Lakshman Sagar is not your typical hotel, the concierge is behind no desk waiting to assist your theatre wishes, and even if you had theatre wishes there´s no theatre for the next 10 kilometers, no lobby and no line of taxis waiting to be whistled for.

Lakshman Sagar became by far the most adventurous stay on our journey through Rajasthan. 

During the 19th century it was a hunting lodge built to host noble families and British emissaries by the Thakur of Raipur. Today great care has been taken to protect the heritage of Laksman Sagar´s history, especially using locally grown ingredients for cooking, for leisure and interior decoration.

Welcomed with rosewater and garden-grown delicacies, the bellboys in traditional Kutras politely take our luggage to one of the 12 villas scattered within the 32 acres of land.

Each villa is decorated with unfading details, a sensitivity to tradition that is both humbling and stimulating.

Domestic Rajasthan items such as Bangles in jars, lotas (pots) as wind chimes, rolls of sewing thread within the walls and locally weaved rugs create an authentic game, an evidence that eco mindfulness can be trendy and radiant even inside cottages made only of mud, wood, stone and straw.

Apart from the 12 villas there is a white stone pool above a hill, a rectangle framed with bright pink pillows and at your feet the man-made lake where Antelopes bathe in the dawn and dusk. 

It´s dreamy and drowsy and until dinner is served we watch the sunset in the Zanana (women) quarters.

Shades of pink, lilacs and light yellows create a calm atmosphere, inspiring in the grandeur of their culture.

A bonfire before dinner, dishes grown with pride in their garden and straight onto our plates under the blue fans of the Mardana (men) quarters. 

 Once the sun sets and light leaves with it,  we have only torches and our memory to lead us to bed.  

At night we hear the peacocks cry.