Anandam – Jacuzzi & Private Pool Villas in Udaipur

Look, I’ve stayed at a lot of places in Udaipur over the years, and Anandam honestly caught me off guard in the best way possible. It’s tucked away in Debari – which, if you know the area, is actually perfect because you’re close enough to the main city but far enough out to escape the constant honking and tourist crowds that can drive you a bit mad in the old city. The drive from the City Palace takes maybe 20 minutes, and honestly? That buffer zone is worth its weight in gold.

The first thing that hits you when you walk into your villa is just how… quiet everything is. I mean, you can actually hear birds instead of rickshaws, which is pretty remarkable for anywhere near Udaipur. Each villa comes with its own private pool and jacuzzi – and I’m talking proper private, not some tiny plunge pool where you’re basically doing laps in a bathtub. The pools are deep enough for actual swimming, and the jacuzzis… well, let’s just say I spent way more time in mine than I’d care to admit. There’s something about soaking in hot water while looking out at the Aravalli Hills that just makes you forget about everything else for a while.

What really sold me on this place, though, was the attention to detail that you only notice after you’ve been there a day or two. The staff actually remembers your name (and your coffee preferences), the housekeeping is impressively thorough without being intrusive, and – this might sound small but it matters – the water pressure in the shower is fantastic. You know how in some luxury places everything looks gorgeous but then you’re stuck with a dribble of lukewarm water? Not here. The villas themselves feel authentically designed rather than cookie-cutter luxury – lots of local stone and traditional Rajasthani touches that don’t feel forced or touristy. The beds are ridiculously comfortable too, which honestly surprised me because sometimes these boutique places focus so much on aesthetics they forget about basics like decent mattresses. Parking is never an issue since each villa has its own spot, and if you’re planning to explore the area, you’re actually in a great position to hit some of the lesser-known temples and viewpoints without fighting through the main tourist circuits. The only thing I’d mention is that you’ll definitely want to arrange transport if you’re planning lots of trips into the city center – it’s not walkable, but the hotel can sort that out easily enough. With an 8.7 rating, it’s clearly doing something right, and after spending four days there, I totally get why people keep coming back.