RAAS Devigarh, Udaipur

Strategically placed on a hilltop in the Aravalli range, RAAS Devigarh overlooks the village of Delwara and a sweep of countryside that has changed little since the palace was completed in 1760 under Rajrana Sajja Singh II.

The principality of Delwara itself was a gift granted by the great Maharana Pratap of Mewar to Rajrana Sajja Singh and his brother Ajja Singh in recognition of their loyalty at the battle of Haldighati in 1576.

The palace is, in this sense, built on an act of honour. Just 45 minutes from Udaipur, Devigarh sits close enough to one of Rajasthan's most celebrated cities to make excursions effortless, yet far enough away to feel like its own world. The village of Delwara — known locally as the town of gods for its approximately 1,000 temples — is within walking distance. The ancient Eklingji temple complex, the pilgrimage town of Nathdwara, the battlefield at Haldighati, and Kumbhalgarh Fort with its 84-kilometre wall, are all at short driving distance. Udaipur's City Palace and Lake Pichola are an hour away.

RAAS Devigarh is run by brothers Nikhilendra and Dhananjaya Singh, whose vision for the brand has always been to merge history and comfort for the modern traveller without flattening what makes each property distinct. At Devigarh, that means the palace's aristocratic character — its marble, its murals, its scale — is preserved and inhabited rather than treated as backdrop. The Virasat Foundation, RAAS's charitable arm, works directly in Delwara, renovating government schools, building clean toilets, and providing access to safe drinking water.

The spa at RAAS Devigarh uses products from Ma Earth Botanicals — natural wraps, scrubs, oils, and creams — and partners with Wellness Lifestyle, a wellness curation company whose programmes integrate Ayurveda, homoeopathy, yoga, meditation, and a range of traditional and contemporary therapies.

The Silver Lounge, once a waiting room for distinguished visitors, now doubles as a private screening room and event space. The heated swimming pool and fitness centre are on-site for those who want to stay within the palace. When the landscape calls, the excursions around Devigarh are exceptional.

Eklingji, a 1,000-year-old Shiva temple complex with 108 shrines and a three-and-a-half-foot, four-faced black marble idol of Lord Shiva, is a short drive away. Nagda, the ancient Mewar capital, sits beside a lotus-covered lake and preserves ornate 7th to 10th-century temple ruins. Haldighati — its hills coloured gold by turmeric soil — is where Maharana Pratap fought the Mughal army under Man Singh I; today it holds a fort-museum, camel rides, and rose farms that supply RAAS Devigarh with rose water.

Nathdwara's temple of Shrinathji draws thousands of pilgrims daily; the hotel recommends arriving for the Rajbhog darshan at sunrise for a calmer experience. Kumbhalgarh Fort, with its 84-kilometre wall and 360 temples overlooking a wildlife sanctuary, is one of the great unexplored sites in Rajasthan.

The village of Delwara itself rewards those who walk its lanes slowly, with a guided heritage walk led by local boys taking in the carved Indra Kund stepwell, the Hunting Tower with its panoramic Aravalli views, and the Sadhna Workshop — a fair-trade initiative supporting over 600 women artisans.