Enchanting Lakshman Sagar

Lakshman Sagar is a secret hideaway in an offbeat part of much-visited Rajasthan. While it may not have the grandeur of the palace hotels that Rajasthan is so famous for, it beguiles guests with its uniquely rustic charm.

We booked with the hotel directly, through their website. This was quite straightforward, and we received a prompt confirmation call.

The property is pretty small and has outsourced transfer options to a local taxi operator (its a part of their work-with-the-community concept). We took a fast train down to the nearest big station (Marwar Junction), from where Lakshman Sagar was around a 90 minute drive on a good quality highway (the last patch was through slightly bumpy country roads). The transfer was fairly standard - competitively priced but devoid of any frills - even water.

There is no lobby here. Staff welcomes you at the gate, and ushers you straight to your room while giving a quick brief about the property. We arrived just before sunset, received a nice welcome sherbet drink, and were promptly ferried to our room to relax till dinner. All check in formalities were thankfully put off till a time we were better rested (which was lunch next day). Considering the slight effort needed to get here, I think its wise that checkin is kept so low key. 

Lakshman Sagar is located in the geographic heart of Rajasthan, roughly in the middle of the big destinations - Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Udaipur. It makes a convenient mid-way base while travelling between the three by road. As a standalone destination, however, its a bit inconvenient as the nearest airport is 4-5 hours away by road, the nearest station is too small and served only by a slow train from Delhi, while the nearest big station with relatively decent train service is around 90 mins away and connected only to Delhi and Mumbai. 

The inconvenience of the location, however, is part of the appeal. The property is in a seriously offbeat part of an otherwise popular destination, and offers unimaginable solitude. The landscape - rocky badlands - is quietly stunning, and is a magnet for a fair amount of wildlife - an unintended bonus for guests at Lakshman Sagar.

The property itself is beautiful - a former hunting reserve set around a dammed reservoir with two 17th century hunting lodges. The rocky, bouldery landscape is interspersed with a handful of beautiful cottages, each with a unique view. All of it makes for a very special setting. 

Lakshman Sagar's stellar design is an exponent of the rustic chic aesthetic. The common spaces centre on a dam overlooking the lake, backed by two seventeenth century hunting lodges. One is an open plan hallway painted in stark beige and blue and is called the Mardana (the men's chambers). This is the setting for breakfasts and lunches. The other is a more fortress-y enclosure set on a hillock painted in tones of beige and pink and composed of a labyrinth of corridors, terraces, nooks, balconies, and chambers. This is called the Zenana (the women's chambers), and is a brilliant place for atmospherically lit dinners and generic all-day lounging (or kite flying, if you're up for it). The intervening bund, meanwhile, offers a relaxed space for sun lounging, fishing, and sun downers (set around a fireplace).

The main pool is a rock-hewn beauty, and is arguably one of the most stunning pools in the world. Its better in person than in photos, but is sadly not temperature controlled - meaning its often too frigid for a winter time swim. 

The rooms are all cottages, linked by rough pathways that wind up and down the property. Six are to the north and set on the banks of the reservoir, while the rest are to the south, set along the boulders that tumble into the lake. Each is a jewel of local craftsmanship, built of mud, stone and thatch and decked out with design and curios that will satisfy your inner designer. 

Lakshman Sagar offers twelve cottages, each with its own plunge pool, set around various vantage points. Most have views of the lake, while a few are set higher up with sweeping countryside vistas.

The rooms are a visual delight. They're built of adobe, stone, and thatch, and offer a spacious living area with a fireplace, a wine selection, and basic mod cons like a tea and coffee maker. The bedroom has a large, comfortable bed and a smaller sitting/reading area. The open plan bath comes with running hot and cold showers. The outdoor stone deck has a free form pool in a shape dictated by the landscape. Every detail is handcrafted and quirkily conceived from locally sourced materials - its a design enthusiasts dream.

We stayed in number 8 which was a short trek along a stone-hewn pathway through boulders from the main common spaces. We loved it - it was perched right above the lake, and had dreamy views. We could see peacocks, deer and turtles from our deck. 

Among other rooms, 12 is the most elevated and offers country views but not views of the lake. 7 is similar in views to 8, but is closer to the common spaces and is a bit lower-set. 1 is located across the lake from the common space and worked pretty well. 

While not polished, service here is simple, courteous and heartfelt. Most of the staff have been associated with the royal family which owns the property from before its conversion into a resort, and their connection with the place really shows. Staff always has a tale to tell, and are experts in their own rights - some will tell you about the customs of the land, some can spot migratory birds from a mile away, some will be able to give you an inpromptu farming lesson, another can talk about the bandit he once shot - and so on. The manager, a royal scion himself, was quite professional and efficient, but may have had a bit of a drinking problem. He was no nuisance, however, and except for over-conversational, we did not mind him much. He did suggest excellent activities (and drinks - do try the local liquers) and was able to attend to our specific needs quite well.

The standout service moment for us, however, came when my wife suffered a fall while walking along a pathway after dinner. At 10 in the night, the entire hotel descended on us to make sure we were alright. The manager drove us to the nearest healthcare centre and used his clout to ensure a doctor would attend to us while he himself fetched some ointments. When we offered to pay for the medical expenses, he politely refused saying that he was sorry the property's design facilitated my wife's fall, and drove us back to the property. Staff was waiting with a makeshift palanquin to ferry us back to the room, fearing my wife would not be able to manage the walk (though she thankfully did). For the rest of the stay, they broke house rules by offering us meals in the room and taking us for their signature breakfast in the fields by jeep instead of foot. It sounds a bit embarassing, but was honestly very considerate and sensitive!

Owing to its isolated location, Lakshman Sagar rates include all meals, including evening tea and snacks. Alcohol, however, is extra (the accompanying snacks are free though).

Meals can be served in any of the two lodges, and are a very pretty affair, especially at night. Food itself is hyper-local - grown in the property's gardens and following a local menu. While the offerings change daily, it can get a tad boring after 2-3 nights of rustic Rajasthani fare. On the bright side, its all healthy, tasty, and completely organic. 

There is also a complimentary (once during the stay) 'breakfast in the fields' on offer, which you definitely should not miss. Guests are taken to a nearby homestead in the middle of expansive farms, where the homeowners treat you to a simple but delicious cooked-in-front-of-you breakfast. You can even meet the cow that helped make your lassi, churn butter with the housewives, and play with the kids and their pet goats. Its as authentic as it gets. 

Sundowners here are pretty fun. They are set around a large fire place on the bund, and served off a wheelbarrow. There is a decent collection of alcohols and local liquers, and complimentary finger food. Watching the sun go down and stars filling the sky like this is a magical affair. 

As a small resort with a hyper-local bent of mind, Lakshman Sagar offers some unique amenities and facilities to its guests. Activities include star gazing, kite flying, turban tying, village safaris (pretty fun, taking you around and giving you a glimpse of an actual Indian village and small town) and the like, all led in communion with the local community and very competitively priced. In room facilities include tea and coffee makers, board games, yoga mats, wine selections, fire places, and the pretty plunge pools. Its not the usual set of full-range facilities on offer, but a very pleasing variation of it.

I found Lakshman Sagar to be a very special place - enchantingly pretty and professionally run, and loved it as get-away-from-it all break. Every detail about the property is unique, and it is truly a brilliant place to unwind. It also helps that the rooms are handsomely generous, and that the property is as isolated as it is. I'd gladly return here, considering its easy enough to manage as a weekend break from home.

People who will not be happy with the property will include the elderly and the disabled, who have no chance of traversing the place; children, who will be only grudgingly accepted and have little to keep them engaged; and guests who come expecting all mod cons like televisions and multi-cuisine dining. This is not a property for any of these kinds. 

First time visitors to Rajasthan should try and include the place in what will typically be an action packed itinerary as a refreshing antidote to the pomp and crowds of more touristic locales. 

I went overboard with photos - so pretty was the place!