This 375-year-old fortified desert home of the descendants of the Rathores lies on the banks of a small lake teeming with birdlife, just south of Jodhpur. The Singh family still reside here and run the hotel, restored in traditional Rajput style and filled with historic trophies and delightful details. You enter through painted gates into a rambling, low rise building which has various wings surrounding grassy courtyards and a pretty landscaped garden, as well as plenty of breezy verandas and private retreats. The welcoming central courtyard with its garden and bougainvillea has been completely restored, with marble floors, a traditional arched veranda and a small marble fountain in the lawn.
Surrounded by the scrublands of the Great Thar Desert, this is a quiet place of great charm and character, steeped in family history. But there is also plenty to do - the Jeep, camel or horse safaris into the desert and tribal areas are highly recommended. With Jodhpur just 45 minutes away, Rohet Garh also makes the perfect rural retreat from which to explore this historic city.
Highs
- This is a friendly place that offers personal service without compromising your privacy
- The spacious rooms have pretty frescoes, beautiful bedcovers and hanging chairs
- The terrace with its lake view is just the place to recline
- The family are passionate about their heritage and meet each guest in person
- Spa with very good Ayurvedic massages
- There are Jeep safaris to Bishnoi villages, and wonderful horse-riding out in the desert. Or maybe stay the night at Rohet Garh's sister property, the swanky Mihirgarh
Lows
- The beds can be rather hard
- It can be noisy if groups are staying
- Management is a bit slow if the family isn't there for some reason
- Staff tend to serve buffets when big groups are there, although a table d’hote menu can be requested
- There isn't much lounging area by the pool itself, but there's a sun terrace overlooking the lake and a rooftop terrace and bar
Best time to go
The peak season is October to early April, when it's warm and dry. May and June are just too hot for many. July and August are the monsoon months and bring muggy, humid weather and a profusion of insects, though the showers are normally brief. Note that the mornings, evenings and nights can get chilly in December and January.
Our top tips
Don’t forget to save some time for lounging on the sun terrace, which is covered with comfy mattresses and low tables. It's the perfect place to sit and sip a drink in the evenings, or for lazing during the day.
- Boutique Hotel
- 32 rooms
- Restaurant and bar (open daily)
- All ages welcome
- Open all year
- Outdoor Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Car not necessary
- Parking
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
- Bicycles Available
Rooms
The 32 rooms are light and airy. Prettily decorated, they're differentiated by varied colour themes, distinctive frescoes, antiques, and handworked bed covers and pillows. They're scattered around the building and courtyards, mostly on the ground floor, and face onto the gardens or overlook the lake.
The suites are large and spacious and have a separate sitting area. Rooms 6 to 9 have the best bathrooms and look out over the swimming pool, but are less private. Rooms 12 and 21 to 27 have views of the lake. Room 31 is for horse lovers as it faces the stable courtyard. Room 15 has a terrace with a lake view .
All rooms enjoy seriously comfortable deep mattresses; the suites have superior goose down pillows. All are air-conditioned and have overhead fans, hairdryers, bathrobes and attached bathrooms with excellent Forest Essentials toiletries. Gorgeous old padlocks are used to lock doors.
Features include:
- Bathrobes
- Fan
- Hairdryer
- Safe box
Eating
Durri Khana, the original lounge and dining room with wooden ceiling, is in the centre of the house - it's now a comfortable lounge area with a card table and chess boards. There's a lovely open-sided restaurant, which overlooks the swimming pool and serves good continental and Indian cuisine. We tried paneer cheese and coriander along with sizzling chicken kebabs, which were basted with lemon juice by the cheery chef as he turned the meat over hot coals. Your choice of bread is cooked to order; lids are lifted on silver trays warmed by candles. Afterwards, you can take coffee in the relaxing bar. There's also a divine upstairs tented dining terrace, which is warm and cosy.
Most evenings, extravagant music and dance performances provide a delightful accompaniment to a poolside candle-lit dinner. It's also possible to order snacks or have breakfast by the pool, and room service is readily available. Picnics can be arranged if you're planning to go on one of the safaris.
Features include:
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Vegetarian options
Activities
- The family are lovers of the great outdoors and will happily take you to visit the local Bishnoi tribal villages and farming communities. The Bishnois are an ancient Rajasthani tribe, who worship nature in all its manifestations: women suckle motherless deer, die to save trees and go hungry to provide food for animals. At one of the villages you may be invited to partake in an opium tea ceremony with the village elders - a real honour
- Watch one of the daily cooking demonstrations, held in the courtyard with Rashmi
- Superb Marwari horses (claimed to be the best in Rajasthan) are stabled here, so you can go horse riding into the Thar desert.
- Spend time by the lovely pool in the courtyard adjacent to the dining room, or choose from a range of Ayurvedic treatments in the spa
- Go for a picnic - where else would you have your own shamiana (pagoda) put up lakeside, along with mattresses and bolsters, and be waited on hand and foot?
- Go sightseeing - easy excursions include the gardens at Mandore, the temples at Osian, the Kumbhalgarh Fort and the Jain Temples at Ranakpur
- A visit to the historic city of Jodhpur, with its impressive fort and fantastic shopping opportunities, is a must. There's much to see and do, before returning to the enchanting rural peace of Rohet Garh
- Spot birds - the winter months attract a vast variety of species to the lakes around Rohet. Bicycles, bird books and guides can be arranged
- Join a culinary workshop with the Singh family and learn the secrets behind Rajasthani cuisine
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Birdwatching
- Cooking classes
- Cycling
- Golf
- Hiking
- Historical sites
- Horse riding
- Plantlife / flora
- Private guided tours
- Safaris
- Shopping / markets
- Swimming
- Traditional cultures
- Wildlife
Kids
Rohet Garh accepts children of all ages. Children may be accommodated in their parents’ bedroom; baby cots, extra beds and babysitting are available.
Best for:
Children (4-12 years), Teens (over 12)
Family friendly accommodation:
Cots Available, Extra Beds Available
Babysitting:
Babysitting is available by arrangement.
For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection
Location
Rohet Garh is set on the edge of the Thar Desert, about 60km from Jodhpur. It's 206km from Mt Abu, 280km from Udaipur, 235km from Jaisalmer and 334km from Jaipur.
By Air
Jodphur (60km away) is the closest 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 Johdpur; the hotel can arrange transfers from the airport or station - enquire when booking.
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
Airports:
- Jodphur 40.0 km JDH
Other:
- Beach 550.0 km
- Shops 40.0 km
- Restaurant 40.0 km