Samode Palace

Samode Palace

Samode Palace is one of the most beautiful creations of Rajputana architecture. Decorated with beautiful paintings and attractive mirror work. The Samode Palace, now a heritage hotel is built in the characteristic pattern of an open courtyard with rooms leading off the arched corridor that runs along all the four sides of the building. The Sultan Mahal is on the first floor-an exquisite room with a marble pillared verandah. It has the famous Jaipur blue tile decorations. Every inch of the ceiling and the walls are covered with floral, paisley and geometric motifs painted in various colors. It is called Sultan Mahal after the craftsman, who painstakingly created it. Old and heavy carved silver furniture brought from Nepal by the grandmother of the present Rawal gleam dully in sunlight even today. To the left of the main haveli is the Durbar Hall, which was built about a hundred years ago. Again it is painted with ornate floral motifs and colored delicately with vegetable pigments, which still have a special glow of their own.

Samode Palace Hotel

The winner of the award for the best Heritage hotel in the country, for 5 consecutive years, the Palace has been meticulously restored offering a retreat into an aesthetically beautiful environment where visitors can enjoy India's natural beauty and rich history. Samode Palace is one of India's most charming and romantic hotels. It offers a quiet, elegant and luxurious atmosphere. Considered India's finest hotel for its consummate standards of modern hospitality, accommodation, services, cuisine and amenities, it is the flagship of the Samode Hotels. The Samode Palace hotel maintains an immutable majestic presence and is a touching reminder of the vision of its creators.

Recreation

A real visit to Samode cannot be considered complete without a musical evening of folk dances and songs. Rajasthani bards and musicians with their colorful dresses and unusual musical instruments provide one of the best evenings one can have in India. The instruments include one-stringed fiddles, country violins, bagpipes made out of goatskin, castanets, Jew's harps, and even a one stringed instrument made out of a dried gourd. The villagers sing with plaintive abandon under the faint light of the crystal stars. A musical evening can be arranged at a short notice at the Samode Palace.

During the day, a camel ride through the Samode village and the surrounding countryside is a good idea. Riding this gentle animal with its rocking gait is the best way to relax on a sunny morning.