Experiencing Royalty at Ghanerao Royal Castle
Read on as Sindhu Murthy plays Lara Croft exploring the treasures of an erstwhile Royal Castle in Ghanerao.
How often would you get to stay like royalty in a centuries-old castle? How about spending a night in a museum filled with interesting artifacts from the erstwhile Royalty? Or how would you fancy being part of a reality show where you are left unattended on a huge maze-like mansion with many tunnels and passages- left all by yourself to find a hidden treasure? Â Doesn’t it sound intriguing? well, That is how we would describe our stay at the Ghanerao Royal Castle in Rajasthan sans the reality show and the hidden treasure.
Colorful flags welcomed us as we entered the main entrance of the castle from the outer courtyard. The inner courtyard had a beautiful fountain in the centre and marble seats to up the ante of the setting. The overgrown Bougainville creeper added a mystic charm to the regal mansion. The courtyard also has some armors and howdahs put on display. what enthralled us was a few cannon balls placed near the entrance gate.
Some facts: The village of Ghanerao is situated in Desuri Tehsil of Pali District of the state of Rajasthan in India. It was established as a princely thikana of 37 villages in 1606 AD. Gopal Das Rathore, a valorous Rajput soldier of Mewar built this castle with marble and red sandstone in Rajput style of Architecture. Interestingly, Ghanerao was part of two states- Jodhpur State as well as Udaipur State and was ruled by Rathores of Mertiya clan. Even today, a part of this ancestral property is home to the royal family while the remaining part has been opened up to host guests.
Not for a single moment did we feel that we were in a hotel because there was no restriction imposed on us. All the vacant suites in the castle were left unlocked. We couldn’t help getting into each one of the rooms to check what it had to offer. Soon we realized that no two rooms were alike or even on the same floor. While some rooms had beautiful jharokhas, others had interesting handicrafts adorning the walls. What was common to all rooms was their royal look. Not only the rooms, the private verandas in front of each of the suites were interesting. The lounge in front of our room was more like a museum displaying many silver artifacts and furniture used by the erstwhile royalty. The other lounge that we explored had some beautiful leather furniture and loads of pictures of the royal family.
The Castle also has three family temples within its premise where prayers are performed each morning and evening. The guests are welcome to attend the prayers.
There was a closed wooden door next to our room with very intricate carvings. It opened up to a small room that seemed like a treasure chest of art. The upper portion of the walls of the room was decorated with mirror inlay and gold paintings while the lower portion had 3d murals depicting some war scenes. There was also a painting of a British man on the side walls of one of the windows which made us wonder if the ancestors of the family had any business to do with the British. Much to our dismay, most fo the artwork on the walls was in bad state. We only could think how majestic the room would have looked back then.
The MD of Ghanerao Hotels, Mr. Shakthi Singh,  who also happens to be the current prince of the Royal family has very tastefully restored the castle with necessary modern amenities for the comfort of its guests. All rooms are well appointed with  TV, hot water, and AC. A swimming pool constructed in the sun-drenched courtyard is a lovely place to laze around on a sunny afternoon.
While at the Ghanerao Royal Castle, there was no dearth of activities. We went on a village tour to explore the multiple step-wells and temples in Ghanerao and visited a nearby lake to see some crocodiles. We also visited some of the tribal homes located on the fringes of Kumbhalgarh National park. It was quite interesting to see how the local tribes like Garasias and the Rabaris lived in complete harmony with nature.  The castle also offered horse rides and a trek to Kumbhalgarh Fort which we did not try for lack of time.  In spite of a myriad of activities, our favorite was to explore the maze-like castle as if searching for a hidden treasure. And why not when the castle was filled with antique artifacts in every corner.
The Ghanerao Royal Castle also has a jungle lodge located in the Kumbhalgarh National Park. This 100-year-old hunting lodge located in the foothills of the Aravali Ranges is a good place to spend a few peaceful days amidst nature.
Food:
The food was served at different places in the castle as per our wish. While we had our dinner under the full moon sky by the marble pavilion, we had our breakfast by the poolside. Since we were the only guests during our stay, the cook prepared some delicious Indian dishes as per our order. The dining hall was pretty huge and could house around 60 people at a time. When there are many guests, a buffet would probably be arranged.
Getting There:
Ghanerao can be reached by road from Udaipur, Ranakpur, Kumbhalgarh and Jodhpur. The road condition is pretty good. The nearest airport is the Maharana Pratap Airport in Udaipur and the nearest railway station is Rani which is located at a distance of 25 km.
Driving Distance for important tourist attraction:
Udaipur: 130 Km
Nathdwara: 80 Km
Jodhpur: 160 Km
Kumbhalgarh Fort: 50 Km
Ranakpur: 20 Km
Pali: 80 Km
Note:
If you are looking for star facilities and luxury, Ghanerao is not the place for you. But if adventure, history, and art intrigues you, you should not miss staying at the Ghanerao Royal Castle. This is the best place to stay if you wish to trek in the Kumbhalgarh National Park. Ghanerao Royal Castle has different rooms suiting different budgets of the travelers. Book directly on the hotel website to get the best deals.
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This looks beyond grandeur and I love it! If I could live here forever then I will book my one way ticket asap 🙂
That was exactly how we thought, Blair. We just loved staying here.
Wow! A palace! That is a royal experience! Wonderful paintings and the interior captures. How innovative of them to keep each room different.
Thanks, Indrani. The paintings were amazing but sadly, they were not to the best of their state.
Wow! I’ve been to several parts of Rajasthan, but somehow never heard of Ghanerao! Looks like a solid experience, although I’d have to admit I think some of the rooms could do with the attention of a restorer, no?
Very true Sanket. We saw some amazing artwork on the walls which needed a retouch by some professionals.
Such beautiful pics Sindhu. While I have heard about castles in Rajasthan, the first hand experience has made me very interested. Such a gorgeous place.
Thanks, Revati. The castle was gorgeous indeed. The fact that we were the sole guests made it even more special for us because we had the whole castle for ourselves 🙂
I must commend you on this beautiful blog layout. It kind of reminds me of a magazine spread, with typography and photos neatly laid out to create dynamic pages. I reckon this hotel looks and feels lovely and the ambiance is perfect. Hopefully I will travel to India in 2017, and if I visit Rajasthan I will look this place up.
Thanks, George. This is our favorite blog template for the very reason you mentioned 🙂
I suppose I’m used to castles that are old and grey, but my, this is so bright and colourful! It’s so vibrant and even the landscaping is beautiful. Glad to learn about this place.
Everything in the state of Rajasthan is so vibrant and colorful. This castle was no different 🙂
Some luxurious stay this must have been! The interior looks so wrapped in olden times! Lovely clicks 😀 I didnt even know of this place and I still haven’t done Kumbhalgarh so you did kinda kick start my itinerary with this post 😀
Our stay at the castle was like walking into a different era. You should definitely try to experience it. If you wish to visit Kumbhalgarh, do try to go on that 14km trek from Ghanerao Jungle Lodge to Kumbhalgarh.
I feel like the experience of sleeping in a castle is worth the trip alone, but it sounds like they really do a great job making the experience as full and authentic as possible. Combining it with trekking only give more reason for a visit.
Very true EG.
The castle looks amazing, and I love that you could roam the empty rooms. I think a mix of hotel, castle, and museum is the best experience ever. I plan on staying in as many castles as I can in the future.
This is a great post. You have gone into minute details about the heritage property, which gives a wonderful insider view to the reader. How far is the Kumbalgarh Fort from here?
Thanks, Punita. The Kumbhalgarh fort is at a driving distance of about 50 km from Ghanerao which would take a little over 2hrs through a ghat section. However, if you wish to trek, it is only about 15 km from the Ghanerao Jungle Lodge.
I heard that many palaces in Rajasthan were turned into hotels. But I myself never had an opportunity to stay in one.
I remember the scenes from old Indian movies when I was a kid … I hope some day I will get a chance to experience that myself.
What is the best time to visit Rajasthan?
We hope you get a chance to visit and experience the culture of Rajasthan soon. The best season to visit Rajasthan is between October and Feb when the temperature is moderate to cool.
This sounds like my kind of place. I have never stayed in a castle and would prefer one that is full of history and artifacts instead of luxury. It is also great that there are so many activities around Ghanerao. Sounds like one needs to book multiple nights to fully appreciate all that the area has to offer.
You got is right Christina. One needs to stay for a couple of days to experience all that Ghanerao has to offer.
The Ghanerao Royal Castle in Rajasthan looks like a hidden treasure for sure! I could only dream to stay at a place like this, so it’s good to be able to live through your experience 🙂
Thanks Sheena. It truely was like finding a hidden treasure 🙂
Luxurious in every corner! This is my kind of accommodation! I wouldn’t know which part of the castle to go to first, as they are all so interesting and vibrant. I can imagine taking so many photos here. I love it! So plush!
Adventure, history and art definitely intrigue and excite me. This looks like the perfect place for me to stay. Thanks for sharing this Sindhu. I am going to stay here when I plan my next Rajasthan trip
I am an outdoor person but I’d also love to stay here for a few days to wonder on the intricate designs of the interiors and the huge garden.. It’s like being in a fairy tale!
How intriguing!! I have never seen anything like this before! Sign me up I have to do this, I love how each room and floor is so different! The jungle lodge also sounded awesome!
Seriously, this is a hotel?! Wow, I have no words really. Doesn’t it get a little bit spooky because it’s a castle after all and it’s old. I’m not sure if not being restricted is a good thing. It may be good in some ways because you get to explore the other rooms. But it may also be bad if there are tourists who are not too careful. It’s be a shame to have all those artifacts be destroyed in some way.
This must have been much fun to stay in a castke like this. I woukd love to go there too. Beautiful photos
Quite a discovery!
The village tour caught my attention. Ghanerao really is a true castle. And your pictures make it look even more lovely. Did they get the village tour arranged for you or you did it on your own?
The Ghanerao Castle looks majestic, a silent testimony to the grandeur of an era that has slipped into history. It would have been an amazing experience to stay in the place where once royalty had trod. How nice to explore the different rooms and the interiors. I love rooms with Jharokhas, they are so enchanting.
Thanks Sandy. Staying at the castle was indeed like stepping back in time to witness the royalty.