The Rajbari Bawali
Secluded bliss and wellbeing in a revived countryside temple
This former home to the noble – and high-society – Mondal family has been revived from a series of dilapidated temples, and now stands strong once again to boast imperial grandeur. Its owners have transformed the on-the-brink neoclassical palace, perched on a quiet lake just half an hour from Kolkata, into this superb heritage mansion containing 30 accommodations that don’t skimp on modern flourishes either. Hence, see a hand-crafted four-poster bed in every room alongside features including luxe cottons and a (small) library of books. Elsewhere in the complex, the Mantra Spa, secluded under a tree canopy, invites guests to indulge in treatments using natural oils and locally sourced organic herbs.