If 2020-21 have been the years of staying indoors, 2022 has most definitely been the 12 months of travelling like by no means earlier than. This Independence Day got here with an extra-long weekend, and everybody round us had plans to journey however we simply hadn’t gotten round to reserving a spot to remain it in time. So, when my husband’s pals determined to plan a giant journey with {couples} and youngsters to a spot situated at a driving distance from Delhi, the search started in earnest. An obscure fort transformed right into a heritage lodge close to Jaipur got here up – Mundota Fort & Palace Resort – and luckily it had rooms obtainable! (Maybe that ought to have been our first clue {that a} keep right here wouldn’t be ideally suited, however extra on that later!). We promptly booked ourselves in for 2 nights and had an fascinating expertise which I’ve written about it element for Mint Lounge. However, relating to spilling the actual unfiltered tea, with grains intact, this weblog is the place it’s at! So, learn on for an trustworthy assessment of the Mundota Fort & Palace Resort:
MUNDOTA FORT & PALACE HOTEL:
No assessment of Mundota Fort & Palace Resort could be full with out sharing a historical past of the property with you first. The Mundota Fort which lies North-West of Jaipur dates again 450 years and was accomplished within the 14th century by the Naruka Rajputs. Possession modified arms over time because of combating inside clans and the Nathawat Rajputs grew to become the house owners and stay so to at the present time.
On the backside of the hill is the accompanying palace which was constructed within the late fifteenth century by the grandson of Raja Prithviraj of Amer. Their web site states, “It was expanded by the next generations. The Mundota Thikana (Property) was a double Tazimi Jagir (having fun with the best respect on the royal courtroom) of the Jaipur dynasty.”
Reopened after intensive renovations in early 2020, Mundota Fort & Palace lodge has been developed and is being run by the house owners of the property. Your entire lodge is split into three distinctive components. These are the fort, the palace, and a personal horse polo floor housing among the most interesting thoroughbred ponies. Every of those is situated barely removed from the others and one must be transported in jeeps / off-roaders to succeed in them.
BOOKINGS & HOW TO GET THERE:
The simplest option to attain Mundota Fort & Palace Resort is to drive there from Jaipur metropolis. Jaipur itself is well accessible by automobile from Delhi, or bus, prepare and airplane from most different metro cities.
Guide straight on the Mundota Fort & Palace Web site to avail the very best offers.
TYPES OF ROOMS:
There are 52 rooms and suites on web site, however when a vacation spot wedding ceremony is being hosted, which appears to be the mainstay of a boutique heritage property like this one, they put up Luxurious Swiss tents to supply as much as 170 rooms. An extra variety of rooms can be being developed now.
The Fort Suites, that are few in quantity, are much better than their palace counterparts. They arrive with palatial rooms, supply beautiful vistas of the Rajasthani countryside and have connected plunge swimming pools, other than offering entry to the terrace pool which can be situated within the fort space. The Palace rooms then again, are finished up in a extra ostentatious model however are smaller, much less engaging and supply a plain hillside view. We stayed in a Fort Suite on the primary night time however needed to shift to the Palace for the second night time as a result of the Fort suites have been pre-booked for that night time. Although this allowed us to evaluate each model of rooms, it additionally made us evaluate them with one another! And sadly, the Palace fell far brief.
THINGS TO DO:
As with all heritage properties, the Mundota Fort & Palace Resort has lots to supply, however as we have been on a bunch staycation, we didn’t enterprise out a lot, largely staying indoors and entertaining ourselves with video games and gossip. Nonetheless, we did enterprise out on each evenings to take my animal-obsessed son horse-riding on their polo grounds, which was simply one of the vital memorable components of the journey. For many who are searching for a complete assessment of the Mundota Fort & Palace Resort, nonetheless, here’s a round-up of issues to do at this property:
Recreation: The polo floor has 80 stables and among the most interesting horses in India. It’s marketed as India’s solely lively polo floor connected to a heritage property. On request, non-public polo matches, using classes or champagne sundowners will be organised on the Mundota Polo Grounds.
One also can request for curated experiences like step-well eating, camel using, camel polo, climbing on the Aravalli mountains, visits to the close by village, heritage walks and jeep safaris. I didn’t ask for any of those, so I can not communicate for them.
The youngsters loved their horse-riding and the adults beloved strolling on the attractive polo grounds. In the future, we additionally visited the native Hanuman Mandir situated on the hill reverse the fort.
On our second night time there, we requested them to do up our connected balcony / sit-out space within the Palace room as we deliberate to spend the night there. For this, they did a superb job. Candles and exquisite décor actually amped up the area, making us really feel as if we had stepped again in time to occasion just like the kings and queens of yore.
Eating: There is just one in-house restaurant that serves beneath common meals. Once we have been there, the Fort didn’t have a separate kitchen and so the whole lot we ordered, got here from the Palace. It took without end to succeed in and was typically chilly by the point it arrived. Not a great expertise for positive.
Sports activities and Leisure: Swimming within the non-public plunge swimming pools is probably the one exercise one can partake of on the property. It’s possible you’ll need to verify the standing of the swimming pool within the Palace although – it was horrifically soiled once we have been there!
Weddings & Occasions: Evidently your complete raison d’etre of the Mundota Fort & Palace Resort is to cater to the ever-increasing luxurious wedding ceremony vacation spot section. Their complete appear and feel is geared in the direction of this. Actually, the dearth of a kitchen within the fort additionally signifies that they don’t count on their friends to be ordering issues at odd hours, consuming along with the marriage occasion as an alternative.
Apparently, Mundota Fort & Palace has over 12 totally different occasion venues comprising gardens, a banquet corridor inside a hand carved stone construction, terraces and pavilions. A little bit birdie informed me the following individual getting married right here is Hansika Motwani who’s all set to tie the knot along with her businessman beau!
REVIEW OF MUNDOTA FORT & PALACE HOTEL:
On the very outset, it’s essential to level out that the Mundota Fort and Palace Resort could be very putting to take a look at. The imposing fort, beautiful hill high views of an arid countryside punctured with the inexperienced of the polo grounds, and aesthetic old-world appeal are its strongest fits. But, as a spot providing luxurious hospitality, it wants a whole lot of work compared to different palace and fort accommodations in India. An enormous downside is the meals, which wants vital enchancment general – when it comes to selection and style. And the truth that the whole lot must be transferred from the Palace to the Fort in actual time, will increase the burden on the employees and annoys the patrons.
Regardless that it’s a comparatively newly-refurbished property, a state of disrepair or maybe neglect is clear within the damp and crumbling ceilings of the Fort Suites, in addition to within the lack of working scorching water and unclean bedsheets in among the rooms. The soiled swimming pool on the Palace and the dearth of primary facilities like fridges in each room, additionally left an unfavourable impression. All this will likely have been forgiven had the worth level been extra reasonably priced, but on the steep cost they cost (primary rooms within the Palace begin at INR 17,110 per night time and Hilltop Struggle Fort Suites go as much as INR 30,090 per night time), we simply didn’t get what we paid for.
The lodge’s proprietor claims that these teething issues are being examined intimately and issues will look fairly totally different subsequent 12 months. Let’s hope he’s proper as a result of the place has a singular appeal that actually works in its favour. For those who resolve to go to the property, I’ll strongly advocate staying on the Fort as an alternative of the Palace, as it’s majestic and distinctive. Reserving all 5 rooms of the Fort for a particular celebration can be an excellent thought.
Right here’s a visible tour of the property:
I do hope you discovered my assessment of Mundota Fort & Palace Resort helpful. Have you ever stayed right here? What did you consider it? Do you propose to go to it after studying this put up? Do share your ideas within the feedback part beneath!
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