Mihirgarh

Rooms

There are 8 large, luxurious suites and 1 smaller, twin-bedded one (Black Buck). Decor is of a similar and very high standard throughout, though each has a different colour scheme.

The 5 Alishaan Suites and Black Buck are on the ground floor. All except Black Buck have private courtyards and infinity plunge pools on their desert-facing verandahs. The 3 Shandaar Suites on the floor above have private terraces and infinity spa pools bubbling hot or cold.

All suites have antique teak beds (which are deliciously soft and comfortable thanks to duvets both above and below you), air con, TVs, DVDs, minibars and tea and coffee stations. Bedrooms open into gorgeous sitting rooms with desert views, sofa and armchair, carved chest and cupboard, coffee table and writing desk, and a working fireplace locally made from whitewashed mud and small mirrors. The bathrooms have all the mod cons, with separate showers and freestanding/embedded baths, double basins and a range of toiletries, and are a symphony of mellow sandstone, dappled light and rounded edges.

Social spaces throughout the hotel include peacock-painted and colourful open-sided lounges, a princely drawing room with library, and a mattressed sunset-viewing roof terrace.

Features include:

• Minibar
• Safe box
• WiFi

Eating

Knowing that Indian menus are Greek to many Westerners, and wanting guests to feel right at home, staff will discuss your preferences before conjuring a bespoke menu for each meal. Chefs are local rather than cordon bleu, but trained in international cuisine so most dishes are possible. You can also sample, and learn how to cook, traditional Rajasthani recipes with thick, signature gravies dreamed up by Sidarth's mother.

Breakfast is eaten beside the pool on beautifully laid tables. You can have a Indian kick-start (spicy scrambled eggs, radish, potato or cauliflower parathas, puris, bhajis) or the full Continental - a delicious spread of fruit platters, cereal, yoghurt, toast, eggs any style, or great fry-ups of baby sausages and crispy bacon. Lunch can be anything from room service sandwiches to a 'Royal Picnic' - think desert tent, tables and chairs, linens and liveried servants.

Dinner (after poolside armchair aperitifs, accompanied by local musicians), was a tasty Rajasthani feast. Served in the dining room brightened with bold wall paintings by young Rajasthani artists, it featured spicy chicken soup, fish and meat kebabs with rice, vegetables and Indian breads, and finished with creme caramel and dark chocolates.

Features include:

• All meals included
• Bar
• Breakfast
• Organic produce
• Vegetarian options

Activities

• Relax on a cushioned lounger then do laps in the exquisite infinity swimming pool; or chill beside your private plunge pool
  
  
• Have an Ayurvedic or aromatic massage, manicure or reflexology in the on-site spa
  
  
• Take a 2-hour cookery workshop with Rashmi, using the published family cookbooks - then eat the results for dinner
  
  
• Leap on a Marwari horse and ride out into the Thar desert to see antelopes, camels and wild peacocks
  
  
• Admire the tiny, working Krishna and Radaka temple at the entrance where 'pujas' are performed every morning (a religious ritual and offering)
  
  
• Visit nearby Bishnoi mud hut villages and sip ritually-prepared (very weak) opium tea
  
  
• Have a change of scene at sister hotel Rohet Garh where you can swim in another beautiful pool, and watch peacocks strutting proudly through the garden
  
  
• Spend a day exploring some of the wonders of Jodhpur - Mehrangarh Fort (oft-called Asia's best), Umaid Bhawan Palace and Sangeet Natak Akademi Folk Art Museum - and weaving your way through the narrow lanes of the old Blue City
  
  
• Play golf at the 100-year-old Ratanada club, south of Jodhpur
  
  
• Take a trip to the wondrously carved Jain temples of Osiyan and Ranakpur

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Birdwatching
• Cooking classes
• Golf
• Historical sites
• Horse riding
• Museums / galleries
• Private guided tours
• Safaris
• Shopping / markets
• Swimming
• Traditional cultures
• Well being
• Wildlife

Kids

Children are welcome (though charged as extra adults) and the hotel can provide extra beds and arrange babysitting, but there are no baby cots. There are no special facilities for children but painting and drawing materials are available and Rajni, one half of the couple who run Mihirgarh, is artistic and will help keep little ones creatively amused.

Best for:

Children (4-12 years), Teens (over 12)

Family friendly accommodation:

Extra Beds Available

Distances:

• Airport: 50 minutes (Jodhpur)

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Mihirgarh is 18km into the Thar Desert from Rohet Garh, and about 60km from Jodhpur. It's 206km from Mt Abu, 280km from Udaipur, 235km from Jaisalmer and 334km from Jaipur. You'll begin your journey into the wilderness from Rohet Garh.

By Air
Jodhpur (60km) is the nearesr airport. It's served by internal flights from most Indian airports, including Delhi, Mumbai (Bombay), Jaipur and Udaipur - click on the links below for a list of airlines.

By Rail
Jodhpur can be reached by rail from Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, Agra, Bikaner and Jaisalmer.

From the Airport/Train Station
Rohet Garh is a 50-minute car drive from Jodhpur; the hotel can arrange transfers - see Rates.

By Car
Rohet Garh is on the main highway from Jodhpur to Udaipur and on the way to the famed Ranakpur temples. Our Tailormade Tour Operator can arrange a driver for the single journey or as part of a longer bespoke tour of Rajasthan.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

More on getting to Rajasthan and getting around