Alwar, Sariska and a tiny village called Kesroli

A month ago, I booked a quiet and short weekend getaway in one of the Neemrana properties, which call themselves 'non-hotels'. I'd heard good things about the Neemrana Fort Palace, which is really close to Gurgaon. But this property has a lot of stairs from what I've read and I did not think those would be very pleasant for S to navigate. So I booked a couple of nights at the smaller and more intimate Hill-Fort Kesroli, which is a few kilometers from Alwar city.

The fort is a very small one. It was built in the 13th century and stands atop a small hillock, overlooking the village of Kesroli. It is very serene, and that is its USP. Not a place to gad about sightseeing and indulging in a ton of activities. There's a restaurant, a TV lounge (no TVs or phones in the rooms), passable wifi connection, several books and magazines, and that's really all there is by way of entertainment. A perfect place to unwind, spend time with the family and laze. Watch the sunrise and sunset, sip leisurely cups of masala tea, and watch the village life. You get the picture. 

We went to the Sariska Tiger sanctuary, where we saw no tigers, leopards or hyenas (all of which were on Ads' wish-list), but plenty of neelgai (Indian Antelope), deer (spotted and sambar), jackals, crocodiles, wild board, peacocks and a lot of migratory birds (storks, egrets among them).

Here's our room and the reading alcove.

Just before sunset, from the ramparts of the fort.

Village scene.

Cricket!

 The entranceway.

Going towards the reception area.

Central courtyard.

The staff is extremely good - friendly without being intrusive, very helpful and courteous. This was one of those places which made me run to tripadvisor and post a glowing review as soon as we came back :)