[Review] Mihirgarh – Luxurious Romance

Mihirgarh is a fantastic combination of roots, tradition, modernity and luxury. It is then no surprise that it has won multiple awards including the best luxury hotel award this year. Incredibly romantic, luxurious and beautiful beyond pictures, this hotel is an experience in itself. If you share our love for horses you will have one more reason to love this gorgeous boutique hotel – it has its own stables and breeds the world famous Marwari horse’s right in the property itself. It is not uncommon to see horses galloping right in front of you as you relax in the private plunge pool in your room. Our favourite part of the stay, there are only nine suites in this wonderland making Mihirgarh a very private experience.

It takes a broken down road through farms, streams and arid land with rocky outcroppings to reach the property. Named Mihirgarh – The fort of the sun, it was built ground up by the Royal family of the region who also owns another heritage hotel, Rohetgarh. However the two properties could not be more different. Mihirgarh is just 2 storeys high with the suites on the ground floor and the top floor named after their prized stallions – Alishan & Shandaar. Their deep connection with horses continues to shows up both in the interiors and the activities on offer. For us, gazing at their shining mane fluttering in the wind as they galloped away around the perimeter of their fenced grounds was enough to take our breath away.

Mihirgarh – Hotel & Grounds:

The outer structure is imposing and the sand coloured walls are maintained by a coating of cement and sand every year, give it a very authentic look. A big board citing it to be a Relais & Chateux property stands next to the huge doors leading into the main building. The brand equals peak levels of service and exclusivity and we weren’t disappointed at all. The photos and the reviews we had read online described it to be a desert retreat being situated in a semi arid region. However the ample rains before our arrival had ensured we were given a largely green greeting. Infact if not for the patches of loose yellow sand where the roads had broken away, it would have been impossible to decipher that we were standing in the middle of the desert. An oasis we had hoped for and an oasis is what we received.

The huge doors open to a small temple and lead further on to a small garden with fountains and chirping birds. A bit ahead lay the common lounging area with a small bar, the dining space as well as the common pool. Oh the pool! Most pools fail to live up to the expectations built up by the professional photographs put up by the hotel. However Mihirgarh’s pool instantly climbed ranks and was beautiful enough to crawl up to our lust worthy pools list. A curved infinity pool staring out to nowhere, surrounded by a pool deck and close enough to the dining area to hop out for a mid-swim snack if you so require. There is also a small library attached to a small garden at the back for small parties and gatherings. The stairs beside them lead upto a sunset lounge which we assume would be pretty much neglected by its guests given how beautiful the sunset looks from the poolside except maybe for someone desiring privacy or someone wanting to relax with a book in their hands.

Mihirgarh – Accommodation:

We have been to some of the best hotels in the country and it is in our opinion, quite a task to wow us anymore. Add that to the high expectations we had of the property even before arriving there and they had a very difficult challenge ahead of them already. However miracles do happen and it did. The rooms are tastefully decorated and we are told that the interiors of each room are different while staying true to the theme. Additionally, everything in the property including the décor and even most of the staff, are sourced either locally or from Jodhpur, making it in our books the best example of sustainable tourism. The rooms are luxurious without feeling overtly opulent. The beds are incredibly soft and it’s very easy to sink into your sleep as you lie down on it. The small number of rooms ensure that the only sounds you hear are of the birds who might come by to say hello. We’ve had so many pretty birds gallivanting around the plunge pool throughout our stay, it was fascinating to say the least.

We stayed in a suite on the ground floor overlooking the stables and in our opinion is the best room of the property. The room actually starts at a small door leading to a private courtyard of sorts with a fountain and a small sitting space sunk into the wall. The main door of the room opens into a living room with a furnace while the bed room has glass windows overlooking the courtyard. The living room also leads to the private plunge pool overlooking the stables. We found a pathway leading from the stables towards our rooms and beyond making the plunge pool not really the most private of areas. We didn’t catch anyone walking on the path below the room throughout our stay but given that a working road was built means it is readily accessible – no skinny dipping! However that is just us being a little picky about things and would probably not bother most other guests.

Mihirgarh – Food:

The dining area is beautiful and the beautiful cutlery, custom made. No buffets as the options are Ala carte, you order what you want to eat. However, the options on the menu are limited and we can see how that can quickly become a bother for people wanting to stay longer. We did not call upon the chef to see if they could whip up something not in the menu, but if possible then our fears are unwarranted and all’s well with the world again. Sorta.

The Indian dishes were too oily for our taste and the pizzas we had in the evening a bit too bland. However, the roulade which the chef had made for us was lip-smacking which leads us to believe that maybe the chef’s specialty wasn’t Indian but the Continental/European fare. The service as expected was great – quick and smooth and a frankly a joy. Tip: Take the corner seat with a pool view for the best dining experience.

Mihirgarh – Service:

There was absolutely nothing we could find to fault the service with. The staff was always on their toes to make our stay comfortable. That we were always greeted with a smile and there was no hovering around for tips definitely tipped the scale for us. It was indeed faultless to the core. What left a huge impression on us however was their drive to go beyond what is required. When we were checking out and leaving for a day trip to Jodhpur, they packed us a goodie bag for the road despite it not being required. Thoughtfulness like this goes a long way with guests and is well deserving of the standards set by it.

Mihirgarh – Horses:

The stables are very clean with none of the stink and general crabbiness we would normally associate with the place. The horses looked healthy and were generally in good spirits, especially one which kept beckoning us with head nods and shrugs. We were later told that the particular horse was a bit naughty and might have probably wanted to nip one of our ears. The stables opened to a big ground, the one visible from our room, in which the horses were left free to exercise, roam about and graze. On the whole we found the stable master to be quite a jolly guy himself who loved his horses. Even when they were proudly showing off the horses to us, they used loving words and tightening of reigns to calm them and none of the whips and slaps to the back which was quite pleasing and relieving to us as animal lovers. There is something about horses and freedom which moves the heart. The sight of them galloping around the ground as they are set free is thrilling and enchanting.

End Notes:

Favourite place at Mihirgarh: Pool deck in the morning and the special sitting arrangement by the pool at night with local musicians playing some melodious tunes to keep us company.It is also in our opinion one of the most romantic locations we’ve come across and surely “the” place for an impromptu proposal

Favourite food at Mihirgarh: Anjeer ke Kebab – This particular delicacy is something we had not tried before and were a bit of a mixed bag but well worth a try. Our favourite meal was the breakfast by the pool, with no one else for company except the birds which milled around us either for a bite or to gawk at us strangers encroaching upon their space.

Favourite experience at Mihirgarh: Lounging in our plunge pool watching the horses gallop past. The sunset by the pool deck would be a close second and only so because it is the place everyone assembles at in the evening and can seem a bit crowded. If you want to catch up on some reading, the sundeck can be equally pleasing.

P.S. If you’re looking for suggestion for books to read, this list of of top travel books might be of help

If you’re exploring Rajasthan you might like our Ultimate Rajasthan Itinerary and our Rajasthan roadtrip stories.

Fact File:

• Mihirgarh is 74 Km (Roughly 1.5 Hours) from Jodhpur City and about 22 Km (Roughly 30 Mins) from Rohetgarh, their sister property.
• The best time to visit would be just after the monsoons when it is green beyond imagination and/or in the winters when the climate allows you to explore more of the surrounding.
• We stayed in one of the stable facing Alishan suite which is one of the 9 suites you can stay at. All suite options come with similar décor and only differ in size or the views they offer. We would recommend the ground floor suites as the plunge pools are bigger in size.
• Mihirgarh stables are used for breeding the horses and hence all the riding activities are done at their sister property Rohetgarh which also houses a stable.
• Mihirgarh is great for couples looking for some alone time, quiet and pampering. Great for Honeymooners or for any special occasion/anniversary. You can book a room at their website for the best prices or lookup more reviews at Tripadvisor.

We were guests of Mihirgarh but as always our opinions and experiences are unbiased, untarnished and entirely our own!

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