Ahilya Fort, Maheshwar, India
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Ahilya Fort in India is an ancient riverside stronghold that was once the capital of one of India's celebrated women rulers - Ahilya Bai Holkar. It is now a great place to stay - a fabulous luxury hotel right on the banks of the Narmada River.
Old Ahilya's fortress has been converted into a rather cool but friendly hotel that is still owned by an Indian prince. Today guests stay amid surroundings that have not changed since Ahilya’s day but it still feels luxurious and opulent. It's one of the best places to stay in this part of India.
Ahilya Fort is a maze of domes, balconies, verandas and patios. You’ll be able to wander round temples, enjoy a swimming pool and smell fragrant plants in the exotic gardens. You may stumble upon classical Indian musicians performing by oil-lamps, a classical flute recital or local hand-weavers practising their traditional craft.
The Fort is far from the normal tourist trail, deep in the fertile plains of Madhya Pradesh near Maheshwar. It’s a luxury escape that is also a taste of a real India that visitors rarely glimpse.
This has an unexpected benefit too - you’ll find no beggars or touts hassling you if you stroll the banks of the kilometre-wide Narmada River.
Just a handful of guests share the ten rooms and two sumptuous tents within the hotel's 500-year-old battlements.
One of the highlights for any guest is watching the sunset as worshipers float burning candles on the river below.
Inside the castle, hotel guests lounge on cushions and carpets on the ornate open balcony hanging over this sacred river. Others sit on the stone ramparts next to a warming charcoal brazier.
It’s a Indian fantasy of swaying drapes, fabric wall hangings, cane furniture, rough stone walls and a never-ending series of courtyard gardens.
Each meal is served in a different garden and the food here is renowned. Gourmet cookery lessons are held here and the owner (Prince Shivaji Rao Holkar, son of the last Maharajah of Indore) writes cookery books. His ingredients are grown on the hotel’s own organic farm.
Even the tea you drink is from an exclusive tea garden in Darjeeling, the coffee is specially roasted for Ahilya Fort's guests.
For an adventure, take one of the old river boats across to Baneshwar Temple that stands in the middle of the river. According to some ancient Hindu texts, this temple is the centre of the universe: the axis, which connects the centre of the earth and the North Polar star, passes through it. Whatever your religion, it’s a memorable spot for a swim in the cool, unpolluted waters of the Narmada.
It’s expensive for an Indian hotel even at this level of history and luxury. Expect to pay about £250 for a double room with full board.
Ahilya Fort , Khargon, Madhya Pradesh, India
Contact tel: +911141551575, fax: +9101141551055, e-mail:
Cost standard double room: £200 - £500 per night
Services hotel restaurant
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Ahilya Fort, Maheshwar, India
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