Suite Dreams: Hedonistic Heights in Fateh Garh by Devanshi Mody

Classily Classified: The concept is so cool, it hurts. Think 150-year-old derelict palace, transposed stone-for-stone onto the vertiginous summit of a hill, then re-incarnated with a super-sexy, contemporary face. This property is exclusively classified as ‘Heritage Renaissance’, one of only two in Rajasthan. Both belong to the slick Prince Jitendra Singh Rathore.

The Prelude: An uphill route flanked by antique stones from the original fort conveys me to the hotel. Once there, chanting ladies from the village garland me, dot my front with a welcome tilak, and proceed to perform some exotic ritual - but my attention is hijacked by the hotel manager, whom I’ve only spoken to over the phone and turns out to be fifty years younger than I anticipated. The Prince’s nephew, the young and debonair Dushyant Singh Rathore, presides - hands-in-jodhpurs - at the fort’s entrance. I almost don’t remark on the magnificent antique door, such is my astonishment.

I recover in time to notice the family armour, showcased on the rock-hewn walls of the winding pathway. I go up a marble staircase and I’m in a glass-encased lobby, where marvellous regal cloth pankhas impart an antiquarian air to the marble-floored immensity. I’m staggered before the stepwell’s exquisitely-carved metallic flowers, but the marble nandis (cows) placidly studding the steps seem oblivious to their wow-factor surroundings.

View to a Kill: The un-enthusiasm of these aesthetically uninitiated animals doesn’t mitigate my explosions of delight when I finally ascend to the hotel’s endless terraces. Flights of fancy inspired this place - if you can’t check into the Taj Mahal, Fateh Garh is the next best thing: marble fountains, marble sun beds, marble-topped tables and marble sun dials stud the idyllic open-air courtyards.

The precariously perched cliff’s-edge infinity pool seemingly flows into a verdant oasis beyond, which in turn pervades Lake Pichola and the Lake Palace. If you’re not gone with the wind, you’re blown away by the dramatic views. But try not to get carried away (at least not until sunset). I let Dushyant Singh get me a cold coffee, and enjoy the spectacular sunset that irradiates the heavens in myriad hues.

Princely Panache: Then the man himself appears, Prince Jitendra Singh Rathore. He informs me matter-of-factly that he conceived the project and managed the engineering, architecture and interior decor. But this discreet royal - seemingly better-connected than The Queen and more influential than Don Corleone - is understated and unassuming. The Prince mentions equally casually that he has so many vintage cars (some lending glamour to the hotel exteriors), that he has leased some to the Taj Rambagh and Lake Palaces.

Even when relating swashbuckling tales of his ancestor’s gallantry (recorded in Udaipur’s City Palace Museum), he maintains visibly unexcited. But behind the unfased façade lies revolution: Jitendra Singh Rathore has redefined "palace hotels" with a refreshing, trend-setting interpretation of “heritage”, giving traditional royal architecture a chic twist.

Suite Dreams: Fateh Garh is conceived upon Vedic concepts, so the hotel occupies 51 bigas (a Vedic measuring system) and its 51 suites exemplify the 51 eco-friendly Vedic principles.

From the honeymoon suite’s domed roof, winged angels watch over newly-weds, whilst twin bath cubicles provide showers of blessings in the swank marble bathroom. Find yourself ravished in a decadence of lush linen and sumptuous duvets, on the comfiest mattresses. There’s no chance of falling off the maharaja-sized beds, but if you fall out with your loved one then sleeping on the hand-woven carpets isn’t a terribly unpleasant punishment. Then, reclining on the floor is quite in the Vedic spirit.

The terrace suites come with private plunge pools, although I’m not entirely sure where in the Vedas such founts of pleasure are prescribed...

Right Royally Recycled: Everything in the property is recycled: marble sculptures, ornately-adorned wooden doors, fine fabric, cool cutlery and glistening glassware. Furthermore, the palace comes with its own windmill, in line with its honouring of the 5 Vedic elements, one of which is wind.

If that’s not enough, they’ve brought along their own forest. The Prince has swathed the slopes with 30,000 indigenous trees which, besides beautifying, perfuming and recycling the air, also produce oil for fire: the palace, set ablaze with lamp light, is phoenix-like. Here's how to build an eco-friendly, economically-viable ultra luxury hotel! “Affordable luxury” redefined? Indeed!

Gastronomic Heights: Fateh Garh is just the place where you could live on love and fresh air, but it is much better to enjoy the talented young chef’s fab food. Breakfast on the al fresco terrace is especially wonderful, as you can see reflections captured in the pool of a heritage fort on the opposite hill. The vision is alluring, but don’t forget to ask for the chef’s stuffed parathas and puri bhaji, which have no equivalent in all of Rajasthan.

No Noise, No News, No Neighbours: Cocooned in this lofty abode with towering ceilings and a luxury of open spaces, you feel you are levitating in serene splendour. This pristine, pillared palace almost has a temple-like feel about it. Wispy white curtains aflutter in balmy breezes add a dash of romance, and what could be lovelier than soaking into the beautiful, exotically-adorned divans in the courtyards; with vistas of views before you? In the colonnaded wall-less enclave, a playful Lord Ganesh - cymbals in hand - sits naughtily, getting mortals to dance to his tune.

Spa-ctacular: The spa is one of the few hilltop spas which also has astounding views. If every spa in India offers hackneyed Ayuruveda treatments, then this spa is deliberately vying for something dramatically different with its esoteric "chakra treatments" and Vedic aromatherapy.

Princesses & Pumpkins: There’s no dearth of princes here - whether charming or not, I leave to your discretion. It cannot be denied that this fairytale castle, for all its spiritual aspirations, lends itself to romance. Indeed, on New Year’s Eve, before dashing off to a royal gala in Udaipur, I deplore to the Prince that I have nought to wear on my feet but my daily-use kolhapuris. He quips, “But you have on a pair of silver slippers. How very Cinderella-like!”

As I dash off to the Maharana’s ball, there’s a temptation to leave a strategically positioned silver kolhapuri on Fateh Garh’s flighty stairs. But then again, it’s New Year’s Eve, so there’s little likelihood that I’ll return before midnight - and pumpkins don’t make for the prettiest princesses. Besides, I couldn’t start the New Year with princes turning into frogs.

Princes, parties - it’s all happening at Fateh Garh. High society need never come down to earth!