Jaisalmer. Only problem is, Jaisalmer is not the place to find such things. Jewelry is brought over from Jaipur, Delhi, and Agra. Journals are either local or brought in from Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. Scarves are brought in once again from Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir. Clothing is trucked in from a variety of places other then Jaisalmer. And bedding? That comes from Jaipur and Jodhpur. The only item unique to Jaisalmer are leather bags.

Shopkeepers know they have a captive audience. Tourists both domestic and foreign are instantly drawn to abundant supplies of hand stitched leather goods. “How much?” They yell from one stall to the other. “Too much! Too much!” I can hear as I walked the market. It’s nearly impossible to ascertain a true value for each item as each shop owner pits their customers against the other shop owners, and the quality of items varies as vastly as the Thar Desert extends beyond Jaisalmer. Foreigners stop each other in the streets to compare styles, and swap prices while exchanging notes on where to buy more leather goods. Inevitably one person paid too much while the other garnered a perceived “deal” for their find.

As for bargaining, a mention of the word discount could have you evicted from a shop. Jaisalmer shop owners hold long engrained attitudes from years past when the influx of tourists seemed endless. Now, as times change from worldwide economic woes and traffic footfalls to Jaisalmer decrease, shopkeepers have turned surly, sour to shoppers who look for a bargain before parting with their hard earned money.

Anil Leather House, located in Sadar Bazar, Gope Chowk, is stocked with bags, shoes, hats, sandals and just about any other leather item you can imagine. Owner Anil is a quick witted, sly man who was born to sell. His prices are higher than most while his quality is conversely lower then his competition. Use his shop as a starting point for product pricing before moving on for comparison shopping. Any discounts are hard fought victories. You must be sharp tongued and ready for battle here.

The Perfect Leather House, located near Police Chowki (near fort parking) is also run by a natural born salesmen. However, his technique is distasteful, dark and cynical. On the bright side, his products are superior to Anil Leather house with higher quality stitching, more unique styles, and overall better finishing details. Unfortunately his distaste for foreign customers is alarmingly obvious and the only way to earn a discount is by playing his cat and mouse game for days on end.

So where is the “best” place to buy Jaisalmer leather bags? I can only tell you don’t be fooled by the tricks of the trade.

• Shop the city first
•  Don’t make any purchases on your first day
•  Get a feeling for the difference in quality between shops
• Take a business card from each store, write quotes on backside
• Bargain aggressively using quoted pricing from business cards as proof
• Don’t let shopkeepers see you with other purchases if possible

Pulled to the roadside with traffic whizzing past in the usual Indian frantic manner, it took some minor arguing to convince him to turn around. Just 1 day into a tightly packed itinerary I wrote prior to arrival in Delhi, we were already behind schedule. It felt as if there was something more to his hesitation. Minutes later our car bumped along the pothole laden, washed out road extending 2 kms from the highway to the fort hotel. Kesroli Hill Fort can be seen in the distance before passing through the tiny village settled along the road flanked on both sides by fields stretching to the horizon. Inquisitive villagers scan the car for a glimpse of its occupants, a potentially unsettling feeling for tourists on a first time tour of India.

Our white tourist vehicle, with it’s identifying yellow tourist number plate, pulled into a small parking lot against the outer wall of the hotel. Several private cars with their identifying white number plates were already in residence at 4 PM. My suspicions were elevated. A strikingly good looking, tall man greeted me wearing a traditional button down kurta and pajama pants. Pointing me toward the office I made my way up the steep rock steps. There was nothing but silence upon reaching the main courtyard. For that many vehicles you would expect to see several smiling faces of travelers fresh from a day of sightseeing. Now in the office I stumbled upon a rather tall Indian woman. She was dressed in skin tight blue jeans and a fitted t shirt, a scarf wrapped around her neck, and sunglasses covering her eyes. My arrival had startled her. She was jumpy, looking back at me and the camera around my neck several times. She curtly over-spoke the manager in an effort to end the conversation between themselves. And just like that, she breezed past and out the office door.

“I’m thinking of staying here after my sightseeing in Alwar is complete. Do you have guest rooms that I can see before hand?”, I asked. This was a regular conversation I’ve had with countless front desks across India. But it was the first time I had been met with such a sense of disinterest. A staff member led me to 3 rooms to preview, all of which were lovely with the necessary amenities for a western traveler. There was still not a soul to be seen other than the matching uniformed staff. The dining room was empty, the courtyard was empty. Where did the lady whom I had just encountered rushed off to? Were all of the cars in front owned by the employees? Surely not.

Back in the office the manager coyly answered my questions about the property albeit completely uncaring in my experience at their sister-property in Pondicherry. “Do you have available rooms for tonight”, I asked, not sure if the rooms viewed were reserved. “Yes”, he replied.  But in a twist that had me scratching my head he stated I would have to contact the central office for a reservation. I excused myself from the office, turned and made my way back down the front steps toward the parking lot.

Heritage hotel renting rooms by the hour? This is not the part of Incredible India! for tourists.

My driver had the car facing the road, running idle as if he was an accomplice in a bank heist. Barely in the door he was pulling away while asking about the last 10 minutes inside. As I explained my thoughts and suspicions we turned back onto the highway toward Alwar. And that’s when he spent the next 30 minutes explaining why Fort Kesroli Hotel is well known among the locals. You see, unmarried Indian couples cannot book a hotel room in India. This part was not new to me. Learning that there are some hotels away from the major metro areas such as Delhi, who look the other way when wealthy Indian couples come knocking, was entirely new to me. The suspicions I had regarding the private cars in the parking lot were accurate. Those were men and women who escaped the city to enjoy a night or even a few hours of time alone without hassle from hotel owners or fear of police intervention. City folk are virtual unknowns in these parts of Rajasthan, 150 kms from Delhi metro. The jittery woman I met in the office? She wasn’t expecting to see a foreign tourist at that time of day. The lack of faces around the property? All the guests were Delhi locals behind closed doors who came for one reason.

Hill Fort Kesroli Hotel is charming, neat and clean and certainly relaxing. It’s location in proximity to Alwar, Deeg and Bharatpur is logistically not the best match for easy sightseeing between the cities unless travelers are actively taking the relaxed route through Rajasthan. But the real reason to avoid this property lies in the uncomfortable atmosphere created as a result of the hotel’s customer base. This isn’t political statement or critique about the actions of these consensual adults. Part of the fun of traveling is getting to know new people from around the world and India. There isn’t much fun in patronizing a hotel with guests hiding behind closed doors as you unknowingly crash a silent party. This isn’t a place for traveling families or females. And it won’t be a place for me.

Together with the main building (Shahi Palace) and 2 sister properties (Hotel Star Haveli & Hotel Oasis Haveli) within short walking distance, Shahi Palace promises rooms starting from Rs 350 up to Rs 1850. But upon my arrival with no advance booking, the only rooms available were priced at Rs 1550 and Rs 1850, the highest end of the scale. I was met by very curious faces and an almost resistant attitude behind the front desk to show me the rooms. My options were in the newer built haveli buildings fitted with carved doorways and windows finished with brightly lit accent alcoves displaying regional art. Colorful silk drapes perfectly framed windows and dark wood doors seal entry to all rooms. Blended with the famous Jaisalmer golden stone, the newer buildings are rich, delicious to the eye and spotlessly clean. Although I knew there were budget options available, I had been targeted as a rich American. There was no break on the pricing (even with a 3 night stay) but assuaged with information the entire property was sold out the following night. Because of my commitment to 3 nights, they would bump that booking.

Guest rooms are perfectly comfortable in this dusty desert city on the western edge of Rajasthan. Large, spacious beds with crisp linens make sleeping an easy feat if it weren’t for the endless barking dogs throughout the night. Large bathrooms come with western toilets and showers. However, be sure to rise early for enough hot water to satisfy even the shortest showers. Unfortunately there are no TV’s to catch up on world news but all 3 buildings are equipped with WiFi.*

Breakfast is not included in the room rates. Tax is extra if paying with a credit card (a practice which is against their merchant agreement policy). *WiFi is not included in the room rate, a small incidental not shared with me until after I had agreed to the room even though I specifically asked if there was WiFi. Rates are billed at Rs 30 per hour. Guests must buy blocks of time from the front desk where a username and password must be generated to allow individual WiFi access. A public computer is available in each building which was in constant use during my stay. Room service is not available in the sister properties. Want a cup of chai to start your day? You’ll need to walk over to the rooftop of Shahi for that. In fact, if you want anything to eat outside of Shahi Palace, you’ll be required to patronize the rooftop restaurant.

The hub of the operations lies at Shahi Palace. From here the bookings for rooms, safaris and any other reservations travelers require are completed. Bills are settled here and the rooftop restaurant is accessed from this building. Both Haveli accommodations are tended by a staff member who is posted inside the efficient lobbies of each building. From this post they greet guests, answer questions, provide additional towels & soap, and in theory watch the safety of paying guests, turning away strangers from the front door. But the younger Indian male on staff in my building took a liking to the younger Spanish female guests who arrived the same day as me. His demeanor initially went from smile filled greetings and questions about my comfort to uncomfortable displays of affection inside the haveli lobby. The following days saw him sleeping throughout the day and spending his nights in the female’s guest room. So much for making my stay in Jaisalmer unforgettable.

View from Hotel Oasis Haveli of Jaisalmer Fort

Finally, the camel bookings at Shahi are grossly inflated from market prices nearby the fort. A reservation inquiry email from Shahi quoted me rates from Rs 500 to Rs 1050 for Camel and Jeep safaris. In person, those rates were quoted as Rs 800 to Rs 1700 for the same services.

With recommendations by several leading guide books as well as travel websites, Shahi Palace may have once been motivated to satisfy their guest’s needs. Today it’s a business run with indifference, relying on the constant stream of tourists who trust what they read. Contradictory pricing, hidden fees, lack of standard services at other lesser priced guest houses/hotels, and staff who partake in extra curricular activities before the comfort of their salary paying guests make Shahi Palace and it’s sister properties (Hotel Star Haveli & Hotel Oasis Haveli) an accommodation to be skipped.

Fifty-three percent (53%) of travelers on TripAdvisor do not recommend Hotel Breeze Residency, and I couldn’t agree more. While doing my pre-trip research Stateside, a brief perusal of the hotel’s website looked and read like any other mid-range property. Though in reality, this older hotel has seen much better days.

From the haphazard check-in process, to the non-English speaking bellman, to the first sight of our room, I was thankful we had only one night in Trichy. Although the room size was spacious, and the amount of storage was abundant, there was an overall cleanliness issue starting in the guest room and continuing into the bath. This bathroom was in need of a remodel at the very least. Leaky faucets combined with walls and floors covered in mildew and rust stains were far from the promised “luxury and hospitality at it’s best”.

My travel partner insisted we change rooms, yet I assured her after looking at the hotel’s location near the city’s main bus terminal, this was our best option. To prove my point we made the short walk next door to Hotel Tamil Nadu, where room rates were 1/3 of Breeze’s. Small, cramped and dirtier than any budget room I’ve encountered in India, the issue was put to rest and we stuck it out in our original spot for one night.

Wifi was available as advertised but for an unexpected nightly charge. Connectivity was something of a challenge given the signal dropped constantly and was painfully slow when running. On the bright side, both beds were comfortable offering a full night’s rest. Plus the ensuite bathroom had full time running hot water with a shower.

Food options were limited in the area. After checking out the LP suggested Banana Leaf, and a full circle sweep of the bus terminal/market area, we ended right back at The Madras Restaurant inside Breeze Residency. Cooled to an arctic level, this restaurant is outfitted in a shabby chic motif. Oddly, and happily, unlike the hotel staff, the host and waiters of the restaurant couldn’t have been more pleasant. Smiles around, and even helpful nudging to try some new dishes on the provided buffet line, were a great way to change our initial impressions. A large selection of dishes both South and North Indian filled our plates just fine. At Rs 275 per person, the Banana Leaf’s extensive and reasonably priced menu, or the basement level A/C dining hall of a local haunt located under the Hotel Guru (kitty corner from the bus terminal exit) are both better choices.

Tourists looking for winners in Trichy for an overnight stay…look into SRM Hotel or Guru Hotel.

Open 365 days a year, 24 hours a day for your scalping pleasure. Shiv Mandir, located on old airport road in Bangalore, is the epitome of crass tourist traps. My travel bud and I had a few extra hours to burn before leaving for the airport, we’d already done the city tour and partaken of the sights we were interested in. In a local guide book we found a very well written review for what looked like a historic temple devoted to Lord Shiva. Upon mentioning our interest in this destination, our driver, Raghu, tried to dissuade us. This is a classic case of why you should listen to your driver.

After fighting the cross town traffic for 30 minutes we arrived in front of a rather nondescript entrance. A doorway, steps off the city road, in a newly built neighborhood should have been my first clue this was not in the temple circuit realm of Tamil Nadu. Signs marking the way to the big statue led us past stalls filled with garish religious trinkets. Sellers yelled out “please have a look”,  “we won’t be here as you exit”.

Finally a ticket booth with a large courtyard beyond. Wait, a ticket booth for a temple? No, a ticket booth for entrance into the attraction. For just Rs 100 per person we could take in all of the events described to us. But, we had to buy the ticket here or else it was Rs 160 inside. Now I was sure this was a trap. We waved off the attraction tickets explaining we only wanted pictures. Fine, but we did get hit for Rs 29, Rs 4 for our shoes and Rs 25 for my still camera.

Past the booth was a row of brass urns each filled with tokens and labeled with individual names. In my haste to get past this and to the big Shiva statue I didn’t catch the significance. Up a flight of stairs and now the statue was within sight. Another ticket booth. The kids below were right, now the tickets were Rs 160. I snapped a few pics and then tried to explain we weren’t interested nor going to pay money to see the statue. The attendant waved us on.

We walked to the flight of stairs back down into the courtyard where water was being shuffled around (much like the Golden Temple) in an attempt to keep the floors clean. A fair amount of locals were mulling about but not paying the requested fee so we jumped into line with them. Damn, another checkpoint! This time I asked the attendant directions to the exit but it didn’t matter at this point. We were staring right at the 65 foot high Lord Shiva. Snap! snap! Done…I had what I came for.

We found our way to the shoe rack (no tip since I prepaid). On the walk back to reconnect with Raghu, I was amazed at what appeared to be an even longer parade of stalls selling everything from Buddhist prayer beads to ice cream. In the car I learned the complex was nearly new having been built in 1995. Ugh, another trap fallen for.

Customers follow the path past the left side of the building into the backyard of a few miscellaneous potted plants and trees. Garden no, comfortable…barely. A large framed structure covered in green tarps shades the 4-5 plastic tables provided for seating. As the owner brought me a menu I realized this place was his home. He was cooking and serving from his personal kitchen.

The tasty sounding menu peeked my interest enough to return the following day. “Open at 6″, said the owner, a gruff looking 40-something man wearing the classic Kerala lungi and short sleeve button up shirt.

When I returned at 6:35 A.M. the next morning, once again the owner was behind the gate waiting to greet or distract potential customers. The open sign hanging near the front door to his house hadn’t been flipped yet nor had his morning cigarette been completely smoked. Clearly I was the first customer of the day. The same menu was presented from yesterday but I already knew what to order. Unfortunately what I wanted was not available. Nor the second choice. Nor the third.Why didn’t he give me a heads up the day before?

Instead of playing the game of what do you have it was obvious the owner was not going out of his way for me. I thanked him for his effort and left seeking another eatery knowing I would not try a third time here.

Having stayed here previously, I knew that Sector 35 was ripe with Indian hotel options. Upon arrival I looked at 3 different hotels but settled on Hotel Gravity. The manager, knowing I was looking for a bargain and willing to walk to find it, offered me a room with breakfast included for Rs 1000. The rate was robbery but my choices were limited as employees at other hotels were beginning their Diwali Pooja (Worship). The room fee was expected up front in cash, a request which I rarely honor.

The guest room was large, included A/C (not needed) and faced out over the parking lot ( A nice feature for this city to watch your car). The bathroom was a different story; Dirty, cracked and falling apart. It did offer a Western toilet, a shower plus full time running water. This was one hotel I was happy to carry my own TP, towel and flip flops. The bed was large enough for two to sleep comfortably. TV channel options were sparse.

The hotel is paired with a nightclub/disco bar just off the lobby. This has become very popular with the younger urban crowd of Chandigarh. On this night it was closed, replaced by nonstop Diwali fireworks which continued well past 2 A.M.

Hotel Gravity parking lot morning after Diwali 2009

A walk up the flight of stairs from my room took me to the unsecured rooftop entrance/exit door where I was able to watch a 360º fireworks show. That part was exciting and fun to watch however I’m not sure any other night how the noise level would be in the room.

The next morning I was greeted to the same manager from the night before. When I asked to make good on my breakfast he explained he had almost no staff due to Diwali. My options this morning were for a veggie sandwich and chai. Figuring most places would be opening late the morning after the holiday I accepted his meager offering.

The sign above the front door claims Hotel Gravity is the City’s most comfortable hotel. There should be an asterisk after that: *for Rs 1000. Nowhere near my worst hotel experience, I’m more put out by the fact I’ve paid Rs 400 and had much better experiences elsewhere. Lesson learned. Hotel Gravity is Chandigarh’s best skipped hotel in Sector 35.

Admittedly I failed asking what the exchange rate was until after my traveler’s checks were signed and the TC agent was processing my form. The average rate received through ATM’s the past 3 weeks of my travels was Rs 48 so I was shocked when she quoted me Rs 44 + fees. Losing nearly $100 by exchanging $1000 worth of checks was hard to swallow. During the final count, my clerk was unable to correctly count back my total. It took multiple tries, the help of another clerk plus a manager and a calculator to finally get a consistent and accurate stack of cash.

Had I not spent nearly two hours searching for the right TC office, a smarter, less tired me would have left.  TIP: Ask what the exchange rate is up front. Ask the advice of local drivers and/or hotel employees. Most 5 star hotels offer money exchange at very good rates. Use ATM’s for consistently good rates.

The Tibetan restaurant owner was a late 30’s woman with a large presence. She seemed overwhelmed by the crowd of 20 taking nearly all of her available seats. Unfortunately they also took a good portion of her Tibetan food menu with them. We struggled through ordering as she called off what she no longer had to serve. Cheese momos and thukpa were ordered and delivered. I must say the momos were some of the tastiest around the region, but also some of the most expensive at Rs 80. Most places you’ll find veg momos around Rs 35-40 and cheese momos starting around Rs 50. The thukpa was bland. On the bright side, the front of the restaurant is lined with large glass windows looking out onto the balcony and offering great views of the town.

We paid the bill leaving with half full stomachs. Just below Taste of Tibet to the left and down a half flight of stairs was another Tibetan spot called Sonu’s Cafe. We popped in there and split a half plate of chow mien and some fried veg momos. The pricing was cheap, around Rs 35 for chow mien and Rs 40 for the momos. There were no tourists to be found here…just locals getting their fill. Don’t expect any frills with the interior here. Dingy painted walls with a few tables and stools are all you’ll find inside. This place is strictly business, food business.

Skip Taste of Tibet unless you’re interested in mingling with other tourists. For better tasting food, cheaper prices and to dine with the locals, drop in at Sonu’s.