Safe HAVEN
Zone Palace by The Park Jaipur is a potpourri of tradition, modernity, and high standards of hygiene, making it the perfect stopover in the city.
IARRIVED IN THE 106 well-appointed rooms featuring top-notch amenities and technology. Constructed over six acres, Zone Palace boasts one of the city’s largest banquet halls, apart from a swimming pool, gaming zone, spa, fitness centre, and 24x7 concierge services.
The rooms are spacious, with quirky decor adorning its textured walls—the one I checked into had plenty of natural light and overlooked the courtyard. I decided to take a short walk before brunch and got lost in the maze of silent corridors—each one leading to an exit staircase or the courtyard. One of these led to my lunch spread, which was set in the hotel’s multi-cuisine restaurant, Bazaar. The colourful interiors of Bazaar represent the vibrant markets of Jaipur, and the cuisine pays tribute to the flavours of the world.
The amuse-bouche came in the form of prawns tossed in butter and wild pepper infused with
garlic, and packed a punch. The kurkuri poha-crusted macchi that came next was wolfed down in seconds. For the main course, I was served classic bolognese, both creamy and smooth. Full to the gills, I sauntered around and sat down by the gurgling fountain in the courtyard, admiring the lattice windows, arched entryways, and tall columns of the property.
In the evening, I headed to Z Bar, the hotel’s club lounge, where purple-pink velvet seatings alternated with private booths and a dance floor glimmered in party lights. Its wide selection of beverages made for perfect sundowners. For those who love to take the party outdoors, there is Playa, which serves authentic Jaipur delicacies. This was also my dinner destination. There was a slight chill in the air, so I pulled my jacket closer and settled down on one of the seats by the pool. Laal maas (mutton curry prepared in a sauce of yoghurt and hot spices), ker sangri (a bean and berry combo unique to Rajasthan), and dal baati churma (a three-in-one dish made from lentils and wheat balls) lined the table, among other dishes. I dug in
The hotel is reminiscent of the Rajput and Mughal styles of architecture; the long and maze-like corridors at the hotel; the Zone Suite comes with a cosy living room. with total abandon and polished off the meal with a plate of ghevar (a traditional crispy deep-fried disc soaked in sugar syrup and garnished with nuts ). During weddings and other special occasions, the hotel organises baithak dinners facing the courtyard with special performances by local folk artists. Banqueting spaces at Zone Palace are named Sapphire 1, Sapphire 2, and Town Hall, and each of them offers an elegant space to host a range of events.
Though the hotel shut its doors in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown, it has now reopened with a hygiene, cleanliness, and sanitisation drive called S.H.I.E.L.D. Under the new normal, the hotel conducts temperature checks for all guests and team members. Contactless digitised check-in has been arranged, and check-in cards are UV-treated before they’re given to the guests. All the guest rooms are thoroughly sanitised using electrostatic gun sprayers, and are left vacant for 72 hours between occupants. In a world riddled by a virus, this is a safe zone. zonebythepark.com