Around the Hotel

Jaisalmer Fort, two hundred metres away, is a living fort with houses, shops, temples and guesthouses inside its walls. Walking up through the massive gates in the early morning, before the crowds and heat, reveals quiet lanes where families sweep their doorsteps and cows wander.

Inside the fort, the Jain temples from the twelfth to fifteenth centuries are carved with extraordinary detail in yellow sandstone. The Maharaja's Palace, also inside, has a museum and views over the city from its upper terraces.

The havelis outside the fort, merchants' mansions with intricately carved facades, are the other architectural treasure. Patwon ki Haveli, a group of five houses, is the most famous, while Nathmal ki Haveli and Salim Singh ki Haveli are close by.

Gadisar Lake, a short walk south, is an old reservoir lined with temples and shrines. At sunrise and sunset the light on the water and the chhatris is magical, and small boats can be rented.

The Desert Cultural Centre and Museum, about one hundred and fifty metres from the hotel, presents Rajasthani culture, and its evening puppet shows are entertaining for all ages.