culture Archives - India Someday Travels

India Someday Review of Hem Guest House Jodhpur

Posted on June 26, 2015May 6, 2025 by Harsh Sonawala

Hem guest house is a homestay in Jodhpur. Named after their mother, who conceived the idea of turning their home into a retreat for travellers, the two brothers, Vipin and Rishi, now run this homestay.

Jodhpur city has few homestays, and Hem guest house is definitely part of the top tier. The family lives on the ground floor, and the top two floors are for guests. They have a rooftop restaurant which offers a striking view of the Mehrangarh Fort. Not showy or over the top in any way, this simple abode welcomes you with all heart and will go out of its way to ensure a happy and satisfied stay, and that you leave with a smile.

The restaurant provides a beautiful Mehrangarh view: Tripadvisor

Our Experience

Whilst there, there was also a group of boys staying there who were to leave for Udaipur the next day and they wished to rent Royal Enfield motorcycles in Udaipur and ride to Pushkar. Now, although the brothers (Vipin & Rishi) had come across such a request for the first time, they asked the guys to just give them a few hours. In that time, they made every call possible to their contacts in Udaipur, and by midnight, they had it all arranged. We were really impressed with their effort and conviction!

We dined together with the family, and what a delicious meal it was! Very simple vegetarian fare but we found it incredibly yummy. The USP of the guesthouse is their hospitality – service with a smile.

Dawn at Jodhpur (Photo Credit – Varun Gaba)

What we love about Hem Guest House Jodhpur

The warmth and hospitality extended towards the guests and the experience of staying with an Indian family.
View of the Mehrangarh Fort from the terrace.
Within walking distance of the clock tower and Mehrangarh Fort.

What we like about the Hem guest house in Jodhpur

Although compact, the rooms are clean with a comfortable mattress, clean linen.
Clean bathrooms with running hot water.
The traditional home-cooked food fixed up by the ladies of the house!

What we did not like about the Hem guest house

Personally, there isn’t anything that we didn’t like. But, we noticed that two of the guestrooms open into the kitchen and may disturb guests if things get too loud in the kitchen.

One of the pretty bedrooms of Hem (Photo Credit – TripAdvisor)

Hem is ideal for

Budget travellers
Single travellers
Travellers looking for a homestay experience

Rates and Details for Hem Guest House

The room rates during the season start from INR 1,600 for a Standard Room with Breakfast. They also offer discounts on non-ac rooms and for single travellers.
Contact Person: Mr. Vipin Jain/Mr. Rishi Jain
Website: http://hemguesthouse.com/
TripAdvisor Reviews of Hem Guest House Jodhpur: Click here

To plan your thoughtful and economical trip across Rajasthan, contact us!

Also Read: Best Places to Visit in Rajasthan

Jaisalmer: The Golden City in the Desert

Posted on November 21, 2014May 6, 2025 by Harsh Sonawala

Jaisalmer is a beautiful city near the Thar Desert and is 100 kilometres away from the Pakistan border. After our arrival at the train station, a car from the hotel picked us up and brought us to our accommodation. On the way, we saw Fort Jaisalmer for the first time and I felt like Aladdin in Disneyland.

The fort is amazing and gives you glimpses as a pretence of former times when kings ruled the country. The haveli built there, which is a traditional historic townhouse of Old India, is breathtaking. There are many wonderful things to do in Jaisalmer; that we were able to cover on our trip with the help of India Someday.

The Gadsisar Lake is definitely worth a visit, a beautiful oasis in the Thar Desert

Things we did in Jaisalmer

Jaisalmer Fort

If looking for things to do in Jaisalmer then I would suggest visiting the fort. In 1156, the fort was built by the Rajputana ruler called Jaisal. I would highly recommend visiting the Fort Palace.

There is an audio-guide included in the ticket that allows one to learn so much about the history of the city. The various rooms inside the palace are beautiful. You have amazing views when you walk into the gates, that reminded me of being in a fairytale.

Jain Temple

We saw two nice Jain temples inside the fort while we walked around (although it should be noted that the entry for this monument was quite expensive.) The relics made of sandstone were intricately detailed and interesting to see.

Camel Safari

One of the best things to do in Jaisalmer is the camel safari. This was one of the most exciting, romantic and a spectacular part of our trip to Jaisalmer. We started the trip at 15:00 hrs along with a Spanish couple and a man from Canada. To get to the tour, we drove for half an hour and made a pit stop at a nearby village; making it not very far to travel.

At 17:00 hrs, we began our camel safari in the Thar Desert from the Khuri Sand Dunes Resort. It was a little scary when the camel stood up as it was difficult to find my balance, but I soon was able to get a grip over it. To sit on a camel is not too comfortable and it is also very high. But once we headed off, the view was amazing.

An Unexpected Event

However, after 10 minutes a small herd of sheep crossed our way and two of the small sheep “attacked” two of the camels. One of the sheep was under my camel which made the animal really nervous and aggressive, because of which it became really difficult to stay put in the saddle. In the end, I had to jump off the camel before it escalated and could become a dangerous situation for me and the other rider.

I had to calm down and get my nerves together before I could jump back on. Marlene was also a little in shock. After a while, everyone was better and we continued our journey through the desert. We arrived at our camp in the sand dunes after an hour of riding.

It was an amazing view, as we enjoyed the sunset together in a secluded area, managing to take some great pictures in the meantime. After a delicious dinner, the cameleers sang us some folk-songs. We had a lot of fun together.

Our “beds” were also very comfortable, and we were given blankets to sleep with. It was amazing to sleep outside under the clear skies with the moon shining and the twinkling stars.

In the morning we enjoyed the beautiful sunrise and a delicious breakfast. After this, we rode the camels back through the sand dunes to the main street where a car picked us up.

Camel safari in Jaisalmer, India

Our Accommodation

In Jaisalmer, we stayed in a comfortable hotel called The Mystic Jaisalmer. This is a beautiful hotel with an amazing roof-top terrace view of the Golden Fort. Our room was clean, the beds were comfortable, and the room itself had nice furniture. The staff, especially the boss, were really friendly and gave us lots of good information about the camel safari in great detail.

Mystic Jaisalmer Rooftop (Picture Credit: Tripadvisor)

Restaurants

1. Mystic Jaisalmer

On the roof-top terrace, I enjoyed delicious Rajasthani food with naan and vegetables grown in the desert. The staff is very friendly and the service is quick. It had a nice ambience with an impressive view of the fort.

2. Sunset

This restaurant is located inside the fort. Here you can enjoy very good Indian food on a roof-top terrace, and everything is about the view of Jaisalmer Fort.

3. Jaisal Italy

This restaurant offers very good Italian pasta on par with international standards. I also ordered an orange juice. This one was unfit for consumption but there was no problem sending it back and ordering another drink. Marlene’s ice tea was of very good quality.

4. The Bhang Shop

Well, this one was very interesting! We were able to order crushed seeds and leaves of the cannabis plant (only legalised in certain regions of the country) mixed with milk, served as a traditional drink in India. The effects left us craving lots of food and parts of the day we cannot remember.

Explore More: The Pinnacle of Rajasthan’s Travel Destinations

The royal cenotaphs of the rulers of Jaisalmer (Picture Credit: Conde Nast Traveller India)

Rajasthan – A tryst with royalty

Posted on June 7, 2014May 6, 2025 by Harsh Sonawala

When you think of India, Rajasthan is probably the first word to come to your mind, after the Taj Mahal of course! It’s known for its massive forts, culturally and historically rich cities, and being very tourist-friendly.

Rajasthan is surrounded by the Great Indian Desert and the Aravalli ranges – the nation’s oldest hills. The valour of the ancient Rajputs and the impressions wrought by the Mughal invasions have moulded its history.

Land of little water, Rajasthan’s response to its arid climate has been the creation of the beautiful lakes, tanks, and step-wells. To combat the lack of colour in their environment, the people showcase colourful and vibrant clothing.

This can also be seen in the sheer variety of handicrafts, art, cloth, and semi-precious stones that are sold in its curious bazaars and stores. Other than the historical forts and colour-coded cities (blue, pink, and gold), you can also find a national park replete with tigers, a religious and spiritual oasis, and a chance to explore the desert.

Rajasthan also offers a great range of hotels, from charming homestays (Hem Guest House, Jodhpur) to luxury heritage hotels (Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur). This is probably the reason why every third international traveller in India tours Rajasthan.

We at India Someday have experienced the beauty of Rajasthan firsthand and would love to help you by sharing it.

See Also: Rajasthan’s Must-See Places

Taj Lake Palace Udaipur (Photo Credit: Tata Group)