Bharatpur - the Sunbird hotel

All the hotels in Bharatpur had names connected with birdlife. 

Along bird sanctuary road were hotels 'Falcon', 'Pelican', 'Spoonbill' and Eagle's Nest. We plumped for the 'Sunbird' which was a beautiful little hotel not far from the park gates. It works out at about £15 a night and the service was prompt and impressive. There seemed to be a family atmosphere at the 'Sunbird'. The hospitality helped by the fact that we were there in the low season and guests were exceptionally welcome.

The rooms were a nice size with shower and air-conditioning. They were cream in colour with a wide bed and a clean toilet. There is no television so I would advise a good book for the evening. The television is outside where everyone congregates which adds to the communal feeling of the hotel.

Indian air-conditioning is full of character. It consists of a metal box with a whirring fan inside, water is blown over straw by the fan supposedly producing cold air. The contraption is very noisy but does its job in what can be a very sticky, humid place. As you are so close to the national, park mosquitoes seem to be more prevalent here so I would advise a good dose of repellent before you go to sleep.

Outside, under a tropical trellis, is the restaurant. This I would heartily recommend and is where the whole hotel sits down and watches television in the evenings.

The food is good, and I chose Butter chicken with pilau rice. And you eat outside on the trellis in sight of any wild birds that hang around the hotel. Not even the attempts of my friend to put me off worked, even when he said, "As we are so close to the national park, are you sure that's a chicken you are eating, Steve?"