Hotel Fairmont Jaipur (Jaipur, India)

Pulling up to this majestic palace, you could be excused for thinking you were an arriving Maharajah. Welcomed by beating drums and blasting trumpets, you are escorted from your car whilst being serenaded by a minstrel and showered by rose petals to the lobby where welcome drinks await.

With its majestic entrance and palatial feel, this hotel is the first choice for many looking for that special place for their special day. Featuring exquisite architecture and highly-attentive service, it is the most perfectly romantic setting for the most romantic day of your life.

Guests stepping into standard rooms have been shocked to find that they are anything but. Meticulously decorated to include four-poster beds, timber flooring, vaulted ceilings and brocade curtains, you cannot fail to be impressed, while huge bathrooms with sunken tubs add to the regal feel still further.

Some arriving in search of serenity have had their dreams dashed by blaring music. The hotel is accustomed to hosting loud, large-scale celebrations, including birthdays and weddings. While these are undoubtedly fun for the attendees, other guests, unwittingly caught up in the festivities, are disappointed at the disturbances.

Occasionally, a reviewer is the reluctant recipient of a less than satisfactory customer-service experience. Long waits to check in, slow responses to requests and apathetic attitudes from wait staff have disappointed some, though a number of positive reviews to the contrary suggests these are exceptions to the rule.

While most guests enjoy a pleasant stay, occasional slip ups spoil the experience for some. A lack of warm water in showers, fluctuating Wi-Fi speeds, problems with drainage, hit-and-miss housekeeping and occasional bouts of food poisoning are among the short list of guest grievances reported.