Taj Aravali Resort & Spa, Udaipur

In Udaipur the Taj brand is most famous for the one-of-a-kind Taj Lake Palace, a glorious, opulent, ancient apparition that seems to float on the waters of Lake Pichola. There’s no sense trying to beat a classic like this at its own game — so the brand-new Taj Aravali Resort & Spa doesn’t even try. This is the other end of the stylistic spectrum: clean-lined, ultra-modern, high-tech, and surrounded not by water but by forested hillsides and the mountains of the Aravali Ranges.

It’s set on some 27 acres of land, all for just 92 units of accommodations: not just traditional rooms, suites, and cottages, but also luxury tents: some with merely panoramic views through floor-to-ceiling windows, and others in a “glass cube” orientation, for 360-degree vistas. What all of them share, of course, is tasteful interior design — perhaps more contemporary than most Taj hotels — combined with top-shelf comforts.

They also all share access to the Jiva spa, as well as a generous handful of restaurants. Javitri, the signature restaurant, is an all-vegetarian affair, while Ridgeview, the grill house, and Tiri, with its all-day pan-global menu, round out the selection. Meanwhile you’re close enough to Udaipur to be in town within minutes — and remote enough to enjoy a bit of rugged mountain adventure during your leisure time.