Gajner Palace-Heritage by Hrh Group of Hotels

The hotel is located in a beautiful setting next to a lake - stunning sunset - and I could not fault the service. The room was small for the amount of furniture in it but spotlessly clean, if a little dated. The food was good, with a pleasing choice at breakfast.

This is one of the best places I have ever visited. The indoor location is calm and peaceful, with many birds chirping before dawn, which makes you feel good and connected to nature. I had a lovely time there. However, some drawbacks need to be addressed. They should manage the property to meet a certain standard in line with the pricing, similar to a five-star hotel. The coverings on the outdoor chairs were torn and looked unkempt. The food service was very slow, and they struggled to manage the few guests present, despite having enough staff in the dining area. The food was just okay.

A delightful watered & green refuge in the desert. The lake comes from local ground water & rain. Spacious & clean rooms, often with views across the lake. The whole place, as a former property of the local maharaja, is full of character & history & well kept up. The dining was also excellent. The food in particular. The service occasionally eccentric but always well meaning. We particularly enjoyed the pre sunset boat ride, seeing many interesting birds & also an extremely large wild boar in the far lake shore. There were a lakeside terrace & an open courtyard, where a relaxing drink was possible before or after dinner. The hotel is about 40 minutes out of the city of Bikaner, with its amazing Junagarh Fort. However, the distance is worth it if you want a pleasant base from which to explore Bikaner & its surroundings. Highlights for us were the Fort & rat temple, but buying local fabric ( apparently Bikaner is Asia’s largest wool market) & the camel research centre are also worthwhile. The staff here were all lovely