One day, the royal family left this 13th century palace and left it as it always was – the rooms done in mirrors, the marble swimming pool that gives you the illusion of swimming in the adjoining lake and a cupboard full of Kamasutra paintings. The palace shimmers like a fairy tale in the stark expanse of Rajasthan, cupped by Gaibsagar lake on three sides and dry forests on the fourth. The décor also veers between arcane and quirky as the palace has been added on to through centuries. So you might walk down a corridor with walls filled with frescoes, mural, arches and Rajasthani art work to walk into a room with 30’s western décor complete with flowery wallpaper. Come here for a funky slice of history.

USP: History, heritage, tranquility. A relatively undiscovered gem. High on the romantic index.

Air: Nearest airports are Ahmedabad (175 km) and Udaipur (120 km).

Rail: Regular trains run from Udaipur and Ahmedabad to Dungarpur.

Road: If driving from Udaipur, drive down on NH – 8 until Khairwara and turn left. Dungarpur is 25 km from here. If coming from Ahmedabad, drive past Gandhinagar and Himatnagar on NH – 8 and turn right at Bichiwara. The drive to Dungarpur from Bichiwara should take about 45 minutes. Regular buses also ply from Ahmedabad and Udaipur to Dungarpur.

Sheer opulence – the walls, ceilings, pillars and courtyards are filled with intricate mosaics, fine frescoes, murals and friezes. The palace is set off by its cupolas and a hedge garden. Live like royalty amidst four poster beds and grand couches. Lounge by the pool with a book or get enchanted by the vista of Aravalis that ring the landscape. The resort is relatively unknown, the upside being solitude and a relief from crowds. Udai Bilas organises excursions to nearby ancient temples and palaces. You can also request for tribal folk dance performances at the palace.