There are dozens of converted historic forts and palaces offering luxury accommodation in India but a fort, built from scratch in the Rajasthan desert just five years ago, has been named the most extraordinary hotel in the world by Lonely Planet.
Perched on a sand dune, overlooking the parched earth and shrubs of the Thar desert, Mihir Garh – or the fort of the sun – was a labour of love for owner Sidharth Singh, who says he was driven by intuition rather than reason; hiring more than 100 local craftsmen and carpenters who worked for two years to create nine 1,700sq ft suites, each with its own plunge pool, fireplace (made in the local style, from cow dung) and decorated in furnishings from Jodhpur.
"Few hotels are created without compromise, Mihir Garh is a rare example. This is not just a unique place to stay, it's a shrine to the artistic and architectural traditions of Rajasthan in general and Jodhpur in particular," says Lonely Planet writer James Kay.
see more at http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/feb/18/worlds-most-extraordinary-hotel-lonely-planet-mihir-garh-rajasthan