No, we’re not talking about the home stadium of the Bengaluru Football Club! Set in the fortress town of Jodhpur, the Raas Boutique Hotel is a beautiful paradox – swanky new buildings set against the old red sandstone fort. Almost takes you back to director Christopher Nolan’s version of Nanda Parbat from the DC Comics universe. The new parts of the hotel merge with age-old carvings (typical of Jodhpur) and it’s quite exciting to wake up in a contemporary bedroom but be able to draw the curtains to a glorious past of the Mehrangarh Fort.
There are luxury rooms, each with a balcony for privacy and view. All in monochrome, the chic look is a fabulour contrast to the bright red sandstone jharokha windows. If you’re the garden sort, there’s four garden rooms so you can set up a little Mad Hatter-style party there. Take things up a notch at the duplex-suites if you’re a group or family. It’s lovely for the view of the Blue City but it’s in the new wing, so a bit of the fort charm is lost. However, if it’s the royal touch you’re looking for, splash out for the The Heritage suites — three actually 18th Century Rajput residences. These come with a massive bedroom, shower and a cast-iron bath tub, dahling! Plus, a vantage point as it’s at the top of the fort.
Not much around the fort to make a meal of, you might as well indulge in some good Rajasthani (or Indian) food at their very charming restaurant, Darikhana. Low camp-style seating makes it distinct, and we’d love to sit here all night and gaze at the illuminated fort background. But by day, armed with some excellent mojitos, we’ll be lurking at the Baradari Café by the pool. Focussing on Mediterranean fare, it’s the perfect match, to the cool pool vibes.
Speaking of pool, how often do you get to relax in one which is surrounded by centuries-old fort walls and red sandstone? Not very frequently, we presume. So take the time to really bask in it, and then as if you’re not pampered enough, hit the Ila Spa to rejuvenate. Or be lulled into a dreamy stupor, like us!