Hotel Review: A Royal Getaway at Hill Fort, Kesroli (A Neemrana Hotels Property)

The highlight of my recent trip to India was walking into 2019 like a royal at the Hill Fort, Kesroli heritage property.

Hill Fort, Kesroli — located in Alwar, Rajasthan approximately 3 hours by car from Delhi — is a fort dating back to the 14th century. It is known for being one of India’s oldest and best preserved heritage sites as well as its long, complex history of serving home to different royals through the years. The impressive property is managed by Neemrana Hotels, which is an Indian hospitality group dedicated to restoring historical properties such as forts and palaces and turning them into heritage hotels and resorts.

What gives Hill Fort, Kesroli hotel so much character is the fact that each guest room has a different shape and size because the fort and its rooms had very different purposes until the late19th century. Each room is known as “mahal” (the Person word for palace), which is a nice nod to the property’s historical background.

I stayed in the “Hindola Mahal” meaning palace or room with a swing. Located on the first level (also the top level) of the fort, I had a 360-degree view across the paddy fields and hills and also access to a lovely (almost private!) terrace-like sit out area on one of the fort’s turrets — it was incredible!

The room itself was decorated in shades of royal blue and accessorised with paintings capturing the fort’s regal history. I highly recommend the Hindola Mahal room and it’s perfect for a group of three adults or family of four because the room has a king-size bed and a single bed.

The hotel has rooms on four different levels so be sure to choose either a ground level room which also has stunning views and is easily accessible from the courtyard or a first level room for access to the turrets and terrace.

Since we were traveling in a large group of 15 for a family reunion over the New Year holiday, we spent a lot of time hanging out in the fort’s charming courtyard surrounded by bright flowers, lush greenery and tall trees. So while the main agenda for my family reunion was to simply relax and catch up, Hill Fort, Kesroli does offer a variety of facilities and activities including a lap swimming pool, spa, pool room, badminton, cycling, and a large lounge room filled with books and games such as cards, carom and chess

 

The hotel has one two dining areas — one main restaurant by the pool and one garden cafe where high tea is served. Offering Indian and international cuisine, there was a wide variety of dishes and everything tasted great. To keep things simple, breakfast is included in the room rates and fixed buffet rates are offered at per head rates (Lunch Rs. 900/- and Dinner Rs. 900/- not including taxes). And most importantly, the staff are incredibly helpful and the service is excellent.

All said and done, the charm of staying in a fort heritage property left a mark on me. I have never had a hotel experience like this, will remember it for a long time to come and highly recommend everyone to try it!