This wonderful, garden estate is surrounded by glistening lakes which (seasonally) teem with birds. Formerly the summer home of the rulers of Shahpura, it comprises 2 residences.

One has been completely restored and houses 6 gorgeous, spacious, light, airy suites and it leads out to the magnificent pool and gardens. 2 further rooms are in the main house, 1 other delightful room is hidden away in the pretty walled garden, and there’s a stunning, new 2 bedroom villa by the pool – ideal for families or 2 couples travelling together.

The main house is home to a welcoming verandah, elegant drawing room and a dining room which opens onto a pretty al fresco dining patio, shaded by fruit trees - it is al fresco dining here whenever possible. The cuisine is delicious Rajasthani home-cooking and limited continental. The style and décor of Shahpura Bagh is very much a mixture of Rajasthani meets colonial, with a quiet, understated yet elegant air. The large, lofty rooms have been superbly decorated and the bathrooms are spacious, with state of the art fittings.

Very much a family concern, they all reside here and greatly enjoy chatting with guests. However, by living in a separate residence, guests retain their privacy and may choose to dine privately should they wish to. The rural activities are great fun and offer guests a chance to really get under the skin of the area. Cycling round the lakes, bird watching, jeep safaris, picnicking and visiting the village are perfect precursors to a romantic sundowner atop the old fort.

At the end of the day, visit the stunning step well and exquisite temple before heading out to nearby Dikhola Fort for a memorable sundowner in a turret looking over the lake (seasonal) and village; and / or a gloriously romantic dinner under a star-clad sky. It’s not often one can dine in one’s ‘very own fort’! The cuisine is delicious Rajasthani home-cooking and limited continental.

With its idyllic and unspoilt rural setting in 45 acres of garden and pasture, this special little oasis provides the perfect, peaceful break between either Jaipur or Jodhpur and Udaipur, in an otherwise hectic itinerary.

Eco / environmental / responsible tourism policy

Shahpura Bagh has implemented several environmental and economic initiatives in an effort to “Go Green” and is clearly focused on using tourism as a means to boost the subsistence based agrarian economy.

• During restoration work, they focused on using waste material for construction.
• The use of age old building techniques through local artisans has preserved these unique skills as well as created local employment.
• They are an equal opportunity employer and ensure that all their staff are hired locally and across several tribal communities therefore maintaining diversity.
• They buy most of their raw materials from the local district so as to support the locality.
• All grey and waste water is recycled and used for irrigation. In addition, they regularly construct and clean all the water harvesting channels and dredge the man made lakes to harvest precious rain water.
• All their water is heated by solar power.
• The use of energy savings bulbs, and the thoughtful design of the rooms are part of their initiative to enhance energy saving.
• They grow their own organic vegetables and grains with all food being sourced locally to minimise transportation and to support local farmers.
• They promote the sale of locally made handicrafts and provide design ideas and business concepts in an effort to support and re-energise the artisans of the area.

Over the centuries, various family members have played an active part in supporting Shahpura and the environs. This has ranged from founding schools in various mediums and agricultural schools; donating land and property for the creation of hospitals, schools and homes for the destitute; and the Rajadhiraj Sudarshan Deo Charitable Trust. This trust works in close coordination with the local municipality and Government Schools and aims at supporting rural children at Dhikhola Village and Shahpura by:

• Providing monetary support to educate children living below the poverty line.
• Educational scholarships to gifted children.
• Providing clothes, books and other educational material to encourage a child's learning.
• Donations of computers and other educational aids to the schools to improve their facilities and quality of education imparted.

The Shahpura family contributes a portion of its turnover towards this charity and encourages guests to support and get involved in these works of philanthropy, thereby using tourism as a tool to foster social and economic development in this under-developed area.