Make like a Maharani to Jaipur

India-bound lovers of the exotic, the luxurious and the indulgent will find their personal palace awaits when staying at the exquisite Fairmont Jaipur.

Photo courtesy Fairmont Jaipur

As the gateway to the desert state of Rajasthan in India, the ‘Pink City’ of Jaipur has a history as rich and wondrous as its awe-inspiring palaces, forts and architecture and is home to many regal forms of accommodation, from old havelis (traditional residences) to grand palace hotels. 

We checked into the exquisite Fairmont Jaipur for a few days of living like a maharani and fell in love with its sophistication and refined glamour. The hotel has been designed as an ode to a bygone Mughal dynasty and the royal Rajputs, with all the style and comfort of the modern era.

Guests of Fairmont Jaipur are treated like royalty from the moment they arrive, with the hotel’s lavish signature greetings ranging from the regally attired gatekeepers, palms pressed together and decadently styled Rajput moustache in perfect form and the colourfully dressed men beating huge drums to a shower of rose petals falling from the rooftops above and the deep and high-pitched knock-knock of the tabla player announcing your arrival. 

Images: Natalie Bannister

Built in the tradition of Rajasthan's grand Mughal palaces, a wander around the hotel is a delight for the senses and an enchanting escape into history and tradition. On any given any, Fairmont Jaipur’s many beautiful nooks provide the stage for Rajasthani folk dancers, puppeteers and musicians as a showcase of the artistic heritage of Rajasthan, while the hotel’s architectural wonders include the 300-year-old carved doors salvaged from Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur, to the 500-odd pillars and architectural details throughout the property, all finished by some of India’s finest artisans.

Rooms at Fairmont Jaipur are equally lavishly decorated in traditional Rajasthani style — all 245 rooms and suites are elegantly appointed, and many (including ours) boast floor-to-ceiling windows with stunning views out over the rugged Aravalli Range. Our room is artfully decorated and expansive, featuring heavy timber doors, a private foyer, vaulted ceiling, and the most divine four-poster bed topped with plush bed linens, as well as a jaw-droppingly beautiful bathroom complete with a hammam-style bathtub.

Photos courtesy Fairmont Jaipur

Exhausted from a week of hectic travel around Rajasthan, I waste no time in booking myself into the hotel’s spa for one of their unique Zodiac experiences, which turns out to be one of the best spa treatments I’ve ever experienced. Based around my star sign’s primary chakra points, the massage is tailored just for me to nurture and renew where and how my body and mind need it the most — as a Cancerian, my dominant energy center is Ajna, the third-eye chakra. I relax into a few hours of pampering, emerging blissfully relaxed and entirely refreshed from the sensory fatigue that can come from travelling through the beautiful chaos of India.

That evening, we settle into a royal feast at Zarin, one of the hotel’s restaurants where the focus is on Indo-Persian fusion cuisine, where we soak our hands in scented water strewn with rose petals ahead of what turns out to be one of the most memorable meals of our entire India trip – a traditional Rajasthani thali (sampling plate) of no less than 16 dishes, served in tiny brass bowls on a giant round platter, mouthwatering and utterly indulgent. 

Photos courtesy Fairmont Jaipur

A convenient short drive out of the city centre, the Fairmont Jaipur provides a peaceful escape – close enough to offer easy access to all the Pink City’s pleasures, yet just far enough away to really rest and recharge after a busy day of sightseeing and shopping. Venturing out on our final day to explore the Pink City in all its bustling, busy, beautiful chaos, we make our way to the incredible 16th-century Amer (Amber) Fort, the largest of Jaipur’s three forts overlooking the city, to spend a few hours exploring, wandering the halls, hidden passageways and ornate interior chambers, before descending back down to the Old City and architectural marvels like the Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds) and the City Palace.

The perfectly pink City Palace is still a royal residence today, and it really does feel like Jaipur’s beating heart, with its collection of grand buildings and courtyards, including the often Instagrammed inner courtyard called Pritam Niwas Chowk, with its four incredibly intricate doorways – the Peacock Gate, Lotus Gate, Rose Gate and Leheriya (Waves) Gate – each unique in its design and decoration. 

Relaxing afterwards in the stylish courtyard of Baradari restaurant, found through a doorway in the palace’s main courtyard, with lunch and a refreshing cocktail to end the afternoon in style, it's a perfect reminder of Jaipur’s unique allure. We've fallen madly in love with this city where old and new, traditional and modern, chaotic and charming combine in spectacular fashion.

Above: Photos © Natalie Bannister for Seeker Found

This is an edited excerpt of a story featured in the 2019 annual edition of Holidays for Couples magazine.

You can view the full article in our portfolio of published works.