Barwara Kothi

Barwara Kothi is a colonial villa in the Civil Lines district of Jaipur, inspired by Lutyens' Delhi and spread over 2,000 square yards. The same family has run it as a homestay for more than 18 years, a mother and her daughter-in-law between them. The current owner's grandfather, Raja Man Singh of Barwara, served in the Second World War and was close to Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II of Jaipur; the handwritten letters they exchanged hang on the family wall, among vintage photographs and inherited antiques.

Rooms come in three sizes. Master Deluxe rooms are 400 square feet with a double bed and a private sit-out over the garden, Super Deluxe rooms are 350 square feet with twin beds, and the serviced apartments run from 400 to 600 square feet with a separate living room, a full kitchen and a washing machine. All of them look onto the lawns.

Meals are served in the Art Deco dining room, under arched walls hung with family portraits, and much of the produce comes from the family farm. Breakfast is a buffet; dinner is cooked on request. There is also a verandah lounge, garden seating and a library. Solar backup carries the power.