Narlai, Rajasthan, India

Dine beside a 1000-year-old baori well whose steps are lit with hundreds of flickering oil lamps... Ride a Merwari thoroughbred through enchanting desert countryside... Breakfast in an ochre- walled courtyard dripping with bougainvillea and fine 17th century stonework. A Maharaja’s former hunting retreat, Rawla Narlai offers an all-encompassing, magical experience of rural Rajasthan.

It lies in a small village midway between Jodhpur and Udaipur, where you can be sure of leaving the tour circuit well behind. The backdrop is the strikingly domed “Elephant Hill”, which guests are invited to climb for tea and sunset views over a serene boulder landscape.

Our opinion

A charming and comfortable retreat with interesting walks and local temples.