Devi Garh, Udaipur

Tucked away in the age-old Aravali hills of Rajasthan, the 18th century Devi Garh Fort Palace, in the village of Delwara commands one of the three main passes into the valley of Udaipur. Sajja Singh, who hailed from the neighbouring state of Gujarat, was awarded this strategically significant principality, in recognition of his bravery and loyalty to Maharana Pratap against the Mughal emperor Akbar, at the battle of Haldighati (1576).

The actual construction of the fort palace started only in the 1760s, under Raghudev Singh II, with further additions being made to the structure by the rulers who followed. The palace was absorbed into the state of Rajasthan in the 1960s, and was subsequently abandoned.

Today, after years of restoration and reconstruction, Devi Garh has regained its past glory. An imposing and impressive structure, it is now a unique all-suite boutique hotel, with 23 suites and 6 tents.

Devi Garh stands, quite literally, in two worlds: the traditional and the modern. Its ambience is an eclectic mix of skillfully crafted designs, both old and new, functional and purely aesthetic. Local materials like marble and semi-precious stones have been used in contemporary designs to create an elegant beauty. Personalized service complemented by a wide range of modern facilities goes towards making Devi Garh a comfortable and attractive retreat.