August 4, 2014

My TripAdvisor Review No.32: Club Mahindra Fort Kumbhalgarh

“A Rustic Royal Retreat”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed yesterday NEW
Club Mahindra’s Fort Kumbhalgarh is a Royal Retreat set amidst rural and rustic surroundings in the Mewar region of Rajasthan. Its architecture and setting in the Aravalli hills gives you the feeling of living like the warrior kings of the region lived decades ago. At the same time it is not at all like the desert region that Rajasthan is famous for, and there is a lot of greenery all around, and being at an elevation in the hills the climate is quite pleasant, even in summer.

We arrived at Falna by the Mysore-Ajmer Express and got a cab to Kumbhalgarh easily. The driver gives you the option of visiting the famous Jain temples at Ranakpur on the way. We arrived at our resort in a little over 2 hours and immediately checked into our Studio Apartment. It was very tastefully furnished and had a dry kitchenette with microwave, toaster, fridge and kettle. There is a little sit out surrounded by a hedge and beautiful flowering bushes all around, where you can sip your morning and evening cup of tea.

There is a grocery store where you get your basic requirements for breakfast like bread, butter, cheese, milk and noodles. The restaurant serves excellent buffet as well as a la carte and you have the option of dining at the restaurant or out in the open-air Gazebo, which has a barbeque. Food is priced a bit on the high side. There is a lone street-food stall located just outside the gates, where you can order parathas, dal and subji, if you don’t mind compromising on quality and hygiene.

There is a nice clean swimming pool with aqua-zorbing facility. It gets quite crowded here in the evenings since it’s not very big. There is also a spa and beauty salon. There are activities for kids in the Fun Zone, and there’s also an artisan available to teach you the basics of pottery. Cultural shows are arranged in the evening where local artistes perform live.

The main attraction in Kumbhalgarh is the Fort which is the second largest after Chittaurgarh. It is famous for its long wall and its majesty, towering above the plains of Mewar and Marwar. There is a sound and light show conducted every evening, depicting its history and that of its Maharajas. Other attractions include the Ranakpur Jain temples, an hour’s drive away and the Parshuram Mahadeo cave temple, which can only be approached by a 1.5 km trek through the woods. The Travel Desk at the resort can make arrangements for these trips, as well as day trips to Udaipur, Nathdwara and Kankroli.

After enjoying 2 days in our Studio Apartment we shifted to a Tent (Hotel Unit) as we wanted to savour this experience too. We were lucky to get one located right at the edge of the property with a fabulous view of the hills all around. The sit-out had a deck chair where we could relax and watch the world go by. It was truly an out-of-this-world experience. Inside the tent was well furnished and air-conditioned, and even had a rocking chair. However being a Hotel Unit it did not have a kitchenette. We enjoyed the food at the restaurant, and had their ‘Pizza Rusticana Gardenia’ at the Gazebo.

We returned to Pune via Udaipur and Mumbai, after doing some sight-seeing in Udaipur and catching the 9.30 pm Super-fast train to Bandra Terminus from Udaipur.
Room Tip: Select a room nearer to the reception if there are older people. Remote rooms may require you to cli...
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  • Stayed July 2014, travelled as a couple
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

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