Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan · luxury

Radisson Blu Resort Kumbhalgarh

★★★★★

Kumbhalgarh has very little modern hotel stock, which makes this resort unusual. It is a full international five-star set in the Aravalli hills, about a twenty-minute drive from the fort itself. The scale of the site is what registers first. The buildings step down a hillside in local stone, so the resort reads as low and horizontal against the ridgeline. Terraces and walkways link the wings. From most points you are looking at bare hills rather than anything built. Rooms are large by regional standards, and the suites are larger again. Balconies face either the hills or the interior gardens. The finish is contemporary rather than heritage-styled, which is a deliberate contrast with the Rajasthan palaces most guests visit on the same trip. The outdoor pool is the centre of the property in warm months. There is also a spa, a fitness room and a multi-cuisine restaurant that handles both Indian and continental menus. Evening buffets often run on the terrace when groups are in. Kumbhalgarh Fort is the main draw nearby, with the second-longest continuous wall in the world. The Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary and the Jain temple complex at Ranakpur are both realistic day trips from here.