Udaipur sits in a bowl of low hills, and almost everything that makes it worth the journey is outside the city rather than in it. The lakes, the ridgelines, the villages where the Aravallis start to rise — you see the palaces in a morning, and then you want somewhere to go back to.

That is what these houses are for. Each one is let whole, to one group at a time. There is no reception, no other party at breakfast, and nobody else in the pool.

Where the villas actually are

They are spread around the edges of the city rather than in it, which is the point. Casa Arvita is a single-storey house at Ghasiyar, set against the Aravalli foothills, with four bedrooms that each open outward. Arch Stone Villa stands on open ground at Debari — two storeys, a private pool, a sunken fire pit, and the hills directly behind it. Kailasa is built into a slope above the lake at Eklingji, with a pool cut into the hillside and a garden running down towards the water. Amberi Vista sits in the natural surroundings of Amberi, and is the roomiest of them for a large family travelling together.

None of them is a hotel that happens to be quiet. They are houses.

Who this suits, and who it does not

It suits a group that wants the run of a place: three generations of one family, a few couples travelling together, old friends who would rather cook and talk late than be in a restaurant at a set hour. It suits anyone who has spent a holiday negotiating with a buffet.

It suits solo travellers and couples less well. You are taking a whole house, so two people in a four-bedroom villa are paying for a house — and the pleasure of the thing is filling it.

Eating

There is a cook on site. You decide what you want and roughly when, and it is made in the kitchen of the house you are staying in. Most groups find this is the part they remember: breakfast happens when people wake up rather than before a certain hour, and a birthday dinner is a conversation with the kitchen rather than a booking.

Getting around

A driver is the usual arrangement, and the villa will organise one. It is worth having someone who knows the roads: the lanes out here are narrow, unlit after dark, and satellite navigation is optimistic about several of them. Once you are at the house you will not need the car much.

When to come

The cool months are the obvious answer and the busy one — book earlier than feels necessary if you want a particular house over a holiday weekend. The monsoon is the underrated one. The hills go green, the light goes soft, the crowds thin out, and a villa with a covered terrace is a very good place to watch rain come across a valley. Summer is hot and bright, and a private pool stops mattering less.

Booking

Direct, through this site. There is no booking fee and no commission in the price, because there is no third party in between — you are dealing with the people who run the house.

Common questions about staying in Udaipur

Do we get the whole villa to ourselves?

Yes. Each house is let to one group at a time. There are no other guests on the property, and the pool, kitchen, garden and living areas are yours for the stay.

Is a cook included?

Yes, there is a cook on site. You choose what you would like and roughly when you would like it, and it is prepared in the villa's own kitchen. Tell us about allergies or dietary needs when you book so the kitchen can plan.

Can we arrange a driver?

Yes — the villa will arrange one for you. We recommend it. The lanes around the villas are narrow and unlit after dark, and a local driver knows them.

Are children welcome?

Very. These are houses rather than hotels, so families tend to find them easier than a resort: there is space to spread out, a kitchen that can cook to a child's hours, and no other guests to keep quiet for. Tell us the ages of anyone small and we will let you know which house suits best.

What is the best time of year to visit?

The cool months are the most popular, so they book up first. The monsoon is quieter and the hills are green, which many guests prefer. Summer is hot and bright, and a private pool comes into its own.

How do we book, and is there a booking fee?

Through this site, directly with the people who run the villas. There is no booking fee and no agency commission in the price.

Not sure which Udaipur villa suits your group?

Tell us your dates and how many of you there are. We will come back to you personally — no automated mailing list.

Get in touch

Private villas in Udaipur

Our other destinations

What a villa stay around Udaipur is actually like

Where the villas actually are

Who this suits, and who it does not

Eating

Getting around

When to come

Booking

Common questions about staying in Udaipur

From the journal

When to visit Udaipur, season by season

Udaipur beyond the palaces

Planning a holiday with three generations

Not sure which Udaipur villa suits your group?