Detour Pit Stop #64: Dungarpur Mews, Rajasthan, India
Photo Paranjay Dutt
Dungarpur Mews at the grand Udai Palace Hotel in Rajasthan is a haven for car enthusiasts, as Paranjay Dutt discovered.
Right before embarking on a career in motoring writing, I came across a heritage hotel that seemed to be made for people like you and me — car lovers. It’s called Udai Bilas Palace, and I distinctly remember that it had what could only be described as the best ‘man cave’ in the country. A decade later, its numero-uno status remains unchanged, but that’s only scratching the surface, as I found out during a short stay at the property.
Dungarpur itself is a tiny town in the state of Rajasthan you might've never heard of, but its proximity to bigger cities like Udaipur (roughly 60 miles) and Ahmedabad (100 miles) works in its favour. For travellers, especially those on a road trip from the southern part of the country and going northwards through Rajasthan, visiting Dungarpur doesn’t require too big a detour. But why would one want to go off the well-trodden track? Dungarpur Mews.
What was originally a stable and grain storage, the Mews was converted into an astounding car museum, at the end of which is a bar with some striking memorabilia and collectables, from posters to scale models. The owner, Mr Harshvardhan Singh, has put in a monumental effort to curate this collection, sourcing and restoring the cars and tracing family motors from generations ago.
The sitting area, complete with beautiful car caricatures upholstery, scale models suspended from the roof, and a nice little music system, is actually designed atop a four-post lift. Inebriated or just elated with joy of being surrounded by wonderful cars, one would get an impression that they’re levitating — because they are.
Not too far away from the paraphernalia, the cars are intriguing, too; each one has its own story. And what helps Dungarpur Mews/Udai Bilas Palace stand apart is that one can stand next to these remarkable cars, talk to Mr Harshvardhan for hours, and not be shooed away by armed guards. It’s inclusive in a very special way; even though it’d appear that this is only for car lovers, anyone who appreciates good design, delectable food, and some quiet and calm will fall in love with the place.
This is pretty evident in the collection, too: from top-tier classics like the Steyr 220 to a Series 1 Land Rover, more everyday cars like the W124 E-Class and the first three generations of 7 Series, to the Cartier Concours winning Chevrolet pickup. The scaled-down aircraft and motorcycles can’t be ignored, either, but it’s the trio of replica Countach, Cobra, and XK120 that always remains at the centre of everyone’s attention, even if they’re parked off-centre. And if you’re lucky to be around when the BMW-V8-engined Cobra is turned on, you won’t be able to erase from your memory its wild orchestra of internal combustion. Especially when the sound waves ricochet off the old walls and the tall ceiling and head straight to the eardrums.
The palatial hotel overlooks the Gaib sagar lake and remains calm throughout the day. Rooms range from standard type, which can be booked for just about £80 per night to the tastefully decorated Art Deco suite and the top-tier Maharwal Suite. There’s also the Suite, which I stayed in, and I would go as far as saying that if you’re looking for the right balance between a relatively cost-effective way to enjoy your vacation and splurging it all out on your stay, this has to be it. The choice of wallpaper alone can win your heart!
Of course, for people who enjoy Detour, it’ll always be the cars. And no matter how enchanted you might get into everything around the Udai Bilas Palace, it’s always Dungarpur Mews that will make you come back. For a drink or just a gander, it’ll never disappoint.
Words and Photography Paranjay Dutt Twitter
