Chhatra Sagar

One of Rajasthan’s most glorious architectural wonders is the meticulously restored 14th-century Fort Barwara. What once belonged to a Rajasthani Royal Family has been transformed into a Six Senses sanctuary of well-being.

Six Senses Fort Barwara is located a three-hour drive from Jaipur and a 30-minute drive from Ranthambore National Park, where you can go in search of the region’s wild tigers. It houses 48 luxury suites where the essence of royalty has been kept intact. The East Wing overlooks the countryside and the West Wing offers views to Barwara village and beyond. Each accommodation is designed in contemporary Rajasthani style, reinterpreting the fort’s rich history while subtly incorporating state-of-the-art technology.

Here, dining is a royal affair. The on-site restaurants combine the best of regional Rajasthani and pan-Indian cuisine with a sprinkling of international influences while embracing the Eat With Six Senses philosophy of local, fresh and seasonal produce. Where possible, they harvest ingredients from the resort’s very own organic gardens and carefully selected farmers from the villages and townships nearby.

As the sun begins to set over the Chauth ka Barwara Mandir Temple, come and find the wine sommelier to tour their vintages, or start your evening as you mean to go on with a pre-dinner cocktail at The Viewing Gallery.

There is also an immense focus on personalised wellness. The resort is home to a 30,000-square-foot (2,800-square-meter) spa and fitness centre where an extensive menu of Ayurvedic treatments awaits. You can even blend your own skincare products at their Alchemy Bar.

Six Senses Barwara is a royal base for exploring Rajasthan’s regional delights. Activities can be customized based on your preferences, whether it’s enjoying a sunset drive through the Rajasthani countryside or discovering the wildlife of nearby Ranthambore National Park. With visits to the temple and guided heritage walks, you will find endless possibilities to immerse in local history and culture.

Shahpura Bagh, once the summer residence of the Rajadhiraj of Shahpura, may not be the grandest of the palaces, but it is certainly one of the most charming, whose resident family and staff will treat you as most welcome guests. Located next to a lake which was created by the Rajadhiraj to bring water to his people over 100 years ago and surrounded by acres of gardens and pasture, it is the ideal spot to rest and get a feeling of timeless Rajasthan while travelling between Jaipur, Udaipur and beyond.

There are only nine suites set in 45 acres, each individually designed with handmade rugs, luxurious beds and fine bathrooms, along with antiques and paintings that have been in the family for generations.

Life is unhurried here, and you could spend all day lazing by pool, exploring the working estate on walking trails and picnicking before a lazy sundowner. You can also boat on the lake, visit nearby forts and temples, or go birdwatching. Dining is also a real highlight with home made Rajasthani, continental and traditional meals created by a chef who has cooked for three generations of the family.

Surrounded by the rugged Aravalli Mountain range, Amanbagh is an oasis of calm, a modern day Mughal retreat 90 minutes northeast of Jaipur yet a world away from the thronging cities of Rajasthan.

Invoking the grandeur of vernacular palaces, 40 elegant suites and pavilions are spread throughout the palm gardens, each with a private courtyard or terrace, lofty ceilings within domed cupolas and a deep soaking bathtub carved from green Udaipur marble. A selection of pavilions feature their own private pools.

There’s an incredible array of activities from the resort, such as safaris into nearby Sariska Tiger Reserve, walks and camel rides around historic forts and temples, and cultural excursions to local villages.

Dining here is a memorable experience, whether savouring Rajasthani favourites at the regal restaurant overlooking the pool, or with something a little more private such as a picnic in the splendid wilderness or under a lakeside chhatri pavilion. No matter where you eat, you can be assured of a seasonal menu made with produce from the resort’s organic gardens or sourced locally.

Wellness is a central theme at Amanbagh and the holistic spa provides a range of therapies and treatments that soothe body and mind after a long day of exploration. For those truly seeking an escape, personalised Ayurvedic Immersions programmes from four nights to three weeks can be created, with an in-house Ayurvedic physician overseeing every detail of your experience of this 5,000-year-old system of preventive medicine.

In the middle of wide open wilderness between the cities of Jodhpur and Udaipur, JAWAI is an intimate safari camp surrounded by arid scrubland and towering granite kopjes that numerous leopards and nomadic Rabari herdsmen call home.