Alsisar Mahal

This beautiful honey-hued palace is an excellent base from which to explore Shekhawati, the open-air art gallery of Rajasthan. It’s owned and run by Gaj Singh Alsisar, a Rajput of the Shekhawat clan, and looks like something out of a storybook. The original fortress has been beautifully renovated and transformed into a heritage hotel. As you pass through those huge, wooden gates, you enter a cool, calm oasis: petals float in a bowl near the entrance and you’re handed a glass of rose water on arrival. The magnificent reception has rich-coloured rugs, crystal chandeliers hanging and portraits of the maharajas. The dining room has high ceilings, exquisitely painted archways, white walls and lavish gold detailing. The palace is a maze of cream courtyards, domes and harmonious archways. Signs of a wondrous past age are everywhere: family photographs, royal flags, bows and arrows, rifles and even a royal carriage. The suites are fit for a maharaja, with marble floors, antique furniture, huge four-poster beds and original art on the walls. There’s also a simple massage centre as well as an enormous swimming pool surrounded by sun loungers, chalk-white umbrellas and verdant gardens.