Gulaal

Gulaal is what happens when someone builds a haveli properly, now: Jaisalmer golden sandstone, two open courtyards, jali screens, Mughal pillars and Paliwal-style jharokhas, furnished with traditional furniture and Rajasthani textiles. At twelve rooms it stays a house rather than a hotel, and the details are the tell, from the hand-crafted Maharaja Lounge in the courtyard, made by local artisans, to the garden pool built in old Maharaja style with rainwater harvesting worked in.

Eight rooms, four set-piece suites

The 8 Deluxe Rooms (280 sq ft, four per floor) carry king beds under Rajasthani textiles, stone carving, granite bathrooms with cubicle showers and carved writing desks. The four 710 sq ft Luxury Suites, each with a private terrace and set around a private garden, are individually themed: the Maharaja Suite runs a 28-foot Gokhada balcony with mosaic green flooring and an intricately carved bed; the Maharani answers with pink mosaic floors, a triple-window Tibari and a round Burj bastion; the Fortview Suite takes a panoramic view of Jaisalmer Fort from its own sitting area; and the fourth suite (the site calls it both Pool View and Garden Suite) looks over garden and pool.

A rooftop restaurant with Jaisalmer Fort for a backdrop.

The rooftop restaurant faces Jaisalmer Fort and cooks Rajasthani food alongside Indian, Chinese and continental dishes, with everything cooked in mineral water. The Gulaal Spa works on the Panch-Tatva five-elements idea, with yoga at the poolside from a seasoned instructor.

The desert on the doorstep

The travel desk at the entrance builds the Thar programme: camel, jeep, village and wildlife safaris on the Sam and Khuri dunes (the real dunes are 40 km out), overnight camping in luxury Swiss tents, and escorted runs to Bada Bagh's royal cenotaphs, the Amar Sagar Jain temple and the abandoned village of Kuldhara. A heritage walk is led by a Jaisalmer-born local guide who has worked the lanes since 2002. You are on Bera Road opposite the Nagar Parishad, about 2 km from the railway station; the nearest airport the hotel cites is Jodhpur, five hours away, which is exactly why Jaisalmer stays special.