USD
RAAS Devigarh
PRICE: Punchy but doesn’t blow the budget
The RAAS Devigarh is, for us, one of the most stunning hotels in Rajasthan, India. There is a majestic nobility about it, which is no surprise given that it was completed in 1760 under the reign of Raj Rana Sajjan Singh II.
Imagine a fairytale castle perched high on a rock. The kind of place that Cinderella would hang out after the Prince had placed her errant shoe on her foot. RAAS Devigarh is that kind of place.
Sitting in a commanding position overlooking the surrounding rolling green countryside, it exudes exclusivity and privacy. Exquisitely carved balconies, fine fretwork panels, narrow arches and steep palace steps are just the tiniest taster of the surroundings that you’ll call home.
A more recent addition to the palace has been seamlessly blended in to form the pool area and the garden rooms which are conveniently located in a horseshoe shape around the main palace gardens. The renowned ILA spa, one of only two in India (the other is RAAS Jodhpur), sits beneath the pool and Jacuzzi.
Devigarh has elegant contemporary interiors which are minimalist in their presentation. You’ll find white bedrooms lined with marble, a splash of colour from local artworks and huge picture windows through which you’ll gaze in awe at the surrounding landscapes and the Aravalli hills.
All of the rooms in the old part of the hotel are different in size and shape owing to their integration into the existing building. This makes for interesting configurations, with the occasional rain shower excitingly located in an overhanging balcony or a loo in an anteroom with a view of the palace walls below. The gardens rooms are uniform in their appearance, bedecked in white and green marble with large bathtubs, rainfall showers and their own private tented terrace fronting onto a central garden.
The restaurant and bar are located in the main tiered Rajput palace. One on top of another, they are the perfect place to kick back and stare out over the pool and into the distance beyond. The food, both Indian and Western, is excellent, with a huge selection. We’ve enjoyed many a good meal here and Chef Antika is only too happy to take special requests.
RAAS Devigarh: The Gallery
Yonder Insight
Dinner for two in the Sheesh Mahal, or palace mirror room, is an experience like no other. You’ll walk through a carpet of fragrant rose petals to settle at your exquisite table with the light of hundreds of candles reflecting of the mosaics.
On your doorstep
The village of Delwara, once known as the town of gods, because it boasted 1,000 temples, sits just below the hotel and rewards wandering as it remains largely untouched by modern life.
