Suryagarh, Jaisalmer is truly a gateway to the Thar Desert. By the time I made it to Jodhpur station, I had absolutely no idea as to what to anticipate in the coming ride to Jaisalmer. The roads were beyond brilliant, the deserts were enchanting, and the views were breath-taking enough to keep me excited all through the ride. Breaking away from the regular forts and hotel properties, Suryagarh stands tall in solitary splendour. The first look of the hotel delivers a heritage experience that comes blended with modern luxuries. At the entrance I had folk singers and dancers welcome me and the royal rose petal shower just took away all the tiredness too.
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A grand welcome! |
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My beautiful room |
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Personalized schedule! |
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A desert facing room view! |
As soon as I checked in, I was given a schedule for the evening which I have to admit was the one of the best highlights of the trip. A majestic dinner at the dunes, under the starry night sky coupled with the tunes of folk music made me feel like everything was infinite! And yes, the food prepared on the site was glorious.
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Breathtaking decor amidst dunes |
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Wine and folk music, perfect life! |
Day two promised an idyllic holi celebration with traditional Rajasthani delicacies and dance performances in the backdrop by the Famous Langa Musicians Mehboob Khan and party. The festival of holi could have never been this spectacular as it was at Suryagarh, this year. I ended up having 8 glasses of legit bhang and everything else is a memory! ;)
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grand holi celebrations! |
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The blogger brigade, Sherry, Vaibhav, Pradipta and me :) |
The evening was spent exploring the property. Right from the entrance — with its large doorways, water bodies and arches —Suryagarh transports one to the age of royalty. e property, with three floors, has 62 rooms and suites; a spa called Rait; a fitness centre called Akhara; restaurants Nosh and Legends of Marwad; Draksh, the bar; Tash, the cards and billiards room; and Neel, the indoor swimming pool. Every corner and space in this fort reflects the effort that went into its building. There are memorabilia, photo galleries with pictures of locals and surroundings; display of antiques and everything Jaisalmer! I ended up having dinner at Nosh that as casual seating with interesting artwork. It’s a coffee shop that opens around the clock and serves great deal of comfort food.
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Indoor swimming pool |
Day three was planned at the helm of nature. We started out with a one-of-a-kind breakfast with peacocks at 6 am. Later part of the day was dedicated to a city tour wherein we visited the golden yellow Jaisalmer Fort. The fort stands almost 30 meters over the city and houses an entire living area within its huge rampart. Me, Pardipta from Popxo and Sherry Shroff had a lot of fun taking these photos.
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Posing at the Jaisalmer fort |
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Trying out local outfits, sheer work of beauty. |
Luxury and royalty got hitched as we indulged in a majestic lunch with the members of Suryagarh family. It was a wonderful lunch with continuous conversations and lots of wine. An elegant preparation of dishes were served in multiple courses showcasing the chef’s expertise of cooking.
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Scrumptious meal with larger than life decor. |
Taking the journey forward, I headed out to the
Rait SPA. Named in reverence to the sand, this was one of the most indulging destinations within the hotel. I opted for an intoxicating oil and rait treatment that had me feel tranquil all through. I also shot an outfit post that I will be sharing soon on the blog and trust me it’s one of the best shoots done so far :)
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A glimpse of the editorial look-book that is coming up next! |
Last night at Suryagarh was the second
best highlight of the trip. The evening was set against the backdrop of the hotel, by the lakeside. The dinner table on site was glorious; the lighting, mesmerizing folk singers, the people and the stars bearing down was an experience that’s unmatched.
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Dinner under the starry sky, by the lakeside at Suryagarh |
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Enchanting decor (left) and the most gorgeous looking dinner table (right) |
My visit to Jaisalmer was a luxe revival with an imperial twist courtesy Suryagarh. The action packed FAM trip will always remain memorable because of the amazing hospitality, the bloggers I met in the due course (Sherry & Pardipta) and the perfect publicist of the brand, Ekta who ensured that we were all comfortable at all times!
Plan a monsoon vacation to Suryagarh and you guys will thank me later.