“You see things; and you say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were; and I say, ‘Why not ?”
George Barnard Shaw
How many of you believe on this? Well I do, and yes now I can boast off that I lived my dream and made it happen. I am not talking about some fantasy land stories, but for some it was like this before I made this happen. Since 2012 I was living the dream of Delhi To Goa Road Trip, and after like almost 5 years I made it happen, yes one dream of mine got unchecked finally. Read More
Shivering fingers, keys of keyboard gives an ice cube tray type sensation, every now and then rubbing hands to be able to type more, and again and again thinking why am I doing this. What else to do on these chilly and windy days of Delhi when stepping out of home is the toughest task to handle in this Dilli Ki Sardee days, just be nostalgic and write about the good old warm days of Pushkar Fair. Read More
It was not the first time I was going for a Road Trip, I always prefer going on long tours by my own car, neither it was first tour of Rajasthan, being very near to Delhi, just Haryana being the divider in between it has been the easiest long drive for any person in Delhi to have his foot landed in the beautiful state Rajasthan. This state has something which has attracted me again and again, it barren lands and deserts, beautiful people with full of colors adding the charm in the hot air. Read More
Just went through the archives of my blog and came to know that I forgot to include the best stay I have ever had in my resent concluded Rajasthan tour. Heritage Mandawa , more than a century old haveli now turned into a Heritage hotel. I happen to stay here on my Mandawa visit.
What else i could have expected in my life , day long journey coming from Bikaner travelling around 300 Km in some 6-7 hrs , knees had been paining without finding much of stretch for them , tired of sitting on a seat and last one hour was too bumpy , i was just looking for nice stay to spend my night and start again rejuvenated the next day. Gave a call to my brother and he arranged a stay for me at Heritage Mandawa , thanks for their prompt response.
Maiden visit to Mandawa and so to Heritage Mandawa , had heard a lot from my brother who had been here on a family trip a year back.
My driver had told me a bit about this hotel , it was once a haveli of a Marwari family from Rajasthan , built somewhere around 1860. Some years back it was turned into a Heritage Hotel.
We checked in to our room and for the first time my wife came with response on first look ” Aaaahhh its Awesome ” , bell boy smiling and staring at her and i staring and smiling seeing bell boys look watching my wife clicking the pics from her cell phone and giggling again and again ” wow , its wow this is the best “.
Wish i could have spent some more time at Mandawa and Heritage Mandawa too , but no worries at all i know i am again going to visit them.
Next day we had to check out , they had arranged special Indian breakfast for us as most of other guest’s were foreigners and they were happy with Banana , cornflakes and black tea. Specially for us Heritage Mandawa staff arranged Parantha’s , cheese omlette and toast and all of it was amazing.
It was the checking out time but something was still left , my brother had told that they have renovated two rooms , and had told me to have a look to them.
One of that room was Sheesh Mahal or can say a room decorated with glasses. As soon as i had entered into it , i was getting a feeling like i have come to a set of some old bollywood movie like Mughal – e – Azam.
Just walk into the tiniest of stairs i have ever seen and you enter into this lounge area of Sheesh Mahal , maybe those stairs date back to that time when this Haveli was built and that time stairs width was kept to minimum.
Next to enter was the Kamra – e – Nakkashi ( Painting room ) or if i be too specific it was the room decorated with Frescoes all over it , not an inch left.
Truely it was one of those unexpected things which happened to me on this Rajasthan tour of mine.
Truely and amazing place to stay , if anybody visiting Mandawa i would strongly recommend Heritage Mandawa.
Looking for a tour whether a week long or a day long one main thing to keep in mind is to think where i would be spending my night. On my latest trip to Bhangarh fort and Sariska National Park same thing was going in my mind, after a long search and enquiring some i finally decided to be staying Alwar Bagh near Sariska National Park. It was the first time i would be staying in this resort but my brother had been there before on a official trip , it was he only who suggested me this resort.
Next thing was to ask for the fare , and thankfully it was the first time when i resorted to online travel portal TRAVELGURU for this , they offered me lesser amount than any other travel agent i asked or even directly asking the Alwar Bagh Resort.
Alwar Bagh Resort
We had booked two Deluxe rooms there and it was the time to check in.
Here , the best part starts which impressed me the most.
We were made to check in to our rooms , but somehow for the first time i was acting bit fussy about the rooms interior , though i have stayed in the very normal and infact being more specific much lesser budget hotels but dont know why i was not impressed by the room which they gave me for first time.
I wont say that room had some problem , it was something which i think i realised that day , i was having some problem with the Rugged look they had given to their furniture , paint of the furniture was done in that way that it looked like and gave an unfinished look.
I called the reception and told my problem , they told me to wait for just 5 minute and let us check the availability of any other room in which they could shift me. They offered me another room and it was a surprise and the most impressive thing for me , they had given me the Super Deluxe Room.
Best Part of staying at Alwar Bagh …
This new room was double the size of my previous room , previous room dint had a mini bar and sofa but this one had the perfect couch. Previous room had just one window and this one was loaded with 5 windows , all facing towards the Amla farms of resort owner.
Amla farm view just outside my room window
It was a much delight for my eyes , watching a farm of Amla , tree’s fully loaded and i would surely accept that plucked some as well as a souvenir.
Owners Haveli just adjacent to Resort
Owner of Alwar Bagh Resort lives in resort only in their big haveli , early morning Chauhan Family sitting in their open area sipping tea , having conversation with the tourist giving a feel of home away from home , being very courteous and looking after the needs of the guest.
Kunwar Aditya Singh Chauhan
What a surprise it would be when a small kid comes to you and asks you about your stay , where you from ? what you have seen till now in Alwar.
Me and my wife were clicking some pictures of the garden area , suddenly from the back came a labrador dog and one loud kiddish toned voice following him ” Dont get scared , he only loves , he doesnt bite ” .
A small kid coming towards us , said hello and on the next instant he was in my wife’s lap asking her about from whe she came ? Is she Scared of dogs ? Did she went to Bhangarh ? Watched tiger at Sariska ?
He was shooting questions dint even waiting for answers and i was just smiling. Then i asked him what his name ? came the reply K. Aditya Singh Chauhan.
It was a kiddish tone , his accent was not clear so i had to twice or thrice i think. I was not understanding the meaning of K in the name. Then my wife asked him his full name and he replied bit angrily but smiling as well ” Ufffff Dont you understand in one time , Arre Baba its Kunwar Aditya Singh Chauhan ” .
Then he moved on with his dog after giving a kiss on my wife’s cheek. Though we met him again when we checked out , he was doing drawings sitting on the reception of resort.
We were heading back towards New Delhi , but i would say the gesture of Alwar Bagh staff , the way understood my fussyness towards the room and upgrading my room to Super Deluxe Room and the meeting with Kunwar Aditya Singh Chauhan , were those things which i had experienced for first time , totally impressed with Alwar Bagh.
Though pricing of food is on a bit higher side , but looking at a situation where there is no restaurant or any food joint nearby that pricing seemed bit fine.
I would totally recommend Alwar Bagh Resort if anybody going to Bhangarh fort or Sariska National Park.
