This Just Opened Hotel Brings a New Level of Luxury to Jaipur
Discover a glamorous new reason to visit the fabled Pink City, Jaipur.
Walking into Raffles Jaipur, I feel like a maharani. All around me, the lobby gleams with Rajasthani crafts and antiques: inlay furniture, carved screens, chandeliers, Mogul-style murals and ornate thikri mosaic work. I lean forward as a tikka is applied to my forehead – the dot of sandalwood paste the traditional Indian welcome. The air is filled with the sound of folk musicians singing and the hotel’s signature scent, which was inspired by the Princess of Nerola, a 17th-century Italian royal known for her beauty rituals. I’m settled on a plush sofa sipping a hibiscus drink when I meet Geeta, the butler who will be with me for the entirety of my two-day stay and who seems to anticipate my every need.
Built like a modern zenana, a Mogul-era women’s palace, and opened in July, the 50-room property was designed by British architect Clive Gray. My buttercup-yellow Princess Suite has a freestanding bathtub, walk-in wardrobe and a private plunge pool, all of which make a strong case for not leaving. When Geeta tells me I can eat breakfast here in my pyjamas, the decision is easy and I’m presented with avocado toast, granola parfait and a delicious chicken tikka shakshuka with freshly baked bread. I do eventually make it to Arkaa, the onsite plant-based progressive North Indian restaurant, where flights of chaat (street food) are served, accompanied by clever takes on popular Indian appetisers. After finishing my goat biryani, I willingly surrender to the ensuing food coma.
In contrast to Jaipur’s colour and chaos, Raffles, on the outskirts of the city and an hour from the international airport, is a haven of tranquillity. The two-level basement spa has mineral pools and a hammam, where I spend mornings being kneaded by expert therapists. Afternoons pass reading and watching the rain from the Writers Bar (order a Jaipur Sling, the signature cocktail inspired by the Raffles Singapore original). At sunset, I head to the rooftop infinity pool and watch the sun dip behind the surrounding Aravalli Hills.
