Stay Or Shop: This Udaipur Resort Lets You Buy Everything You See, From Beds To Cutlery

Head to The Royal Retreat & Spa if you like a bit of heritage and a lot of nature rolled into one. The owner is one of the most passionate art collectors the city has ever seen and the resort has truckloads of his handpicked artefacts and antique furniture {and like we said, all of it is for sale}. So if you’re one for art, views and quiet {and laal maas, perhaps}, this will be 13 acres of pure bliss.

About half and hour away from the city, this museum resort overlooks the Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary. Soon as you set foot here, you’re consumed by the greens and the water bodies that are a pretty soothing sight. Next up, you’re bound to notice the architecture and the lavish furniture that could well be something out of a Sooraj Barjatya film set {so super grand}. If you’re someone who’s going for some downtime away from your boss, you can lounge by the pool all day and enjoy the cosy little sit-outs that have been carefully incorporated into every block. When you’re done with your evening chai and walking around, you’ll see how every section of rooms has been added in beautiful bunches; each with a character and feel of its own. While this 100 room property has grown organically, adding one new area after another {wish we could sit in the outdoor lounge more often}, one thing has been the product of pure need: A block {with its own pool and lawn} with about 30 rooms for big groups and family gatherings that culminate into weddings or those totally {not} awkward team bonding sessions. But let’s leave the groups to their own jokes. We absolutely enjoyed our spacious heritage room {that teal cupboard, though} and the opulent bar without the glass of whiskey judging us for loving this life a little too fiercely.

In our mind, an ideal vacation involves a splash in the pool, a short trip to the old city and a long drawn dinner at a restaurant that takes its food very seriously. Surprisingly, The Royal Retreat gets all of this sorted with an utterly memorable vintage car ride thrown in for that postcard worthy edge. We never thought a joy ride could be this much fun but the drive to the Fateh Sagar lake perched in a restored Austin felt like a feel-good throwback we haven’t felt since the last episode of Malgudi Days.  While here, make sure you’re swimming and walking a lot. If you’re taking kids along, they offer horse and camel rides to keep them occupied as you sit down for your masala peanuts and accompanying alcohol. Every meal here is an experience in itself, if you ask us. So take your time with the butter chicken {it’s better than a lot of Delhi places and that’s saying a lot} and traditional rajasthani fare for it’s not just cooked well but served with a lot of old world hospitality intact. Finally, if you miss sleeping on that four poster bed, you can always ask for its price and buy it forever. Bonus: You get bragging rights about getting it from the same art collector whose furniture can be found in Rekha’s house. It’s true.