Samode
A small Aravalli-foothill village north-west of Jaipur whose old noble household turned a hill fort into a palace, and whose lanes are known for block printing and miniature painting.
A noble household's village, an hour from Jaipur
Samode is not a destination in the usual sense. It is a small village in the foothills of the Aravalli range, about forty kilometres north-west of Jaipur, that grew around the seat of a noble family of the old Amber and Jaipur state. Their fort was turned into a palace in the early nineteenth century under Rawal Berisal. The palace later became a heritage hotel, which is why most travellers arrive: it sits on the road between Jaipur and Shekhawati and gives a first night of real Rajasthan quiet after the city. The village is also known for its crafts, including block printing and miniature painting, so a short walk gives you the working side of the place. Come for the evening, the courtyards and the stillness, not for a long list of sights.
Explore Samode on the map
City locations, drawn from our published destination data. Attractions, hotels and restaurants are not mapped yet.
What a stay here actually holds
Samode is a place to slow down. Most guests combine the property itself, a village walk and a short garden visit.
🏰 The palace and its setting
- Walking the courtyards, arcades and painted halls of a hill-side palace that began as a fort
- The mirrored hall and durbar hall added by a later head of the family
- A late-afternoon look over the village and the surrounding Aravalli ridge from the terraces
🌿 The garden
- The walled Mughal-style garden a few kilometres from the palace, with a long water channel and fountains
- Tented rooms and lawns laid out in the same formal pattern for those who prefer sleeping outdoors
- An hour among its trees as a break from the road, rather than a sight in its own right
🧵 Village crafts
- Block printing on cloth, a craft associated with the area, where wooden blocks are pressed by hand in repeated patterns
- Bangle and jewellery makers and small workshops in the lanes, with the market town of Chomu nearby
- A small artists' colony in the village where miniature paintings are produced
🐴 The countryside
- A short walk or village drive past farm fields and low hills
- Evenings spent in the courtyard, with a guide-led conversation about the family's history
- A quiet pre-dawn walk before the road traffic builds, when the village is at its most still
How long to give it
Arrive from Jaipur
Drive out from the city after lunch, check in, then walk the courtyards and terraces before the light fades. Take a short stroll into the village if you want to see the craft lanes.
One night, properly spent
Spend the evening in the palace courtyard and talk with the staff about the family and the area. In the morning visit the walled garden, then set off for Mandawa or return to Jaipur.
A slower version
Add a second night if you want a full day in the village and garden with no driving. Use it for a block-printing visit, a long walk in the foothills and an unhurried meal.
Getting there and getting around
Samode is reached by road and has no public transport worth planning around. A private car is how almost everyone arrives.
From Jaipur
- About 40 km north-west by car, usually an hour or a little more depending on traffic out of the city
- The road runs north-west from Jaipur by way of Chomu; confirm the route with your driver
- Jaipur's airport and railway stations are the nearest arrival points
As a route stop
- Samode sits conveniently between Jaipur and Shekhawati, so it works as an overnight before Mandawa
- The onward drive to Mandawa is a morning's journey in a private vehicle
- From Delhi it is a long day on the highway, so most itineraries reach Jaipur first
On the ground
- The village is compact, and the palace and the lanes are close enough to walk between
- The garden is a few kilometres out, so a short drive in the hotel's or your own vehicle
- Nearby Chomu has the bazaar and shops, a short hop for those wanting a market
What to know before you go
Three points explain the shape of a Samode stay.
The family that held the village runs three heritage properties: the palace in the village, a walled garden a few kilometres away, and a mansion within Jaipur itself. They are often confused. If your booking says Samode, check which one it is, because the setting, the drive and the style of stay differ considerably between them.
Samode has very few attractions beyond the palace, the garden and the village crafts. That is the appeal, but it is also why one night suits most travellers and two is plenty. Expect to spend the time on the property, a walk and a conversation about the area rather than on a programme of visits.
In this part of Rajasthan May is the hottest month and January the coldest, with most rain in July and August, so courtyards and garden are most comfortable in the cooler months, roughly October to March. In summer the stay is better spent indoors and in the evening. If you arrive on a winter night, bring a light layer for the terraces after dark.
Where to base yourself
Samode's lodging is dominated by heritage hotels. Plain village rooms are scarce.
The palace hotel
- A restored palace-fort with large rooms, painted halls and courtyards, the main reason people stop here
- A property that turns the stay itself into the experience, so a single night feels complete
- Book well ahead in winter, when the route between Jaipur and Shekhawati is busiest
The garden camp
- Tented accommodation within the walled Mughal-style garden, a few kilometres from the palace
- A more open, outdoor stay than the palace, with lawns and long fountain channels
- Best chosen by those who want space and quiet rather than a view over the village
In Jaipur instead
- A heritage mansion hotel inside Jaipur, run by the same family, for travellers who want to stay in the city
- A city base with Samode as a half-day or lunch visit by car
- Easier for those with a late arrival, as Jaipur has more choice at every level
Practical notes
A few details that keep the stay simple.
Arriving and leaving
- Allow time on arrival to settle in rather than treating the property as a stopover for lunch
- Aim to reach it before dark, as the last stretch is a local road
- Leave the following morning for Mandawa or Jaipur with a driver who knows the turn-off
Respecting the place
- The palace is a family-owned property and a lived-in heritage building, so treat the interiors with care
- Ask before photographing craftspeople at work, and do not photograph people without asking
- Buy crafts directly from workshops in the lanes if you wish to support the village
Costs
- Entrance fees and guide fees, where they apply, are usually paid locally
- Meals and drinks may be charged separately by the property
- A private vehicle gives you the flexibility to visit the garden and the village at your own pace
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