Post from Tim:
Our room in the Lalghat Guest House overlooked Udaipur's Lake Pichola and delivered a fantastic view of the ritzy Lake Palace Hotel - a hotel built 250 years ago as the summer palace of a former ruler. The palace covers an entire island in middle of the lake and its imposing white walls rise straight from the lake's surface on all sides. With its majestic arched windows and stylish domed roofs, the palace has all the charm of a floating fairytale castle. The effect is even more stunning at night, when its brilliant white reflection glows off the lake's surface.
The Lake Palace Hotel is a bit too pricey for us with the cheap rooms running $210 a night, but dinner is well within our means. So after inquiring about their dress code, I shaved three days of beard from my face, put on my least dirty pair of travel pants, scraped the many layers of cow dung from my Teva sandals, and took the boat with Michelle out to one of the world's most luxurious hotels.
I made it safely past the doorman and spotted a few other backpackers with the same idea - so I didn't feel too out of place. The buffet-style meal featured both western and Indian food and included tables full of salads, breads, entrees, soup, desserts, and more. I certainly don't eat poorly as a budget traveler, but do you know how long it has been since I had a martini and smoked salmon? After two trips to the buffet tables, I returned for one of the highlights of the meal: a made-to-order Indian crepe with mushroom cream filling and six hot toppings to spice it up. And for dessert? An eclair, some unusual ice cream, and an Indian sugarcane pastry topped with a layer of edible silver foil.
The biggest treat of the evening was our walk of the grounds after dinner - through the Palace gardens and fountains, past the pool, and up to the roof for a spectacular view of the glowing City Palace reflected across the lake.
We ended our fairytale evening with the return boat trip back to land, where we returned back into reality and our $3 a night room. So much for luxury!
The Lake Palace Hotel is a bit too pricey for us with the cheap rooms running $210 a night, but dinner is well within our means. So after inquiring about their dress code, I shaved three days of beard from my face, put on my least dirty pair of travel pants, scraped the many layers of cow dung from my Teva sandals, and took the boat with Michelle out to one of the world's most luxurious hotels.
I made it safely past the doorman and spotted a few other backpackers with the same idea - so I didn't feel too out of place. The buffet-style meal featured both western and Indian food and included tables full of salads, breads, entrees, soup, desserts, and more. I certainly don't eat poorly as a budget traveler, but do you know how long it has been since I had a martini and smoked salmon? After two trips to the buffet tables, I returned for one of the highlights of the meal: a made-to-order Indian crepe with mushroom cream filling and six hot toppings to spice it up. And for dessert? An eclair, some unusual ice cream, and an Indian sugarcane pastry topped with a layer of edible silver foil.
The biggest treat of the evening was our walk of the grounds after dinner - through the Palace gardens and fountains, past the pool, and up to the roof for a spectacular view of the glowing City Palace reflected across the lake.
We ended our fairytale evening with the return boat trip back to land, where we returned back into reality and our $3 a night room. So much for luxury!
Photos From This Location
