In 2015, Shatrunjai Singh and his wife Bhavna decided to return to their roots and restored this magnificent haveli (Indian mansion) on the banks of Rajasthan’s Ragho Sagar Lake. Just outside the traditional village of Deogarh, amid the ruins of Shatrunjai’s ancestors’ tombs, they opened the gorgeous Dev Shree, an eight-room rural haven set amid sweeping lawns and ringed by the Aravalli Hills. But while first impressions count – the regal high ceilings, pillared and marbled walkways, opulent fabrics, crafted woodwork – it’s the serene, convivial atmosphere that visitors rave about.
A cross between a palatial family home and a top-flight hotel, the emphasis here is on informal but exquisite hospitality – Bhavna oversees all the meals and guests dine with their hosts around communal tables. By day you can lounge by the pool, attend a yoga lesson or explore the local town with its twisting alleyways and colourful spice stalls. Later, take a picnic into the countryside, embark on a Jeep safari, or board a heritage train ride through the Aravalli range before returning for a sundowner on the veranda as peacocks frolic by the lake and parakeets swoop overhead. A must-visit rural retreat for those who want to sample the real India.
Highs
- Fantastic home-cooked cuisine that introduces guests to the vast variety of local flavours and produce
- Wonderful owners Shatrunjai and Bhavna can provide a wealth of information on the surrounding area
- Shatrunjai also arranges tours of nearby workshops – everything from pottery and jewellery to stone polishing and handicrafts
- A dazzling array of activities: guided jeep-safari tours for leopard spotting, hiking on the Sand Mata trail, visits to the rock caves in the Aravallis, or world-class birdwatching on the lake
- An authentic experience of rural India. This is a place where locals still herd goats, tend dung fires, drive carts and carry firewood on their heads
Lows
- Visitors are encouraged to mix and mingle so maybe not the best place if you aren’t the sociable type
- This is mozzie territory so repellent is a must
- Given its rural setting, you’re not exactly spoiled for choice when it comes to restaurants and nightlife
Best time to go
The best time to visit is from October to April when it’s drier and less humid. Temperatures really start to climb from March, although the higher altitude here means it’s generally cooler than the rest of Rajasthan. The hotel is closed in May and June – and July is the start of the monsoon season.