India

Chanoud

Venture slightly off the beaten path on your way between Jodhpur and Udaipur and your effort will be richly rewarded at Chanoud Garh.

Back to all places in North India, Delhi & Rajasthan

We’re often to be found banging on about how people turn places into cultural adventures, and this is a perfect example. And let’s be clear — the place is stunning on its own. A tastefully restored 300-year-old palace passed down through generations of the Singh family, Chanoud Garh is now helmed by three siblings, who live here and run it as a boutique hotel. It’s an absolutely gorgeous building, with breathtaking views in every direction, and grounds populated with a Disneyesque cast of chipmunks, peacocks and green parrots.

While the palace itself is perfection (it has some of the most beautiful courtyards we’ve ever seen, plus massive rooms and a really spectacular swimming pool), it’s the excursions into the surrounding area that complete the experience. These aren’t your run-of-the-mill guided tours — the Singhs have really thought about how best to integrate their guests into the community, and as a result we’ve never felt more comfortable wandering about the local village, meeting people who were genuinely happy to welcome us into their lives and homes.

We’ve seen a lot of hotels around the world — believe you me — and this is one of our favorites.

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