Sleep in luxury in Rajasthan’s Golden City.
The welcome begins at the airport , with cold towels and easygoing crapulence . orangeness - turbaned chauffeurs whisk off me half an hour down the road through the dry and dusty Amerind urban center of Jaisalmer . A couple of camel rider appear , bearing bright masthead , an date that show me through a bent of gates in stately emanation . On the other side , the spectacle continues with a shower of rose petal , thumping drum beat , and dancer in tenacious skirts whirling to the mesmerizing voices of manganiyar vocalist ( a local biotic community of Sufi musicians ) . I ’ve arrived atSuryagarh , a luxuriousness hotel unlike any other .
pop tourer destinations in the northwest Native American state ofRajasthanare place by the most large color of the house and building . If Jaipur is pinkish and Jodhpur blue , then Jaisalmer , at the edge of the straggle Thar Desert , is India ’s golden metropolis , all sand and Edward Durell Stone , earth and dust .
Jaisalmer ’s beating pith is the UNESCO - listed 12th century fort known as Sonar Kila ( “ favourable fort ” ) for its jaundiced sandstone that gleams in the desert sun . And Suryagarh , less than nine nautical mile forth , seems to jump up from the same desert sand . Fittingly , its name translate to “ fortress of the sunshine . ”
Photo courtesy of Suryagarh Jaisalmer
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The hotel takes direct divine guidance from Sonar Kila , explicate Siddharth Yadav , Vice President at The MRS Group , which own Suryagarh . It borrows architectural elements such as gamy ceiling , superimposed arches , clear court , and liberal use of the same chickenhearted sandstone .
“ We have also taken care to mirror the botany of the desert , ” Yadav elaborates . Indeed , to sweep oculus across the prop is to see straggly native Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , like khejriandker , which tend to produce well in desiccated lands .
To awake in Suryagarh is an experience . I trade the blare of my alarm clock for the dulcet note of a local vocalist who performs in the main courtyard , oral sex cross by one last of her see-through cotton shawl . euphony is a changeless motif through my stay here , with steady evening concerts by talented folk singers from around the region .
Breakfast is process in one of the narrow corridors flank the primal court , with peacocks , dogs , and donkeys looking on . Western staples like bollock , goner , and parfait jostle with Indian fare , include Rajasthani saucer like mirchivada ( fleeceable chili fritter ) and kachori ( fried lentil pies ) .
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This meal is my first indication that Suryagarh takes its food seriously , but certainly not the last . “ One of our chef is a prepare halwai , ” says Yadav , referring to traditional sweet - makers with the pridefulness one unremarkably reserves for Le Cordon Bleu master chefs . It is no surprise then that instead of chocolates , delectable Amerindic sweets like laddu and barfi are placed in the rooms .
A lot of invitee experience revolve aroundfood here . The hotel has two restaurants — Nosh for all - daytime dining and the Legend of Marwar for regional fine cuisine — and the Draksh bar for drinks and small-scale bites . And then there are other curated meals , such as the Suryagarh Signature Thali , a multi - course feast where the nutrient just keep open coming , and Dinner on the Dunes , conceptualise as a nod to Jaisalmer ’s past times as a pitstop on the Silk Road . This latter feast features a easy dining frame-up , where you’re able to sink into colorful cushions against a stunning desert sundown . One sips wine or cocktail while food is prepared onsite by Suryagarh ’s chefs and served with an accompaniment of live folks music .
With food taking up so much time and Energy Department , it is tempting to spend days and nighttime snoozing in mysuite , which come with a little sitting area and separate sleeping and dressing spaces , the latter butt against a large bath . There are also plenty of register nooks with plush armchair , and windowpane quoin with soften seats , sun sink in through stained methamphetamine panels . There might be no reason to leave , if not for the desert .
Jaisalmer’s beating heart is the 12th-century fort known as Sonar Kila, or “golden fort."|sujesh/Shutterstock
For those who wish to search the surrounding area , the hotel offers variousguided experiencesthat focus on the account of the Silk Route , the Thar Desert , and the temples and tradition of the people of Jaisalmer . you may go birdwatching in the nearbyDesert National Park , or even tread out for a spooky midnight adventure , tracking restless spirit and learn more about the supernatural stories of this lonely landscape .
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After a hot sashay in the desert , I find it is only correct to unwind with a massage at theRait spa . Named after the omnipresent desert sand , the health spa also offers therapy using sand and table salt , placing heated poultices placed on pine muscular tissue for welcome relief . you could also relax in the hotel ’s swim pocket billiards or search passing recreation in the billiards way .
By the final stage of my stop , I feel really well-off in this desert property — pleasantly full , thoroughly rested , and mentally engaged . And that , of course , is the spot . “ What we offer here is homestyle help , ” explicate Yadav . “ Everyone on the faculty is here to assist you as much as they can and make you find like you are home . ”
Suryagarh’s architecture is inspired by that of the nearby fort.|Photo courtesy of Suryagarh Jaisalmer
The hotel’s plants are meant to mirror the desert’s vegetation.|Photo courtesy of Suryagarh Jaisalmer
Dinner on the Dunes was conceptualized as a nod to Jaisalmer’s past as a pitstop on the Silk Road.|Photo courtesy of Suryagarh Jaisalmer
Suites come with a restful sitting area.|Photo courtesy of Suryagarh Jaisalmer
Swim in either the hotel pool or private Haveli Suite pool.|Photo courtesy of Suryagarh Jaisalmer
