Sublime heritage

It all began began as an experiment in 1990 when Thakur Manvendra Singh decided to open the gates of his ancestral home at Rohet Garh to receive guests. In the past three decades plus, the hospitality business in this remote, unspoilt and undiscovered village located around 40 km from Jodhpur, has evolved into an exceptional bouquet of experiential and luxurious properties committed to perfection and have set the high standards in service and guest experiences. 

Sharing more on the history of the House of Rohet, owner Avijit Singh says, “We are a family of distinguished noblemen, who over 15 generations, have left a mark in the fields of military, governance, administration, sport, politics, social service, education and lately, entrepreneurship. In 1622, with the grant of the jagir (a type of feudal land grant that was introduced by the Delhi Sultanate in the 13th century and abolished by Indian Government in 1951) of Rohet, generations of the family have ruled and served its people and lived in their ancestral home – Rohet Garh.”

Singh adds that the jagir was granted to Thakur Dalpat Singh I as reward for unparalleled bravery in numerous battle campaigns under the Rathore banner. Legend has it that the brave warrior had 84 wounds on his body, and thus, the then Maharajah of Jodhpur-Marwar bestowed upon him a jagir of 84 villages. “By the turn of the 20th century, the jagir of Rohet was reduced to 12 villages as the villages customarily got divided between the brothers. The changing times led to a change of roles for the family. Landlords soon became entrepreneurs and hospitality, their business,” he shares.

Today, the House of Rohet offers Mihir Garh, a nine suite boutique hotel; Rohet Garh, a classified heritage hotel in Jodhpur; The Rohet House, a luxury residence featuring six suites and two rooms and Wilderness Camp, 17 km west of Rohet with six luxury tents that sit on a small dune in the midst of Nature and total wilderness to the discerning traveller. “The Rohet House is the latest addition to our family run bouquet of intimate, experiential properties under the House of Rohet umbrella. Spread across 14,000 sq ft, this private property has been lovingly developed into a luxury residence. At The Rohet House, we stay committed to taking our legacy of impeccable service and endearing hospitality to even greater heights,” says Singh.

The House of Rohet has ensured that the mission to create an ecosystem of sustainable tourism to keep the habitats intact is fulfilled. “For example, at Rohet Garh, no new building has been added in the renovation process. Rather old edifices have been skilfully redesigned to create a heritage property that has few parallels. Sprawling lawns and manicured gardens invite a multitude of birds and peacocks. Luxury boutique properties like ours have a vested interest in preserving environment. We offer guests something beyond comfortable accommodation and good food, it is the experience of the region, its people and its unique environment that sets us apart. Sustaining the environment not only ensures our longevity but sets forth an example in the industry as luxury properties are more often than nought the trendsetters,” Singh informs.

At Rohet Wilderness Camp, seven luxury tents sit on a small mound overlooking the expansive shrub-lands of the Thar Desert. All the tents are furnished with polished teak wood furniture handcrafted by local craftsmen. “The common areas with fireplaces, are specially created by the village women in traditional materials of clay and dung, and adorned by traditional motifs and mirror inlay, with cackling fires,” he shares.

The property at Rohet Garh has played to many a celebrities including The Material Girl Madonna along with her husband, Guy Ritchie. Then, authors Bruce Chatwin and William Dalrymple have practically lived here for four to five months while working on their respective books, The Song-lines and The City of Djinns. But the owners don’t differentiate between guests as they don’t want it to disrupt general operations. “Specifically for the celebrities, we care about their privacy as this is one of the main reasons they love frequenting our properties as we offer exclusivity with luxury,” says Singh, adding the only challenge during this phase is dealing with their security team. “All A-list celebrities or politicians come with their security entourage. Other than that, they are as humble as all our guests,” he shares. 

Singh opines that the luxury segment in Indian hospitality has only scratched the surface and has a bright future in both, domestic and international markets. “Post-pandemic, Indians were discovering their country and now it will be time for the international travellers to reimagine India. The best way of marketing and reaching new audiences remains the same, word of mouth. Nothing works better than this. Then of course, there are other sources of marketing like social media, print media, influencers and of course, travel agents,” says Singh.

Sounding optimistic about the next couple of years for the hospitality industry, he says, “The horizon seems bright, considering the international market will open up in the coming season.” But then there is a major challenge that Singh feels the industry just like they are is facing currently. “It is so difficult to find the right skilled person, especially for technical jobs. It is like finding gold. For example, operating the kitchen is becoming more and more challenging as the skilled ones are being taken away by the wedding industry and hotels and restaurants are struggling,” he feels.

However, at the House of Rohet, Singh wants to keep up with the trends like in the past. “We want to keep true to our roots and offer the most authentic rural and character-rich experiences to the guests. Of course, adapting to the trends is inevitable but only while keeping our essence alive,” he says.