VOGUE LIVING RECOMMENDS
Where to sleep, dine, shop and visit in the Pink City.
STAY The Pink City has a hotel for every taste and budget, and the best selection of boutique and establishment properties of any Indian city. Hopping from one to the other is all part of the city’s fabric. 47 Jobner Bagh The whitewashed walls, subdued furnishings and minimal decor of this effortlessly chic guesthouse make it a favoured sanctuary from the chaos. It is popular among stylists, buyers and designers in Jaipur for a longer stay who are looking for a home away from home. jobnerbagh.com Rajmahal Palace If movie director Wes Anderson, fashion magazine editor Diana Vreeland and the Gayatri Devi (the famously chic Maharani of Jaipur) had collaborated on a hotel, it would have turned out like this cotton-candy-hued palace-cum-playhouse in the city centre. Forty-plus bespoke wallpapers adorn every wall and plush textiles cover every furnishing. sujanluxury.com/raj-mahal Rambagh Palace Everyone should stay here once in their life, if only for a transportive throwback to the British Raj. One of the Taj group’s flagship palace hotels, it features regal rooms, a polo bar and peacocks strutting across manicured lawns. taj.tajhotels.com Samode Haveli Central, buzzy and gloriously rendered, the Samode Haveli hotel is a 19th-century mansion and the epitome of casual Jaipur cool. samode.com
EAT & DRINK 1135 AD This establishment is in the Amer Fort and its decor is matched only by its food. Try the Rajasthanistyle Thai platter. (+91) 98290 37170 Bar Palladio You’ve probably seen it on Instagram but nothing will quite prepare you for the romantic charm of this Rajasthani-meets-Venetianstyle mashup of a bar. Inspired by the blue-and-white wind room in the City Palace, Italian owner Barbara Miolini and Dutch designer Marie-Anne Oudejans have created an expat haunt worthy of pilgrimage. bar-palladio.com Caffé Palladio This apricot confection of a lunch spot is the sweet little sister of the iconic Bar Palladio, with the design also done by Miolini and Oudejans. bar-palladio.com/caffe Dera Amer Elephant Camp Dinner among the pachyderms? Yes, this is one of the great Jaipur experiences. Watch as the gentle staff care for the animals then fire up the tandoor for a twilight feast in their company. deraamer.com
EXPLORE Amer Fort Walk the ramparts and survey the Mughal Gardens in one of India’s most famous landmarks. City Palace The Rajasthan royal family are still in residence at this foreboding palace in the heart of the city. Check out their collections of exquisite costumes, textiles, art and artefacts. royaljaipur.in Jain Mandir This beautiful temple of the Jain sect south of the city is full of intricate carvings and worth a detour. tourism.rajasthan.gov.in/jaipur
SHOP Andraab Contemporary design with traditional materials. Think stunning cashmere in today’s palette. andraab.com Brigitte Singh This French expat queen of block printing bridges the East–West style gap with her range of baby clothes, napery and clothing. brigittesingh.com Ridhi Sidhi Textiles A huge selection of antique and contemporary textiles. Ask to be taken to the warehouse — its bamboozling but brilliant finds are ready to be discovered. @ridhisidhitextiles The Gem Palace Jaipur is arguably the world’s jewellery capital. Enter the flagship of this Indian brand and exit dripping in diamonds and more. gempalace.com