Rawla Narlai

Hotel review

Set in a fortress in the village of Narlai, surrounded by arid lands and massive granite boulders, this idyllic place feels strikingly remote. The only sounds are of birds and temple bells. Once a royal hunting lodge, it was transformed into a chic boutique hotel in 1995. Its style and character (original fort walls and gates, elegant archways and stained-glass windows) hasn’t been lost. There are flowers and ivy carpeting the walls, water features, sun loungers under frangipani trees and a gorgeous swimming pool. The 32 beautiful rooms are all different, the most unusual one being the cosy Queen’s Room, which has low, frescoed ceilings and a balcony overlooking the spectacular 350ft bare granite hill that towers above the hotel. And there’s plenty to do here: you can visit nearby Kumbhalgarh Fort or Ranakpur Temple, go horse-riding or trekking, set out on a jeep safari to spot leopards or explore the local villages. Afterwards, you can enjoy a deep-tissue massage in the tented poolside spa, sip a cocktail in the courtyard and dine on the rooftop. There is also the option to book the magical 'Stepwell dinner' - not cheap (for India), but well worth the experience, as you are transported at dusk on ox-carts and served a sumptuous thali feast in a 1000 year old Stepwell and surrounded by literaly 1000s of twinkling candles beneath the stars, listening to the croak of the tree frogs and the melodies of a sitar. In the words of Mick Jagger, who once stayed here, ‘Such a wonderful place’.

James Dunford Wood