Sawāi Mādhopur is small town on the edge of the Ranthambore National Park, a wonderful safari pick in the heart of Rajasthan. Generally, our Hotel Gurus are fans of a traditional safari tent, but with all the luxuries it can afford, and so their recommendations for the best places to stay in Sawāi Mādhopur include plenty of tents, but also plenty of luxury, plus simple guesthouses and heritage hotels.

If you’re planning a visit to India that includes seeing Bengal tigers, leopards, sloth bears, jackals, jaguars, langurs, and a plethora of birdlife, then the best places to stay in Sawāi Mādhopur will be perfect for you, offering fantastic access to the national park’s 1300 square kilometres.

Our Gurus also recommend the best places to stay in Sawāi Mādhopur to anyone looking for a family-friendly Rajasthani base. Its fort is ancient, an oasis of protection, with a number of temples and mosques within, plus gardens and a museum. And Sawāi Mādhopur is close to a number of other temples too, so there’s plenty of cuitural sightseeing to do locally. Sawāi Mādhopur is also known for its guava production.

Whether you’re dreaming of spotting tigers or soaking up Rajasthani culture, the best places to stay in sawai-madhopur promise an enticing base for a memorable trip to the region.

The Best Places to Stay in Sawāi Mādhopur

For a Special Occasion

• Aman-i-Khas is a collection of ten extremely luxurious tents: complete with permanent floors, huge living spaces, and seriously glamorous interiors designed to look like Mughal pavilions. The tents are arranged around the campsite, where there’s also a pool, spa and impressive restaurant. Located right on the edge of the Ranthambore National Park, this is a wonderful spot for wildlife spotting, and escaping everything you know — but in serious luxury. Perfect for a honeymoon.

For Safari Luxury

• Sher Bagh is a luxurious, but authentic feeling, 12 tent jungle camp on the edge of the Ranthambore National Park. There’s a definite last-days-of-the-Raj choice in decor at Sher Bagh, with piles of walking sticks and pith helmets at reception, 19th century furniture, high quality white linens, copious cushions, comfy slippers and dressing gowns, and hot water bottles under your blankets at night in all the tents. The bathrooms are exquisite, with outdoor showers and beautiful marble floors and basins. And the food and drink are mouth-watering, and served around a campfire, or the infinity pool.
• The Oberoi Vanyavilas is a collection of luxurious tents, surrounded by lush grounds, and just ten minutes away from the Ranthambore National Park. Expect air conditioning, four-poster beds, and huge bathtubs, along with plenty of animal print and some really beautiful examples of traditional Rajasthani decoration. All come with private terrace or balcony too. The restaurant menu changes daily, but is based on local availability and traditional Rajasthani cuisine. There’s even a spa, a communal fire pit and patisserie classes for children.

For Safari Chic

• The Khem Villas is a lush, eco-retreat of old-fashioned, safari-style tents in a magically remote-feeling spot on the edge of the Ranthambore National Park, that’s not actually that remote at all. There are just 22 tents and huts, permanent structures with raised wooden floors and ’proper’ plumbing. There’s even a luxurious spa and plunge pool, as well as the watering hole where you may spot jackals, hyenas and big cats around at dusk while you’re enjoying your sundowner, before the campfire. There are family-friendly options in the restaurant too.

For Romantics

• Nahargarh Ranthambore is a magnificent palace on the edge of the Ranthambore National Park, with a wonderfully grand white exterior, and wonderfully grand white, marble interiors too. Expect regal architectural details: domes, pillars, chandeliers, mosaics, frescoes, vaulted ceilings and fountains. The palace seems to sprawl in scale, and yet it has only 68 rooms and suites, many romantically decorated, with four-poster beds and huge marble bathrooms. All the meals are miraculous in their variety and bounty — and sometimes they even do a barbecue in the gardens. The pools, spa, courtyard gardens and communal areas make this a welcoming base for exploring the park.

For Families

• Dev VIlas offers the option of accommodation within a traditional pink palace hotel or safari tents. There are only 21 rooms and suites, and all offer traditionally luxurious comforts and wonderful access to the Ranthambore National Park. The pool and restaurant are added comforts, all meals are included in the room rate, and there are some great family-friendly options.

For Great Value

• Sultan Bagh is a very affordable collection of 20 safari-style tents, complete with simple en suites and four-poster beds, plus a lush garden and swimming pool. Traditional meals are served in the restaurant, and theres a bar and fire pit for the evenings, plus a playground for the kids.
• Vivanta by Taj Sawāi Mādhopur is a wonderful Art Deco era hotel, with 36 rooms and suites, lush gardens, and understandably safari-themed decor. Expect lavish bathrooms, beautiful furnishings and a pool, spa and fine dining restaurant. As well as a fire pit and barbecue. Colonial, yes, but charmingly so.

For a private apartment or villa

• If you’d prefer to stay in an apartment or private villa we recommend you visit our online partner, Booking.com.

Travel Information

• Remote Sawāi Mādhopur is a fair journey from any international airport, so be prepared for a bit of an adventure. If you fly into Jaipur Airport, you’re about two hours from Sawāi Mādhopur by train; Delhi Airport is about four and a half hours away by train; or consider Udaipur's Maharana Pratap Airport which is connected to Sawāi Mādhopur by a night train.
• If you plan to hire a car we recommend you visit our online partner Rentalcars.
• The best time to visit Sawāi Mādhopur is most related to the best time to visit the Ranthambore National Park. The challenge for park visitors is that Ranthambore, and Rajasthan generally, is really, really hot during the summer months of March through June — temperatures get up to 45°C — but this is still the best time for wildlife spotting. The grasses are all dead, so camping out by the waterholes means you’re really likely to see a lot of wildlife. Come July the rains start and while the national park is lush, it can be a challenging time for a safari, and parts of the national park are closed. The months between October and March are considered winter, when it’s cooler and greener, and while it’s not quite so good for spotting wildlife, it’s a lot more pleasant!

Still not sure where to stay?

• You could expand your search to include all the best places to stay in Rajasthan?
• Or you could contact one of our friendly Gurus for personalised advice.