Neemrana Fort Palace Hotel (Rajasthan India)
On the fringes of the formidable Thar Desert lies the Neemrana Fort Palace hotel, India’s oldest heritage hotel. Built in 1464, this was the 3rd capital of the descendants of Prithivraj Chauhan III (A famous ruler killed in a battle with the invader Muhammad Ghori in 1192). Neemrana stands on a hill in ten levels, and is an imposing combination of whaleback roofs, jharokhas (carved windows), jaalis (stone filigree screens), and balconies. A ruin till it was renovated by French experts in the 1990s, Neemrana blends medieval and modern, East and West. The rooms, each one unique, are scattered across the entire palace. [text source: igougo.com]
More info at Wikipedia. Also, a nice slideshow of the renovation of the hotel (in 1991) is locatated at archnet.org.
The hotel’s main site (for more information or for bookings) is here.
Credit: Niels J. Hoffmeyer Source: panoramio.com
Date: July 13, 2009
Categories: Architecture, Castles, Places to stay