Apani Dhani Ecolodge

The Shekawati region in northern Rajasthan is famed for its decorated havelis (many converted to hotels). In contrast, Apani Dhani is essentially a farmstay, although the spread of nearby Nawalgarh means it's on the outskirts of town these days.|AD is pretty, with rooms set around a courtyard that features a lovely gazebo for sitting and recreation. The rooms are tasteful and simple with their own bathrooms; beds a bit on the firm side for us - plus we had booked a double, but got a twin. Our room was clean and well maintained. Heaters are extra in winter.|The family that owns the property lives there, and guests are asked to respect their cultural values and practices, including no alcohol or meat. The evenings are quiet.|All meals (they were good) are additional to the room charge, with ingredients sourced from the farm. Activities are available at a charge - guided walks, music, yoga, cooking etc. We thought a bit on the pricey side, but they enhance the stay.|With a focus on sustainability, the way-of-life and ethos of Ramesh, Gajendra and Gayatri is integral to a stay at AD, and one can appreciate the authenticity of the experience. We wish them well for the future.

Great place to stay while visiting Shekhwati region. Very peaceful with a rustic feel but with all the amenities Westerners like us expect. The home cooked meals were amazing - everything fresh from their own garden and great combinations of flavours. The green tomatoes dish we got is a contender for my top 10 dishes of all time. Overall highly recommended.

A serene rustic place with a rural setting. The owner Mr. Jangid has developed it over several years in stages. His son Gajendra and his wife, Gayatri manage it to give you an incredible experience of hospitality. It is a 2.5 acre farm where they grow their grains, vegetables, oil seeds, and have kept few cows also. Rooms are clean and bathrooms are very good. Linen quality is excellent. There is a covered sitting area in the centre where one can sit and chat endlessly. Local artists come and teach the traditional Bandhani dying skills to those who are interested. Food is served according to the timings and very well presented. Since I cannot eat chilies, they prepared my meal separately to suit my palate. It felt so nice. We happened to meet a couple from Australia that made our stay even more memorable. It is a strictly vegetarian and no - alcohol place.

The best experience of our Rajasthan trip! The buildings, rooms exquisite. The philosophy they have about treading softly on mother earth, growing their own vegetables, recycling, not wasting anything, educating the visitor about their culture, what not to do was so good. As for the food absolutely delicious. They are so helpful and kind. We had the most delightful 4 nights there. Plenty of things to do and see, organised if that is what you want and totally hassle free. You couldn't be in a better place. A big heartfelt thank you Gapu and Gaitry. Marleen and Anne.

Ramesh is an amazing person who created a perfect place in Nawalghar. He has a deep sense of responsibility and ethic and developed tourism in Nawalghar with a high level of professionalism. The place is quiet, beautiful and well managed. The rooms are amazing and everything is well maintained and clean. His son prepares amazing local foods and offers cooking classes (many activities are available through the ecolodge). We also took a day tour with a guide he referred to (the entire price goes directly to the guide, the ecolodge takes no commission), and the guide had a very high knowledge of everything you want to know about India and Havelis. He spoke perfectly french as well. In other words, we highly recommend! Thank you to Ramesh and his family for their warm welcome.

Seriously lovely retreat - quiet and lovely setting. Clean rooms, very kind family hosts and the most amazing home cooked meals. One of the best spots we stayed in India

My wife and I spent a night here recently (Dec 22) and had a wonderful experience. It's the perfect base for anyone coming to this part of Rajasthan, either to see Nawalgarh's painted havelis or to go on hikes and camel treks in the surrounding area.||For starters, the property is beautiful. The adobe rooms are spacious and well-designed, and there's a delightful courtyard where you can have some tea and read a book in the morning or afternoon. Great place to unwind.||A natural, organic ethos extends throughout the property. Apani Dhani runs almost entirely on solar power (in the rooms, at least, only the space heaters run on standard electric, and you'll only need those in the depths of winter). They collect rainwater during the monsoon season. And most, if not all, of the produce used to make the food is grown in one of two organic gardens onsite. Peanuts, chickpeas, potatoes, lettuce, millet, zucchini, eggplant, too many herbs to list: they grow it all, and without chemicals. The meals, of course, are delicious, too. (Bonus: the French press coffee is great.)||Nawalgarh itself is a bit dusty and busier than you might expect. But it takes only a few minutes to reach the havelis and bazaar in the city center from here, and you're set back from the (relative) hustle and bustle, too. ||They can set you up with trips to see the havelis in town (which amounts to showing up at the Podar Museum and getting a guide to lead you around and help you get into some of the buildings--super easy) as well as across the region. They also offer cooking classes and can help arrange whatever else you might want to do in Shekhawati. ||If you're looking for standard, big-brand hotel amenities... good luck finding that in Shekhawati, but that's not what this place is about, either. If you want a personal, family-like experience--with holistic principles to boot--this is your place.

We had a lovely stay at Apani Dhani during our trip in Shekhawati, Rajastjan. We quickly felt at home, as the atmisphere is relaxed and the owner and his family very friendly. The joined dinners with the other guests were very nicd and the food was amazing, and almost all ingredients coming freshly from the organic garden, with bread, yoghurt and milk being made fresh every day from their own wheat and cow milk. The place is very clean and well maintained with a lot of eye for detail.