At Dera Village Retreat, Kalakho believe in it completely and take pride in giving an unforgettable village experience to our guests. The Retreat offers a welcome break from the regular tourist visits to monuments, museums and market places and the hustle and bustle of the crowded cities and move towards the pristine and untouched lives of the real people of the land. The villages visited are tucked away within a valley inside the Aravalli Hills, where a community of the Meena Tribals are living. The joy and spirit of rustic life is palpable in the lively faces of the village folks. Here, in many ways, time has stood still and globalization has had little impact. To give you this experience in a most comfortable manner, The retreat is situated in the popular Golden Triangle circuit between Agra and Jaipur. It has 16 tastefully decorated cottages arranged around a green oasis garden and each cottage is air conditioned and has all the amenities expected of a city hotel.
We stayed here for one night as part of our Golden Triangle tour, we had a 4 hour drive from Ranthambore, pretty bumpy towards the end but well worth the drive when we arrived. Such a charming retreat, we were met with a warm welcome and given a tour and overview of the ethos behind the retreat, they also have several gardens where they grow most of the vegetables and herbs that are used in the kitchen, all of which are grown organically. The retreat also has a reverse osmosis system which enables them to create their own potable water without having to ship it in in plastic bottles, the water is stored in glass bottles which are provided to guests throughout their stay. We had a visit to the local school which the retreat supports, they also have a library at the resort which the children are encouraged to use each day after school. We had a camel cart ride which took us around the local village and enabled us to get a glimpse of village life and watch/join in with some local dancing, on returning to the retreat we took a slight detour and ended up on the top of the sandy dunes looking out across the landscape where the staff had laid out a bar and some food along with table and chairs where we could sit and watch the sunset, this was a really nice touch and much appreciated along with the surprise birthday cake they had made for my partners birthday which the staff carried up whilst singing happy birthday. Having returned to the retreat we freshened up in our rustic cottage style accommodation and headed down to dinner, this is where the next surprise awaited us, heading through the torchlit grounds we were brought to a clearing where a local dance troop and musicians had set up to perform for us, another bar and kitchen were also there with staff to look after our needs, this truly was a magical experience, lanterns festooned a tree and fire braziers lit up the space as well as providing heat, after watching the entertainment we enjoyed a truly wonderful meal, the chef certainly knows his stuff. All in all I can’t recommend Dera village enough, we had an amazing time and just wished we could have stayed for longer. Plenty to do if you want, badminton, cricket, table tennis, croquet, cooking demonstrations or just sit out and enjoy the tranquility of the retreat. They even have a handicraft store from which they display and sell locally produced handicrafts. Nothing was too much trouble for our hosts, they really did look after us, it was a lovely touch to find hot water bottles placed into our bed when we retired for the night, it does get chilly at this time of the year! This really was an authentic Indian experience and one I would highly recommend, great little escape, wonderful people, just what you need to recharge.
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Date of stay: January 2020
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from ClementRetreats, Manager at Dera Village - The Clement Retreats Kalakho
Responded 26 Jan 2020
Dear Mr.Mark, Thank you so much for such kind words, which makes us to thrive for better. It was our pleasure hosting you and Mr.Scott. The conversation we had, the fact that both of you enjoyed it fully makes our heart more overwhelmed. We also wish you could have stayed a little longer and explore more of this tranquil setting and the people. We wish you all the best for your future endeavors and travel. Hope to see you again and continue our conversation about food and other interests. Regarda Dera Village Family
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Very well maintained, clean and hygiene property in the midst of a serene rural dusty landscape surrounded in the lap of distant hills. The rooms which were well sized and comfortable had a soothing finish with a beautifully patterned ceiling cover.
Our short stay was filled with the warmth, delightful and a very personalised experience of hospitality by the entire staff and management of the property. The special outdoor arrangements for the delicious dal batti churma & lal mas meal was most touching. Overall, the food was great both in taste & variety with some veg dishes which were exceptional.
special thanks to all the staff who were very caring!
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Date of stay: October 2020
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sometimes when you need to get away from the maddening crowd and relax this is the place for sure! but let me tell you what more it is. Surrounded by lush green fields and mountains on two sides it's a haven of tranquility & peace, birds chirping, squirrels eating out of your hands seems like nature and humans are at peace with each other. What more could you ask the energy o this place brings out creativity & positivity. As you roam around the property you realize that the place is self-sufficient as they grow their own vegetables and grains the traditional way no fertilizers food fresh from the frame to your plate. The chef at the property makes delicious food and the in house baked products are a treat. to top it all the well-appointed rooms and service at any hour with a smile are the most welcoming and heartwarming things at the resort. The resort has a recreation room with a pool table and many other games to keep you sharp, the fireplace is a good place to stay warm in chilly winter evenings and chat with other guests, another plus is the surroundings where you can go for short hikes and if you are up for a drive within 20-30kms you have Abhaneri and other historic places to visit. My wife & I had the most peaceful, refreshing, and energizing weekend.
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Date of stay: January 2021
Rooms
Location
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Room Tip:Â choose any room they are all good and alike
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A must to visit for both couples and family or you can wander off single if you like some time with mother nature. The owner was very friendly and she had a lot of wonderful stories to share. She is a keen lover for organic farming and best of all, the resort menu consists of only fresh fruit,vegetables,lentils grown on the premises.
The staff was very welcoming and took care of the guests at all times making us feel like family.
These guys also have luxury cruise packages in Guwahati & Kerela and organizes outside India trips covering Nepal, Sri Lanka and many more.
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Date of stay: December 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Had an amazing time here, the staff were so attentive and the food incredible. So pleasing to see all the sustainable actions taking place like solar panels, reverse osmosis water, plastic ban, growing of their own vegetables etc and the fact that they support the local school and village was very pleasing. The individual cottages are cute and comfortable and we really enjoyed the cooking demo, sunset dune sundowner and cultural dance. The staff made us feel so special in this little corner of authentic India, a welcome respite from the busy cities. Would definitely recommend!
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We had a very dissatisfactory experience with the recent stay at your resort - Dera Village, The Clement Retreats and unfortunately, it revolves around the behavior of the owner.Ms Anjali Babbar Basu During my visit, I encountered several instances of dominating behavior from the owner that significantly marred the overall experience. which made me & fellow guests uncomfortable and adversely affected the enjoyment of our stay.
Our package was inclusive of all 3 meals and evening tea snacks, however the service for snacks was too slow and quantity served was too less for our 18 guest on 31st night. chicken tikka served to us was sent back twice since the same was half cooked or chewy .
No evening tea was served to us on 31st evening despite our package clearly included the same ,even though we booked 8 rooms out of 16, nobody cared to even inform us that the high tea is being laid and on top of that we were asked by the owner Ms Anjali Babbar Basu to order the same on our personal expense, since it is over now.
One of our friend could not come as he was suffering from COVID and we requested the owner to consider giving us some discount as a gesture for that room or only charge for double occupancy instead of triple occupancy but unfortunately our request was turned down and the owner Ms. Anjali walked off before we could even finish requesting her. This was highly insensitive, unprofessional and uncalled for.
Few of the bathrooms did not have proper hot water supply .
The buffet food was nice, However the menu is very basic and limited choices
We were insisted on making complete payments right after we entered the property , we requested them we will pay our dues on our chcek - out Bt our request was complete denied. Since the time we made the whole payment the owners attitude completely changed and was not ready to listen to any concerns or request we had .
We would never recommend this property to anyone simply because of the owner MS Anjali Babbar Basu and her highly unprofessional unethical attitude
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Date of stay: December 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Completely avoid
Zero hospitality
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I have been there at Kalakho Ghumna Village Property on 14th Aug Night with my wife. Stayed there for a night but feels it has to be for 2 Nights, It is the experience to feel the nature. To stay there and have the organic food which farming at their land. Since morning sunrise with birds call till evening sunset with peacock sound. To reach there driving experience is also very good, Travel from highway to narrow village road to climb and down the hill and pass-through farming land. The Hospitality for this Village retreat from the owners to the staff is excellent, food is hygienic very good testy and you fells homely at the end. I highly recommending all those need peace away from city nose and wants to feels the nature. Mahesh Jhalani +9194142 55973
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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I went to this place with my friends for an extended weekend. The cottages are really beautiful and well maintained. The hospitality is amazing. We were served proper home cooked food which was delicious. The only limitation of this place is that there are no TVs in the cottage and no phone/wi fi signals. So, in case you want to spend some peaceful time, this is the perfect weekend getaway.
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Date of stay: February 2021Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Enjoyed a perfect day and night in the middle of a two week Northern India tour. Clean air, fresh and tasty food, dedicated and friendly staff made this a wonderful visit. It is so important for foreign visitors to take time away from the typical tourist sites to get a taste of the daily lives of India’s 90%. In addition to the obvious dedication to the comfort of their guests, the management and staff here work hard to give back by running a community library and after school programs. Don’t miss this gem.
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Date of stay: February 2020
Location
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Clement Retreats, General Manager at Dera Village - The Clement Retreats Kalakho
Responded 5 Mar 2020
Dear Mr.Jeffrey, Greetings from The Dera Village Retreat!! Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We are glad to note your appreciation of the hospitality offered at our hotel. I have shared your positive feedback with the entire team & they are equally pleased learning of your review. Regards, Ajith Kumar
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Nestled in the middle of the Aravallis there is a green oasis that will leave you mesmerised. If you are looking for a rustic but luxurious village experience then the Dera village retreat is the place.
They have recently opened for domestic travellers ( only for inbound so far), we were the first few lucky ones to experience this place. With 17 little cottages the place is surrounded by acres of organic sustainable farms everything that we ate during our stay comes from these farms and chef Geeta does full justice to the produce to create top notch food.
The hospitality we received right from the owner Anjali Babar, Rajat the resort manager and the staff was incredible. They made us feel comfortable throughout the stay. Special mention to Binjar and Mahender who were always there to do a little extra.
A place where we made friends sitting by the evening bonfire and sharing drinks. An absolute detox from screens as there are no TV’s and hardly any network (hopefully they never put the tower up) you will connect with yourself and the nature around you , the birds, the squirrels the howling jackals at night to name a few.
While you are there breathe in as much as you can!
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Date of stay: January 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are more places to choose from in the Kalakho area.
LOCATION
IndiaRajasthanDausa DistrictKalakho
NUMBER OF ROOMS
16
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
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