LUXURY STAYS in India, South Africa and Mexico
The Johri is what happens when heritage, art and an affinity for design collide. Opened last December within the heart of Jaipur’s historic walled city – a little back from the bustling streets of its terracotta-tone jewellery bazaar – it’s the brainchild of hotelier Abhishek Honawar and Siddharth Kasliwal, the ninth-gen owner of Gem Palace, India’s oldest jewellers.
You’ll find it in the Lal Haveli, one of the city’s most prominent buildings, which has been in a branch of the Kasliwal family since the 19th century. The boutique hotel has been carved from the foundations of the former family home and crafted from materials from across Rajasthan. Undulating archways and yolk-hued bowls of marigolds lead guests away from the brouhaha into a scene that strikes the perfect balance of bygone grandeur and contemporary comfort.
And there’s something to discover at every turn, from the intricate detail of the tile work and embroidered headboards to the quirky, vintage tiger-shape chairs and even the colourways of the architraves. The interiors come courtesy of New York-based designer Naina Shah, and the city’s past and present is alive within the aesthetic: the opulence and whimsy of the Hawa Mahal, the nod to Jaipur’s legacy as the ‘Gemstone Capital’ and, perhaps most ardently, its association as the bedrock of the country’s art, craft and design scene.
Five spacious suites – each named after precious stones and suitably colour matched to their monikers: pearl, ruby, emerald, sapphire and gold– are dotted across three storeys around an interior courtyard. Original arches. corbels and columns, such as the four geometric pillars of the Neelam Suite (seen above, complete with hanging in-room swing), salvaged during renovation, remain. Elsewhere, clever juxtapositions of antiques, pichwai paintings, textiles and signature bronze, rattan and inlay create a sense of luxury.
For all its splendour, this is a restful space: the Rousseau-like murals of the Pukhraj Lounge provide a background to afternoon chais and creative evening cocktails; while farm-fresh modern Rajasthani dishes – including street-food favourites like dahi bhalla and papri chaat – can be lingered over in the lovely courtyard area after day’s exploring everything the Pink City has to offer. BG. Doubles from £140. 00 91 89 0555 1680, thejohrijaipur.com