Thanks a lot. Great report!

Re: the chatri dinner, that whole insects and weather thing still boggles my mind. I can see insects and weather being a problem during certain times of year but they certainly weren't a problem when we were there. Maybe there are only a few optimal months to go out there.

Thank you Groombridge for your detailed report.
Really interesting and informative. Looking forward to your other reports in the future! ^

Bookmarking is the ultimate attestation of a tripreport's practical usefulness... I bookmarked this one too...

same thoughts here Ericka. seems odd to be so "extreme" re guest standards, so maybe its a matter of some kind of limit on the number of visitors.

Yes. "G" was still the GM when we were at Aman-i-Khas the first week of November 2010. I thought he was a warm and genial host, and the staff clearly adored him, but it seems that the service training or standards had become lax. I am not sure who the new GM is--anyone know?

I'm glad to hear that so many of you feel like the response we received at Amanbagh to our request for the dinner in the chattri was a strange response. If we hadn't received a different reason for not doing it each time we inquired, I'd be more trusting.

Initially, we received the insect response Kage posted above. But the next day, my on-site travel agent in India said that the response was bogus--that she had other clients doing the chattri dinner all through the month and there had been no mention by Amanbagh or the guests of insect issues. I then asked Sally Baughen about this when I was at Amandari last September, mentioning that I thought it was strange that they weren't able to do this. She agreed, as she had originated the chattri dinners when she was at Amanbagh. So I followed up directly with Amanbagh's GM, who then gave a different reason why it wasn't possible--that they'd had such a successful monsoon season that the ground was too damp around the chattri. (And when we were there, they did point out the chattri, and it did indeed look as if the waters of the lake were close to surrounding it.) That seemed like a legit reason not to offer these, but since we'd been told a different reason BEFORE the monsoon season even began, the responses, in toto, were a bit strange.

Ericka--remind me what month you were at Amabagh?

Thanks for all the generous feedback--I wasn't sure whether it was worth the time to type this all up, so I appreciate the subsequent dialogue.

bizarre, especially for aman.
all i can say is that it makes for some incredibly amazing reading.

most people dont do the big reports, but that doesnt take away from their informative posts. for example, you posted about seeing kids at FS tented camp before the full report.

Really glad India went so well. I agree about Aman-i-Khas, though. I still prefer Oberoi Vanyavilas.

March or April. Dry season.

Also, it sounds like you got a "run run" chicken at i-Khas instead of a "sit sit" chicken. Shame about your overall experience. From a service standpoint it certainly sounds like you didn't get one of the better batmen. With all of the contact you have with that one person that could certainly be a factor.

Groombridge - Great trip report - we stayed at Amanbagh, Oberoi Amarvilas and the Taj Lake Palace (in which we had the same suite as the you!), and I'd agree with your views on all of them except Amarvilas.

We hit that hotel at the end of our trip, and maybe it was our room choice, but were left distinctly underwhelmed - the pervading noise from the neighbourhood coupled with a formulaic service style with staff struck a sour note compared to other hotels on our travels.

Great report - such great descriptions that I'm sure many will use this going forward!

Many thanks for a great report!

After our Cambodia and Laos xmas trip fell through we decided on an Indian adventure.

I loved the idea of Groomsbridge's fantastic trip so we used it for the basis of our upcoming trip to India. I'm a little nervous about the ambitious nature of this trip and I know we are trying to accomplish a lot. My question is are we trying way too much?

We're accustomed to hurried travel, we did some serious driving and hotel hopping in both Bhutan and Mongolia. But are we biting off too much on this one? We will be traveling at the end of December and beginning of January for a little over 2 weeks. Hitting up Aman New Dehli, Oberoi Amarvilas, Amanbagh, Oberoi Udaivilas, Bahwan Palace and Aman-i-Khas. As usual thanks for your advice:

Arrival to New Delhi and transfer to Aman New Delhi - Complimentary car transfer - transfer time approx. 45 minutes

2 nights - Aman New Delhi

Car transfer to Agra - drive time 4.5 hours

2 nights Agra - Oberoi Amar Villas

Transfer from Agra to Amanbagh - approximate drive time 4.5 hours

3 nights - Amanbagh

Car transfer to Jaipur and flight to Jodhpur � Transfer time to Jaipur approx 2 hours and flight time approx. 1 h 20 min to Jodhpur

2 nights � Jodhpur Bhawan Palace

Drive to Udaipur - 5 Hours

3 nights -Udaipur Udaivilas (Own arrangement)

Flight transfer from Udaipur to Jaipur - and transfer to Aman-I-Khas - drive time from Jaipur to Aman-I-Khas - approx. 3 hours

3 nights - Aman-I-Khas

Train transfer to New Delhi and transfer to Aman New Delhi

1 night - Aman New Delhi - Overnight at Aman New Delhi - rest and unwind before your international departure

I believe that the dates for Aman-i-Khas are set in stone because it's the only availability for our trip duration.

Thanks,

CJ

My sense (although it is difficult to judge as everyone has different values/tolerances regarding the intensity of a trip like this) is that your itinerary may be a bit too exhaustive and thus exhausting. I think a good rule of thumb in India is to try for 3-4 nights per location, with the exception of Agra, where 2 is fine. And really, your itinerary does that well -- with 3 nights at Amanbagh, Udaivilas, and Aman-i-Khas. So if you are an energetic traveler with a lot of tolerance for time spent in transit, perhaps this itinerary will work really well for you. But if you're at all worried about not having enough time to spend afternoons by the pool, indulge in spa treatments, etc., you may want to cut one of your destinations and add some nights. If a stay is for 2 nights, you really only have one full day at a site before you're consumed again in transfers, which can be more exhausting in India than anywhere else I've been.

So I'll offer some recommended adjustments to your itinerary below, but please know that I do so in a spirit of total humility, as I really don't know your preferences well enough to offer advice with confidence. In a nutshell, I think you should cut just one of your destinations, and spread those days across the other destinations so as to reduce the amount of transfers you're doing and have time to really soak up the various destinations:

Arrival to New Delhi and transfer to Aman New Delhi - Complimentary car transfer - transfer time approx. 45 minutes

2 nights - Aman New Delhi

GROOMBRIDGE perspective: I would add one night here rather than returning to Aman New Delhi at the end of your trip. Aman New Delhi has some very special bespoke experiences within Delhi that could be a really wonderful way to begin your trip, and you'll also love unwinding by the pool, in the spa, etc.

Car transfer to Agra - drive time 4.5 hours

GROOMBRIDGE perspective: I beg you, if there is only one change you make to this itinerary, please do not go by car from Delhi to Agra. I've done this trip both by car and by the once-daily luxury train (which leaves Delhi around 6 am). Aman New Delhi can arrange that for you, and it is not just much faster, but much less stressful and a much smoother ride. I know others on this board will agree with me -- the drive was one of the only two truly horrible experiences we had in India, the other being the drive from Jodhpur-Udaipur (more on that later . . . ) Aman will acquire your train tickets and deliver you directly onto the luxury train, and Oberoi Amarvilas will meet you in Agra's train station. When I head this advice from others, I couldn't imagine why I was receiving it, but the drive is truly horrific -- constant potholes, stop-and-start traffic, etc., none of which you have to experience on the luxury train, the fastest, safest, and smoothest way to get from Delhi to Agra.

2 nights Agra - Oberoi Amar Villas

GROOMBRIDGE perspective: So glad you're staying 2 nights, so you can enjoy the beautiful pool and facilities while also seeing incredible Mughal ruins like Fatephur Sikri (which you may want to see en route to Amanbagh).

Transfer from Agra to Amanbagh - approximate drive time 4.5 hours

GROOMBRIDGE: This drive is the only drive I can wholeheartedly recommend within your itinerary. Smooth, high quality roads with limited traffic issues. Aman will do this for you very well. 4.5 hours is a worst-case scenario -- we did it in closer to 2.5.

3 nights - Amanbagh

GROOMBRIDGE:

I'd perhaps add a 4th night at Amanbagh, as there are so many bespoke local excursions and experiences, and this is India at its most authentic and untouristed, with such warm and friendly villagers. With the rapid urbanization of India, Amanbagh opens up an Indian experience that is rapidly disappearing.

Car transfer to Jaipur and flight to Jodhpur – Transfer time to Jaipur approx 2 hours and flight time approx. 1 h 20 min to Jodhpur

GROOMBRIDGE: Perfect. This is the exact same transfer we did, and it worked very well.

2 nights – Jodhpur Bhawan Palace

GROOMBRIDGE: I'd also perhaps add a 3rd night here, to give you time really to soak up the experience of living in that palace. I didn't feel there was a huge amount to see in Jodhpur itself, but you really might want two full days to see the few sites AND to spend time relaxing at the pool and indulging in the splendor that is Umaid Bhawan.

Drive to Udaipur - 5 Hours

GROOMBRIDGE: Is there not a flight available? The good thing about the drive is that you can stop at the spectacular Jain temples at about the halfway mark. But the drive is excruciating, like the one from Delhi to Agra, with constant start-and-stop traffic. If at all possible to fly, that would be better.

3 nights -Udaipur Udaivilas (Own arrangement)

GROOMBRIDGE: I think that's the perfect number of nights in Udaipur. But by adding 1 night to Aman New Delhi, Amanbagh, and Umaid Bhawan Palace, you may now want to fly from Udaipur to Delhi airport, and rather than dealing with the hassle of transfers to/from the airport, arrange to fly home from Delhi from there.

Flight transfer from Udaipur to Jaipur - and transfer to Aman-I-Khas - drive time from Jaipur to Aman-I-Khas - approx. 3 hours

GROOMBRIDGE: No one could have talked me out of Aman-i-Khas, given positive feedback about it on this board and my trust in Aman. But the tiger sitings are rare and difficult at the time of year you're going, and the hassle of getting to and from Aman-i-Khas was not worth it to me, and may not be for you. If I were doing your trip, having experienced these same places, I would cut Aman-i-Khas.

3 nights - Aman-I-Khas

Train transfer to New Delhi and transfer to Aman New Delhi

GROOMBRIDGE: This train transfer is rough, as it is NOT a luxury train, so is quite primitive and is a long journey. There's not really another option . . . which may argue from striking Aman-i-Khas from your itinerary.

1 night - Aman New Delhi - Overnight at Aman New Delhi - rest and unwind before your international departure

Thanks Groombridge, that is some solid advice. I will definitely look into the train transfer instead of the car. My problem with getting rid of Aman-i-Khas is I have this cockamamie idea of visiting every Aman in the world(I did indeed just use the word cockamamie.) So we really want to keep that in. I'm looking in to flights instead of car transfers as well. I'm hoping that we can switch around Aman-i-Khas and Udaivilas so we could do khas and bagh right after each other. Then we wouldn't have to fly back to Jaipur...we could fly straight to Delhi.

I believe Aman put us back in Delhi a day early so we could be ready for our flight the following day and not have to rush right to the airport.

Hopefully, we'll be able to do a lot of touring during the morning and early afternoons and be back at the hotel to relax in the late afternoons. That's the plan ideally.

Thanks for your input, I appreciate it.