Rajasthan, India

One of Rajasthan’s best-kept secrets, Shahpura Bagh is among our favourite rural retreats in India. The Shahpura family who own and run the property have lived here for generations, a fact reflected in the many antique paintings, photographs and other heirlooms which adorn the interiors of their elegant 19th-century guest wing.

Conceived in a hybrid style aptly described as “Gothic-Rajasthani”, the building was originally erected to accommodate visiting nobility. Its rooms are wonderfully large, light and airy. Antique Kashmiri carpets and silk upholstery form splashes of rich colour against the traditional lime-plaster walls and floors, and large windows open on to vistas of shade-dappled greenery.

For whiling away hot afternoons, however, it’s hard to beat Shapura Bagh’s glorious infinity pool, where you can sprawl on king-sized canopy beds as cooling breezes stir the surrounding palm trees.

Our opinion

The ultimate rural retreat with delicious home style food and large comfortable rooms.