Perched on the Silk Route

Inside the Thar Apartments at the Suryagarh Hotel designed by EDIDA-winner AKFD

04 Mar 2026

The merchants of Jaisalmer were no strangers to the concept of high risk, high reward — long before investment agents co-opted the term to peddle questionable stock. Who would dare to navigate thousands of kilometres of the scorching desert, weighed down by coffers of jewels, spices and textiles? The answer, as history would prove, is many.

Today, the merchants have left. The Silk Route is no more. But Jaisalmer lives on, and so do the memories of its illustrious past: a key component that first drew Founder Manvendra Singh Shekhawat of the Suryagarh Hotel to the Golden City. The Thar Apartments, a new 12,000 sq ft addition to the hotel’s awe-inspiring edifice by Ayush Kasliwal of AKFD (Ayush Kasliwal Furniture Design), builds upon this very storied past. His inspiration? The long-extinct desert traders themselves.

The interiors spotlight Rajasthan’s rich craft legacy, reinterpreted in earthy, desert-inspired hues; Photography by Studio BluOra

The minimalist apartments are modelled after the most integral part of the desert trader’s arduous lifestyle: the Caravanserais. These age-old pitstops contained bazaars, courtyards and rooms for resting through the night, frequented by thousands of traders reloading on essential supplies and taking shelter from the unforgiving sun. In tandem, the suites at the hotel eschew the winding corridors typical of most resorts. They sit between intimate gardens and courtyards, feature terraces that face the blinding sun, and shroud shaded alleys that face away from it. These spatial interventions are orchestrated to make you look inwards. And yet, the desert lies just beyond the threshold, framed through arches and intricately carved jaalis that cut through the sun to create patterned shadows.

Terraces and courtyards abut each suite, overlooking Jaisalmer’s rugged landscape; Photography by Studio BluOra

Modest in scale yet rich in ornamentation, the suites present a 21st-century take on the age-old Caravanserai; Photography by Studio BluOra

The facade stays true to Jaisalmer’s eye for ornate craftsmanship, carved from sandstone that glows golden in the sun. Within the rooms, the interiors follow suit, featuring arches carved from the same stone and upholstery that echoes the sun-struck hue. What would the modern desert trader need today? The apartments pose a possibility, reinterpreting the traditional desert home for modern-day hospitality. Rajasthan’s traditional crafts are recast in earthy hues, mixed with a decidedly modern decor sensibility within each room. Whether it be the custom copper bathtub in the bathroom, or the picturesque sit-outs overlooking the desert — we’re certain that if Marco Polo could visit Jaisalmer now, he’d be pleased with this upgrade!