GBP
Aman-i-Khas
PRICE: Worth maxing out for
Aman-i-Khas is sublime. It is tented accommodation, yet it would get a podium finish compared amongst all hotels in India. On the very edge of Ranthambore national park (the park wall is literally within throwing distance) you’ll get the feeling you are on someone else’s turf. This is tiger territory.
With just a handful of tents – ten, to be precise – you’ll be treated like a Mughal emperor. You have your own batman – not the caped superhero, although there are some similarities as this butler of butlers seems at times to have superhuman abilities. So perfect is his skill, service and attentiveness you’ll be levitating for your entire sojourn.
And the word tents hardly does justice to this accommodation. The soaring 6m canopies are divided Mughal-style to create rooms within your suite. Each is raised on a concrete plinth, with air-conditioning and cotton drapes separating sleeping, dressing and bathing sections
The king-sized beds have the softest sheets imaginable, the bathrooms feature with luxurious sunken baths and walk-in rainfall showers, and there are oversized day beds with fine scroll cushions ideal for after-lunch lounging and a private verandah on which kick back.
You could summon your Batman for a drink but in the privacy of your own soaring Mughal marquee, by jove, nothing is more pleasurable than opening the leather-bound campaign chest to find it is actually a refrigerated drinks vessel.
The common areas of Aman-i-Khas are no less impressive. A shimmering, square-shaped pool with low-slung Mughal recliners is heaven on earth. The dining experience is similarly out of this world, with royal Rajasthani dishes, alongside Western creations, served up using vegetables and herbs from the organic gardens.
The dining tent has a large communal table perfect for excitedly sharing stories of the bush and for conviviality with new-found friends, whilst those who want their own space can enjoy smaller settings.
And when you are done feasting, it is a delight to retire to the fire pit – more of a fire amphitheatre –perhaps with a pashmina thrown over your shoulders on a clear night, to enjoy a whisky or two late into the night, while watching the sparks compete with the stars for brilliance within the night sky.
Aman-i-Khas: The Gallery
Yonder Insight
As if tigers and batmen weren't enough, those wanting to experience the rugged landscapes of Ranthambore on their own can be whisked away for magnificent private dining and yoga sessions.
On your doorstep
Ranthambore National Park – the finest tiger reserve in India. Most safaris, although randomly allocated by the park authority, take place in zones 1-4, which is about 20 minutes from Aman-I-Khas.
