We drove to The Westin Pushkar from Jaipur. About two hours, give or take, some good music, a hotel car stocked with cold towels and jasmine garlands, and an essential kachori-and-chai stop along the way. It was May, peak summer, the kind of dry heat that clings to your skin. But we were chasing something quieter. Off the grid. It was my first time in Pushkar, and I didn’t really know what to expect. Just that I wanted to slow down. The kind of trip that begins with a dust trail and ends somewhere softer. Sacred, maybe.
Check in: 10/10
We arrived a little after 10am. The welcome was warm and easy: tikkas on our foreheads, topis placed gently on our heads, glasses of something cool in hand. And the best part? Our room was ready. No waiting, no flurry. Just a slow exhale and a sense that we could fully arrive.
Rooms: 9/10
Our Royal Villa came with a shaded plunge pool, a quiet sanctuary from the 39°C glare. The room itself was generous: high ceilings, soft lighting, a daybed you could stretch out on for hours, and double sinks (a luxury I’ve grown to love). The water took a moment to warm, solar-powered, so we didn’t mind. But when it did, it was hard to leave the shower. Evenings came with turndown treats and delicate leaf art laid gently on the bed. It all felt unhurried. Thoughtful.
Dining: 10/10
A Rajasthani thali by candlelight, set to the gentle hum of live folk music, might just be one of my favourite meals in recent memory. There was daal baati churma (the rose and besan version, in particular, was divine), ker sangri, gatta curry and papad mangodi. Each bite comforting and deeply rooted in place. The next morning, we had a floating breakfast in the pool. Later, room service French fries. High tea at Seasonal Tastes. Two cocktails worth mentioning: the aged Negroni and a roasted walnut scotch that was smoky and just sweet enough. Everything felt crafted, not just served.
Experiences: 10/10
This is where The Westin Pushkar truly moved us. They arranged a visit to the Brahma Temple (just ten minutes from the hotel), and then to Ajmer Sharif Dargah, about thirty minutes away if you head out early. Both felt accessible, yet otherworldly. It was my first time stepping into something so spiritually open, and it landed quietly but powerfully. I felt lighter, like something had shifted. Later, we wandered through town on a curated shopping walk, followed by a long, healing spa treatment back at the hotel. Between camel rides within the property, a private screening in their 20-seater cinema, a games room, and a salon, The Westin Pushkar gives you plenty of ways to slow down, or switch off completely.
Check-out: 9/10
From room to car, no hassle, just that warm, rested feeling you don’t always get after a holiday.
Final Thoughts:
What began as a hotel review turned into something else entirely. Pushkar has a rhythm that’s hard to describe. Gentle, spiritual, holy – and The Westin Pushkar mirrored it beautifully. The energy here is grounded and generous. Luxury without trying too hard. I left with sun-warmed skin and a full heart. Would I go back? In a heartbeat.
Images: @currentMoodmag.travel
Royal Villa starts from INR 28,000 + taxes (approx)