Do you want to buy a Fort or Palace in India? Part V

Rajasthan isn't alone. 'In Uttar Pradesh, there are four or five forts-cum-havelis in Bijnor and Bulandshahr which their owners want to lease out,' says Vikramjeet Singh, who owns Kuchesar Mud Fort in Bulandshahr, which his forefathers built in 1734. It was converted into a heritage hotel in 1998.

Up in the hills of Himachal Pradesh, 10 or 12 forts and many more havelis are looking for buyers. 'There are forts in and around Solan, Shimla, Sirmour, Kangra and Una, but only a handful of these have so far been converted into heritage hotels,' says Vijayendra Singh, whose ancestors built Nalagarh Fort in 1421, which he converted into a hotel 15 years ago.

Recently, descendants of the former royals of Gujarat met to explore the possibilities of converting their palaces and forts into heritage hotels.

Several of them are keen on developing these ancient properties  -- there are about 300 across the state -- in partnership with top hoteliers.

Hoteliers know there's an opportunity here. WelcomHeritage, the equal joint venture between ITC and the former royal family of Jodhpur, operates more than 50 such hotels.

The supply has been good enough for the company to put together 'circuits' of heritage properties in Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Aman Nath and Francis Wacziarg of Neemrana Hotels have done 24 heritage properties so far. The Indian Heritage Hotels Association, based in Jaipur, has 160 members across the country.

The business logic is simple. Foreigners love the heritage experience. The improvement in air connectivity and the road network has made Indian customers also look at such experiences with new interest.

Unlike modern hotels, these forts and havelis sell not just the hotel experience but also local food, art and life.

At the top end of the heritage market are Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad, Ram Bagh Palace in Jaipur, Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur and Shiv Niwas Palace in Udaipur.

Rooms here can cost up to Rs 25,000 a day. Most other heritage properties operate at Rs 3,500-8,000 a day.

Cont. Part VI