Getting the flavour of…
An elegant hideaway in Rajasthan
Perched on top of a “splendid” barrage built beside a lake in Rajasthan in 1890, Chhatrasagar has attracted a loyal following since it first opened as a tented camp in 2000. Last year, it was thoroughly revamped, and the result is a “triumph”, says Stanley Stewart in the FT. Replacing the tents are elegant villas, each with firepits on private terraces front and back. There’s an infinity pool and an open-sided dining pavilion made from rose-coloured Jodhpur stone, and a spa is planned. A rewilding initiative launched in 2005 means Chhatrasagar, always a haven of peace, is now also a “serious wildlife destination”. Its 1,800 acres of open woodlands are home to nilgai (large antelopes), wild boar, jackals, foxes and leopards, and there is some of the best birding in India around the lake, where guests can enjoy “regal” picnics.
Greaves India (greavesindia.co.uk) can organise trips.
Wacky races in the Caucasus
If you fancy an adventure on your next road trip, then sign up for a Driving with Zoë classic car rally in beautiful Georgia, says James Stewart in The Daily Telegraph. Led by professional rally driver Zoë Whittaker, the trip involves driving characterful but often unreliable locally owned motors, such as an ex-Soviet police Lada or a Volga, “the Cadillac of the Communist bloc”, and breakdowns are inevitable. Among other “challenges” are the absence of safety belts in some cars, and the occasionally alarming driving of other motorists (driving tests have only recently become compulsory in the country). But some of the cars are “magnificent”, and the country is “soulstirringly lovely”, from the “bosky” hills of Trialeti to the “crumbling” Silk Road fortresses of the Kura valley and beyond.
Visit zoewhittaker.com or email zw@ zoewhittaker.com for further information.
An artistic break in Wales
“Glamorous” art holidays in Tuscany and Provence can be expensive and oversubscribed. For a more “dreamy bohemian environment”, you could head to the Welsh Academy of Art instead, says Simon Heptinstall in The Guardian. Set in “remote and inspiring” Black Mountains scenery a few miles north of the foodie town of Crickhowell, the Academy occupies a “rambling” Victorian school building, and is run by portrait artist Lucy Corbett. Offering day classes as well as longer courses, it is usually “abuzz” with students, artists and models, and lessons involve demonstrations, “critical feedback” and “practical tips” rather than “fluffy compliments”. Guests must book their own accommodation (the converted barn next to Lucy’s farmhouse is a good option).
Visit welshacademyofart.com.