Luxury Family-Friendly Hotel Oberoi Udaivilas in Udaipur

Haridasji Ki Magri, Charak Road, Udaipur

Now that I’ve stayed at this super luxury hotel, I can thankfully strike one thing of my bucket list (phew)! Yes, this is one of ‘those’ hotels. I mean, how often do you stay in a hotel that has just been voted the world’s best right? And best applies to all its guests, big and small, making it very family-friendly too. Right from the gondola ride that takes you across mesmerizing Lake Pichola from a private jetty to the peacocks that dance in its gardens or stone-carved elephants, it is easy to see why Travel & Leisure couldn’t find any better in the world…..

Essentials:

Baby cot
Baby bathtub
Highchair
Child menu
Doctor on call
Babysitting services (INR 350/hr).

Family Favourites:

The adventure begins with a (complimentary) private gondola ride across lake Lake Pichola, one of the two ways to get to the hotel.
This hotel loves kids! While we checked-in, the kids were taken “shopping” to the check-in toy bin and got to pick out a gorgeous wooden toy to take home! One afternoon, the staff surprised us poolside with ice cream and sun block.
Trivia – Udaivilas stands on the 200-year-old hunting ground of the king, including a twenty-acre wildlife sanctuary! Get set to see peacocks, deer and wild boars strutting around.
The kids’ club is essentially a playroom stocked with toys, games and TV screens. The staff here is fantastic and will happily take your kids off your hands for a few hours at no charge. They also have many fun activities organized for kids daily. The kids absolutely loved their complimentary pizza making class (and some white chocolate cookies too) with the chefs in the hotel’s kitchens and came back with so much pizza, that it eventually became the family’s lunch that day!
A slew of fun activities/classes for kids. Some of these are complimentary, while others are chargeable. These include puppetry, magic shows, treasure hunts, pottery, painting, kite flying and more.
The Young Hoteliers’ Programme (complimentary) involves a guided tour for kids of the hotel’s many departments.
Elephant and camel rides on the hotel grounds on request.
Picnic with a difference! Have lunch/afternoon tea aboard one of the hotel’s gondolas while cruising the gorgeous Lake Pichola.
Splash around in the main swimming pool, with its many chequered steps and ornate sun umbrellas.
A variety of rooms including suites with private pools. Family-friendly Premier Rooms on the ground floor offer easy access to the main pool. Note: Only one extra bed allowed per room.
Putting area, volleyball court and a croquet lawn.
Child DVDs for rental.

Parent’s Perks:

Divine spa. The 90-minute massage – true heaven – is highly recommended.
Complimentary yoga classes overlooking the stunning lake.
A number of fun activities for parents, both chargeable/complimentary, include astrology, temple tours, cooking lessons, Henna Art and more.
Butler service in all rooms, a handy service parents lap up rather easily.
Three restaurants including al fresco dining as well as traditional music and dance performances in the evening.
Some incredibly romantic destination dining spots around the hotel.

The Hotel:

Lakeside hotel
Dabok Airport – 27 km
87 Rooms & suites
3 Restaurants
1 Bar
2 Swimming pools
Spa
Fitness Centre

Mandy’s Tip: Soak in the renowned Oberoi service – it is amazing. An incredible staff to guest ratio and we always felt outnumbered. On our last night of the stay, the butler made us a rose petal topped bubble bath – what a way to end our already dreamlike stay! One evening, we had a room service order that got lost, which was annoying with 2 hungry kids to feed. But when the food did arrive, it was free. And so was a bottle of wine. Additionally, an apology from the F& B manager, complimentary lunch and boxed meals for the kids for the car trip the day we departed. We were overwhelmed and seriously hoping that something else would go wrong soon!

Travelling mom Lisa Harris contributed parts of this review.