Umaid Farm Resort

Seen from above, the swimming pool at Umaid Farm Resort is the whole argument: a 60 by 60 foot tank of turquoise set in five acres of lawn and farmland on Sikar Road, north-west of Jaipur. This is the newest property from Umaid Hotels, the Jaipur family firm that began in the early nineties with five rooms in Umaid Bhawan and grew to 180 rooms across five properties. The farm is their countryside answer: the site quotes ten suites and room for up to 40 guests, though its own pages disagree on how those suites split between the two types, and it is the sort of scale that suits one extended family taking the whole place.

Big balconies, well-kitted suites

Every suite comes with its own balcony looking over the gardens, and inside each one sits a minibar, tea and coffee maker, electronic safe, hair dryer and a 55 inch smart television for when the peace wears off. Royal Suites run to 600 sq ft including the balcony, with a bathtub in the bathroom; Deluxe Suites are 450 sq ft with a choice of one double or two singles. Dogs up to 30 kg are welcome too, which is rarer in Rajasthan than it should be.

The resort runs largely on solar power, offsetting a stated 28,521 kg of CO2 a year, with rainwater harvested for the pool and gardens.

A base for Khatu Shyam Ji

The location is doing quiet work. The resort sits among farms near Rajawas on Sikar Road, and the site puts Khatu Shyam Ji temple about an hour away, which makes this a comfortable base for pilgrims who want a pool at the end of the day. On site there is a multi-cuisine restaurant with in-house chefs, a two-acre garden with gazebo, a children's play area, a bonfire spot, and a rooftop with pool table and table tennis. Our take: this is not a heritage monument, it is a well-equipped family farm resort with genuinely cheerful rooms, and it works best booked as a group with the run of the grounds.