It never fails! Every time we return to the Dev Vilas Hotel from a dusty, hot game ride in Ranthambore Tiger Preserve, an attendant with a basket of icy, cold, wet towels is standing at the entrance. Immediately behind him, an enormous Great Date — Whiskey — stretches as he gets up from his nap on the cool marble floor and pushes forward to say hello. It makes you feel very welcome!

It seems only fitting that, if you are going to spend your days imagining that you are a maharajah looking for tigers, you should live like one. A stay at Dev Vilas Hotel on the edge of Ranthambore Tiger Preserve will fulfill your wishes. Such is the aim of owner Balendu Singh and his wife, Madhu. The name Dev Vilas, meaning “Abode of Dev” is a tribute to Balendu’s mother, Dev Kumani.

Tucked away on 3.5 acres, surrounded by a tall stone wall, Dev Vilas, with its traditional arches, vaulted roofs, open pavilions and umbrella domes (known as chhatris) looks the part of a Shikaar, or hunting lodge built by the Maharajas. The traditional is balanced with modern-day concepts of conservation and environmental responsibility. Rainwater is collected and stored, employing traditional storage systems, and only wood from harvested sources is used.

The Dev Vilas hotel is also one of the few in India to accommodate the physically challenged. The 19 rooms (there are also tented bungalows) overlooking the manicured lawn are decorated using locally available craftspeople and materials. No two are alike; each is decorated in unique colors and textures.

Walk into your cool, hushed room from the 100 degrees plus heat, and you enter a refuge. Our room has a large king-size bed covered with local fabrics and an enormous sitting area. In one bathroom you can sink into the large sunken tub under the picture window and soak away the dust and heat while the sun slides behind the Aravali Hills. Each room has TWO bathrooms — a very sensitive touch on the part of the owner, who knows very well that getting ready for early morning game rides can be a rush!

On a typical day, you rise at 0530 for a quick cup of tea, biscuits, and fruit before heading off on your game drive. Breakfast– a mix of Indian and Continental dishes — is served after the game drive is over. In the heat of the summer, all meals are, buffet-style, in the Audubon Room where limited edition lithographs by JJ Audubon adorn the walls. In cooler months, tables are set up on the pavilion above for al fresco dining.

Next to the dining room, Fateh’s Bar draws guests in the evening to enjoy a glass of nimbu soda (lime juice with soda water), an excellent way to keep hydrated in the searing heat. The staff is so efficient that they remember immediately not only what you are likely to drink but how you like it and offer it even before you have a chance to ask. The bar celebrates Thakur Fateh Singh Rathore, a living legend among tiger conservationists in India, well-known in this area, who is immortalized in Geoffrey Ward’s book, “Tigerwallahs.”

You can also carry your drink outside to sit by the edge of the sparkling blue swimming pool amongst the guava and mango trees. Over 1,200 trees have been planted on the property, which is an oasis for more than 23 species of birds and other animals, including an 80-year old elephant, Pawan Kali, who lives at the end of the garden with his devoted mahout (attendant).

Next to the restaurant is a small shop that sells locally produced handicrafts and books. You can also visit the nearby Dastkar Women’s Cooperative, created to replace the livelihood of villagers displaced by the creation of the park. Here you can purchase unique handmade items such as quilts, clothes, pillows, etc, made by the local women.

Balendu Singh is a passionate conservationist committed to preserving the tigers in Ranthambore Park. He is probably one of the most knowledgeable experts on wildlife and tigers in particular and is well respected by the guides and others in the park. A sojourn at the Dev Vilas provides you with first class accommodation and meals as well as a very personal service that truly makes you feel special.

IF YOU GO
Ranthambore Tiger Preserve is open from September to May. The Dev Vilas are the closest hotel in the park, located just five minutes drive from the entrance. The hotel also has spacious conference facilities (Village Khilchipur, Ranthambore Road, Sawat Madhopur, Rajasthan, India; Tel. +91-7462-252168; Dastkar Ranthambore Project to provide livelihood for the women of the area is about a mile from the Dev Vila Hotel.

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