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Alwar
The Experience
Set on a former maharaja campground two hours from Jaipur -- amid date palms and centuries-old mango trees and still sporting its scent of newness -- this lushly landscaped desert oasis incorporates traditional haveli design in its thoroughly modern construction and detailing, hand-rendered in finely hewn marble and pale pink sandstone. Designed by Aman-vet Ed Tuttle, Amanbagh takes the mod maharaja palace concept -- originated elsewhere in Rajasthan -- to elegant and chic new levels.
The RoomsThere are two distinct room types at Amanbagh -- the 24 Haveli rooms, many with private balconies and shady courtyards, and 16 Moghul-styled pool pavilions with private gardens. With hand-woven Indian fabrics throughout all rooms, as well as hand-carved wooden screens, delicate arched windows and cool stone floors, it's hard to go wrong. The rooms are sized for a prince -- 915 square feet, with separate living and sleeping areas, the latter capped by a domed roof. Of the Haveli rooms, the duplex Terrace suites -- with their 600-square-feet terraces -- are the most impressive. The pavilions, meanwhile, contain private 27-feet swimming pools and palatial bathrooms with tubs carved from solid pieces of Udaipur marble, as well as separate dining and lounge areas within the lush gardens.
The ServiceForty percent of Amanbagh's staff is from local villages, and the service betrays the community's commitment to the resort's style, service and success. As with many Amans, the staff are smooth to the point of feeling "barely there," yet somehow able to tidy up and turn down rooms, deliver small bedtime treats and find an obscure magazine without losing their cool.
The HighlightsLike every Amanresort, Amanbagh is anchored by a gorgeously landscaped pool and gardens. Reaching a length of nearly 100 feet, Amanbagh's swimming pool -- along with its adjacent wading pool -- is cooled in the summer, heated in the winter, surrounded by wooden chaise and a delicate arcaded walkway. The pools host daily yoga sessions, held amid a backdrop of traditional bansi flute music. In between meals in Amanbagh's dining room -- with its mixed Euro-Indian menu served on traditional banquettes and indoor/outdoor tables -- more adventurous souls can head on temple tours by camel of nearby Ajabgarh Fort or to view the leopards at Sariska National Park.
-- David Kaufman
