A floating breakfast and other surprises in Pushkar

Breakfast is served floating on the plunge pool, on my first morning at The Westin Pushkar Resort & Spa in Rajasthan. Chocolate doughnuts dangle off a stand on the wooden tray, nearly grazing the water; a pot of masala chai shares space with bottles of freshly squeezed juice and plates of club sandwiches , pancakes, waffles, jams and assorted fruit. The tray is made of red cedarwood, I'm assured, tested to buoy 3kg without capsizing. It looks designed to bring on the vacation vibe. I am glad I packed a swimsuit.

The Westin Pushkar is the first international hotel chain in this temple town usually associated with dreadlocks, devotees and dromedaries. The nearest airport is in Jaipur, 3hrs away. Since it opened in December last year, the resort has become a big draw not just for travellers but also for the well-heeled residents of nearby textile and marble hubs, including Beawar and Kishangarh (its airport is slated to open later this year). On the sultry May weekend that I visit, ladies in summer dresses and oversized sunglasses talk animatedly as their husbands check in. Some are here to plan weddings (the gazebo in the pool is popular for hosting pheras); one guest has a luxury expo in mind.

On arriving, guests ride a camel across the 11-acre, palm-lined property to their stay—either cosy deluxe rooms with views of the lawns, or spacious villas with private plunge pools or bathtubs. Rooms are plush with The Westin's signature features, from the 10-layered Heavenly Bed to bathrooms with rain showers and the clean-scented White Tea products. The resort has boardrooms, ballrooms and outdoor venues for formal affairs, but the atmosphere is easy, beginning with the breezy lobby, kept open to desert winds. Lanterns sway gracefully above families and couples lounging on sofas or watching a kalbeliya performance.

Guests converge at the all-day diner Seasonal Tastes, which serves up Indian, Asian and European dishes, including laal maas, Singapore-style prawns, and roasted pumpkin and pine-nut risotto. The bar Mix opposite is particularly good, with drinks using resort-grown ingredients such as mulberry and lemongrass—take up the bartender's offer to try whipping one up at the counter. More drinks follow at the poolside bar, and a rooftop lounge with cabana seating and sunset views of the Aravalli range.

The recreation block makes The Westin Pushkar particularly family-friendly. There's table tennis, pool, even a mini movie-theatre with recliner seats and an eclectic DVD collection (The Godfather, PK—you can also play your own). A 10min drive away is Xcapade Adventures, which offers activities such as quad biking and rappelling. The resort also sets up local experiences, such as dinner with a folk show on the sand dunes, or a tour of the famous Ajmer Sharif Dargah and Pushkar 's Brahma temple and sacred lake. I clock quiet time with a languorous Balinese massage at The Westin's Heavenly Spa, which also offers ayurvedic treatments, scrubs and couple's massages.

As night falls over the Aravallis, I linger over kiwi-flavoured hookah and jerk-style kababs at Panorama, the rooftop lounge. The darkness is suddenly sliced by laser beams and thumping music from a village on the dunes. It isn't quite the nightlife I expected, but then again, it's been a weekend of pleasant surprises.

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