Neemrana Fort Palace: A weekend day trip
Neemrana was one of the options that I had kept as part of my birthday plans. Being 1.5-hour drive from Gurgaon, I thought a day trip would be a wonderful thing to do. After few postponements due to time constraint, we were able to finally decide one weekend in the early week of December.
From the outset, my friend wasn’t keen on visiting Neemrana Fort Palace, as it sounded dull and lifeless. Well, who knew then? After some amount of persuasion, my friend finally nodded to the idea.
It was never the destination that enticed me. What excited us was the idea of a long drive, stopping by the roadside eatery and a cup of tea. Road trips aren’t incomplete without them, are they?
And, one fine morning, off we drove on NH8 towards the town which lies in the district of Alwar (Rajasthan). Rajasthan has a history of havelis, forts adorned with elements of some elements of Mughal architecture. One can find ruins, unknown forts scattered across the entire state.
To start with, let me acquaint you with one of the oldest forts built in the 15th century. The fort palace, which is now turned into a luxury heritage resort. Often people plan their weekend getaways to this place as it is just a few hours away from Delhi. It took us around 1.5 hours to reach here.
On reaching, the guards in their traditional wear and big mustache welcome you. They charge you an entry fee categorized in three options. The minimum fee is 1900 per person which includes the fort visit & buffet lunch and the highest fee is 3000 pp in which the zip lining activity is included.
For a moment, we were tempted to take the offer. But we retreated. Thankfully, we took the right decision.
Well, what to say. In an hour, our tour with palace was over. All we had to do now was to wait for the lunch buffet that is served at 12:30. The best we could do was click pictures.
Beyond the small shop that sells expensive kurtas, jewelry boxes, and some souvenirs, there is nothing much to see. Trust me, you should get yourself a book, sit in the garden and while away your time.
1900 INR felt a bit pricey for us. It was an entry fee for nothing. The lunch buffet was part of the deal, yet that doesn’t justify the price we paid. Why do I sound so disappointed, you might wonder. Ranting and whining throughout this blog. By this time, if were displeased about coming here, the lunch came to put the final nail in the coffin.
I was just thinking how a place like this, being one of the oldest heritage resorts can offer such terrible food. Yet, shamelessly claim to be a luxury resort. Maybe for some, staying here could be one of the finest experiences, but I failed to find sense in doing that.
Everyone pays to get something worth talking about, something that would be valuable. Unfortunately, nothing worthwhile happened.
While our drive to this place was a pleasure, this place turned out to be a sheer disappointment. I don’t know if I should recommend it to anyone. Every person has his way of experiencing things.
And, unless you don’t try, you will never know.
My take!
Food: 3/10
Place: 5/10
Activity: Yes, Zip lining
Accessibility: Easy. Use navigation.
Worth visiting a second time: No
P.S: These ratings are based on my personal experience.
Originally published at littlenomadic.wordpress.com
