Udaipur - Oberoi Udaivilas
Spring 2008
Frank's view 
'slick luxury but not a lot of heritage'
The Oberoi Udaivilas is rated as one of the best hotels in the world.
We drove past poverty towards the extravagant entrance to the Udaivilas.
It was built in 2003 on a vast area by the edge of Lake Pichola, and on initial glance, it’s staggering that this huge expanse of opulence is home to only 89 rooms and suites.
The evening we visited the Oberoi, its outside restaurant was doing everything right, that the Taj Lake Palace was doing wrong;
A diverse menu offered both Western and Asian cuisine, rather than the ‘wedding menu’ of Chicken Supreme and Grilled Salmon at the Lake Palace.
Ethnic entertainment was on show from Indian musicians and a female dancer with seven pots on her head, rather than a tape of Simon & Garfunkel, interpreted by Spanish guitar.
Oberoi has clearly made a massive investment and is working hard to make their hotel a success. Unfortunately, when you visit the hotel you could be in North Africa, the Caribbean or a number of luxury resorts in S E Asia.
The Udaivilas is in complete contrast to the Lake Palace, which sits, directly opposite, in the middle of the lake.
The Lake Palace is a 250 year old part of Udaipur’s history. The Udaivilas is an extravagant new build in a country where so many of the best hotels have been created out of historic monuments, for their preservation.
The Devi Garh, north of Udaipur, for example, is an 18th century fortress which has been restored as a top hotel, but this, at least, is maintaining a part of India‘s history which would otherwise crumble.
In a world which is supposedly becoming increasingly socially aware, the camel’s companion found the juxtaposition of this vulgar new display of wealth and extreme poverty, untenable.
Where you stay in Udaipur is down to personal choice.
The Lake Palace has character whereas the Oberoi borders on the sterile.
However, the Oberoi tries hard whilst the Lake Palace, one suspects, has become complacent and picked up the honeymoon market.
Oberoi Udaivilas
Udaipur
+91 294 3300
Link to restaurant
We drove past poverty towards the extravagant entrance to the Udaivilas.
It was built in 2003 on a vast area by the edge of Lake Pichola, and on initial glance, it’s staggering that this huge expanse of opulence is home to only 89 rooms and suites.
The evening we visited the Oberoi, its outside restaurant was doing everything right, that the Taj Lake Palace was doing wrong;
A diverse menu offered both Western and Asian cuisine, rather than the ‘wedding menu’ of Chicken Supreme and Grilled Salmon at the Lake Palace.
Ethnic entertainment was on show from Indian musicians and a female dancer with seven pots on her head, rather than a tape of Simon & Garfunkel, interpreted by Spanish guitar.
Oberoi has clearly made a massive investment and is working hard to make their hotel a success. Unfortunately, when you visit the hotel you could be in North Africa, the Caribbean or a number of luxury resorts in S E Asia.
The Udaivilas is in complete contrast to the Lake Palace, which sits, directly opposite, in the middle of the lake.
The Lake Palace is a 250 year old part of Udaipur’s history. The Udaivilas is an extravagant new build in a country where so many of the best hotels have been created out of historic monuments, for their preservation.
The Devi Garh, north of Udaipur, for example, is an 18th century fortress which has been restored as a top hotel, but this, at least, is maintaining a part of India‘s history which would otherwise crumble.
In a world which is supposedly becoming increasingly socially aware, the camel’s companion found the juxtaposition of this vulgar new display of wealth and extreme poverty, untenable.
Where you stay in Udaipur is down to personal choice.
The Lake Palace has character whereas the Oberoi borders on the sterile.
However, the Oberoi tries hard whilst the Lake Palace, one suspects, has become complacent and picked up the honeymoon market.
Oberoi Udaivilas
Udaipur
+91 294 3300
Link to restaurant
Be Frank: agree or disagree? What do you think?
