SUJÁN The Serai

All Relais & Châteaux properties across the world are unique and outstanding, reflecting the place, its people and their cultures. The Serai serves sumptuous local delicacies as well as delicious western repasts drawn from inherited recipes that pattern the daily changing menus, meticulously planned, to give you eclectic fare using fresh homegrown organic ingredients. You may choose to dine at the dining tent or anywhere on site, and we are always on hand to create an experience tailor-made to suit your particular desire, or mood. The Bar oozes comfort and beckons travellers to slip into the ample, deep-set club-chairs, placed around plush accoutrements. The wonderful interiors are best enjoyed with cocktails or other refreshing concoctions.

Our highly acclaimed SUJÁN Spa at The Serai, Jaisalmer, has been created by Rosamund Freeman-Atwood, of the globally renowned Raison d’Etre. The SUJÁN Spa comprises four tents with interiors that induce soporific charm and a sense of well-being set within a walled garden. A diverse menu of therapies ensures you experience the mood and essence that your mind and body demands. From rousing reflexology to cleansing scrubs and relaxing massages, the organic and ayurvedic products we use are made with ingredients from the Thar, blended with an array of healing herbs that leave you feeling relaxed and heavenly. Enjoy daily yoga & meditation classes also.

As a part of Relais & Châteaux, SUJÁN's chefs showcase the best local flavours, making for an unforgettable gastronomic journey. Our farm-to-table approach offers daily menus filled with fresh, seasonal produce. We grow everything as organically as possible and in a biologically sustainable manner. Enjoy a delicious traditional Jaisalmer breakfast at our new farm table in the gardens.

Jaisalmer Fort in the Indian state of Rajasthan, a living medieval city within the fortifications, is one of the largest in the world. The city spills down the hillside below the ramparts. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built in 1156 AD by the Rajput ruler Rawal Jaisal, from whom it derives its name, Jaisalmer was an important caravansarai, an oasis, on the trade route that connected India with Central Asia, Persia and beyond. Excursions from The Serai to the 10th century desert kingdom of Jaisalmer give you valuable insights into this rich and enchanted land – there are a number of excursions available, including our Textile Trail and Historical Tour & Temple Trail. Every pore of this region is soaked with history and the symbols of civilizations and exchanges between travellers and merchants in search of the unknown.

The Thar Desert extends between the Aravalli Hills in the northeast, the Great Rann of Kutch along the coastline, and the alluvial plains of the Indus River in the west and northwest. Most of the desert is covered by huge shifting sand dunes that receive sediments from the alluvial plains and the coast. The dunes at Jaisalmer are soft, golden hued and warm. The most sublime experience is to sit at the dunes, feel the softness of the sand, and breathe in the best of nature, interspersed with sublime sundowners. We invite you to experience the mystery of the great Thar Desert.

The Manganiyars are the traditional bards of the western desert, with a history that goes back 13 centuries. Their music has influenced musical forms as far away as Spain where it travelled to with gypsies. These troubadours mesmerise you with their melodies, singing about love, war, passion and devotion, anything encapsulated in life and its rhythm is potentially a note for them to string a song with. Their heritage has been passed down from father to son, generation after generation and many of them are regular performers in the greatest and grandest musical halls of the world. But at The Serai, they are at home, at ease and sing for you at leisure, their ancestral village barely 30 minutes away. For a private concert with these unique musicians, please give us prior notice of 48 hours.

For every lover of crafts and arts enjoy a special afternoon at camp engaging with some of the skilled local artisans that we work with here at The Serai. From pottery spinning, to wood-carving and weaving, observe their traditional skills at our sand deck and perhaps have a go yourselves so you can take away memories of lessons learnt from these regional masters.

The fine hand skills of India's artisans keep our legacies alive, weaving magical stories of the past, merging them with the vibrant energy of a contemporary world. Our SUJÁN Life Boutique is full of carefully sourced and exclusive treasures for our guests to take home from art, to books, home décor, jewellery & clothing, purchases help support our local artisans and contribute to our conservation & community projects. All of our bespoke, hand-picked items can be wrapped and/or shipped to guest’s home address upon request.