India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (267 page)

Hotel Chandela
Located 1km (1⁄2 mile) from Khajuraho’s main temple complex, on the main road into town, this reliable low-rise Taj chain hotel has peaceful gardens, comfortable accommodations, and staff that is willing to oblige. It won’t win any awards for design or innovation, but guest rooms are smart if not particularly luxurious—the rate is however good value, and this is our top Khajuraho choice if you don’t want to shell out for the Lalit. Ask for a ground-floor room that opens directly onto the pool mezzanine with its lawns and palms; those nearest the lobby are best.

Airport Rd., Khajuraho 471 606.
07686/27-2355
through -2364. Fax 07686/27-2365 or -2366.
www.tajhotels.com
. [email protected]. 94 units. Rs 4,215 superior garden-facing double; Rs 5,015 superior pool-facing double; Rs 6,015 junior suite; Rs 7,515 deluxe suite. Rates include breakfast. Taxes extra. AE, DC, MC, V.
Amenities:
3 restaurants; bar; airport transfer (Rs 303); archery; badminton; doctor-on-call; fitness center; outdoor pool; pool table; room service; table tennis; outdoor tennis court. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (Rs 221/hr., Rs 662/day).

The Lalit Temple View
Benefiting from a great location (just beyond the town and 200m/656 ft. from the Western Group of temples, even the gym’s treadmill has a view of the main temples), The Lalit (named after Lalit Suri, the dynamic founder of Bharat Hotels) is your best bet, with decor that can be described as contemporary Indian chic—a reasonably pleasing integration of modern furnishings and passable replicas of artful artifacts that tie the hotel in with the heritage town you’ve come to visit. Rooms are comfortable and modern, with marble tile floors and pale sandstone walls offset by colorful throws. Drapes and blinds hang over massive picture windows, the best of which enjoy views of little lotus ponds outside (slightly more expensive executive suites face the clover-shaped pool; the “garden-facing” units look toward the new archaeological museum). Of all the distractions here, the beautiful spa is where you’ll want to spend the most time between temple-spotting.

Opposite Circuit House, Khajuraho 471 606.
07686/27-2111
or -2333. Fax 07686/27-2123. w
ww.thelalit.com/Khajuraho.
[email protected]. 47 units. Rs 15,000 garden view double; Rs 17,000 temple view; Rs 20,000 executive; Rs 35,000–Rs 65,000 suite. Special rates on request. Taxes extra. AE, DC, MC, V.
Amenities:
Restaurant; bar; bicycles; billiards; children’s playground; cultural performances; doctor-on-call; fitness center; jogging track; outdoor pool; room service; spa; table tennis; yoga; sightseeing excursions; board games; Wi-Fi (Rs 225/hr., Rs 700/day). In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, minibar.

Radisson
Guest rooms at the Radisson (also known as the Radisson Jass, the name the Radisson inherited when they took the hotel over in 2005) are not the best in town, but this is an elegant and relatively luxurious option worth considering, particularly if the price is right on the particular day you are enquiring into. Bright white marble-floored public spaces are decorated with attractive Indian artworks including a fine collection of large Mughal paintings. Guest rooms have a plush contemporary look and are fairly spacious with private balconies and either garden, pool, or mountain views; those on the first floor (reached via a twisting marble staircase with an impressive chandelier hanging from a domed ceiling) overlooking the lawn-fringed pool are best. Unusual for the Radisson, service standards have dropped and the staff can be quite surly.

By-Pass Rd., Khajuraho 471 606.
07686/27-2777.
Fax 07686/27-2345.
www.radisson.com/khajurahoin
. 90 units. Rs 5,600 super deluxe double; Rs 10,600 suite. Taxes extra. AE, DC, MC, V.
Amenities:
Restaurant; bar; airport transfer (Rs 250); babysitting with prior notice; billiards room; currency exchange; doctor-on-call; health club; outdoor pool; room service; outdoor tennis court. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (Rs 120/hr., Rs 600/day).

In Panna

Ken River Lodge
Close to the entrance to the Park, this 18-hectare (45-acre) “resort,” located right on the river, is an ideal hideaway in a forest setting, where fishing enthusiasts can cast a line; experienced naturalists are among the best in the country and certainly transformed us into avid birders. Accommodations are in 10 cottages or in 10 mud-walled huts; unless you’re with children, choose the latter. They have straw roofs, fireplaces, separate dressing areas, and big, simple attached bathrooms with occasional wildlife lurking in corners. Good food and a bar on a raised wooden platform contribute to the resort’s appeal. Romantic dinners can be arranged on a tiny private island in the middle of the river or you could sit up at the machan at night and wait with bated breath. (Note that Ken can arrange a fabulous night safari nearby where you will have good chances of seeing not just plenty of wildlife, but animals at their calmest.)