Dhora Desert Resort & Spa

Dhora is what happens when a young couple decides to build a desert camp and then actually moves in. The owners live on site, the resort says, which explains the tone of the place: 45 acres of semi-arid dune country about 100 km from Jodhpur, run as a personal project rather than a franchise, and open only in the season worth having — October to March.

The setting

The camp sits at Gogadevgarh, Village Shekhala, in the Balesar area of Jodhpur district, with the dunes rolling right up to it. The resort shares its ground with Indian Gazelles, Desert Foxes, Blue Bulls, Wild Boars and Hares, so the wildlife-spotting starts at your verandah rail.

The tents

Fifteen luxury tented suites, each facing a pond framed by the dunes. Every tent has an en-suite bathroom, an open shower and a private verandah, with air conditioning and heating to cover the desert's opinionated temperatures. The beds are built from locally sourced sandstone — a rustic touch you will not find in many tents. Two dedicated spa tents and a pool (the site calls it a plunge pool in one breath and an infinity pool in another) handle the idle hours.

The table

The restaurant does an all-you-can-eat buffet of Rajasthani and continental dishes, eaten in the open air with desert views by day and live folk music and dance by night. The signature is the Dune Dinner: a private table set out on the sands under the stars, a personal butler, a curated multi-course menu, a complimentary bottle of wine and local bards singing Rajasthani folk songs just for you. There are also Langa Shows — appetisers and drinks while the Langas, hereditary folk musicians once patronised by Rajasthan's aristocracy, perform.

Beyond the camp

Camel safaris the traditional way, jeep safaris through the soft sand, horseback riding at a nearby stud farm, village safaris to Rajput, Bishnoi and Meghwal communities, and a morning walk up to a 120-year-old hilltop temple with panoramic desert views.