RAAS Rajmahal Palace
Jaipur

As you arrive at RAAS Rajmahal Palace, half a dozen beaming and smartly dressed men, each wearing a distinctive pink turban wait to welcome you. RAAS Rajmahal Palace is one of the best boutique hotels in Jaipur, and here you’ll live like royalty. Located in Jaipur's oldest royal palace, the property has a rich and colourful history to match the flamboyant interiors. Built in 1729 as a royal residence for the Maharaja of Jaipur, Rajmahal was briefly the British Residence before being extensively remodelled in an art deco style during the 1930s, and then used as the official residence of the glamorous Maharaja and Maharani of Jaipur after independence.

The renovated interiors are the work of Adil Ahmad, a leading Indian designer, and the outcome is eccentric and exquisite. Bold, vibrant colours, bespoke furniture, antique family photographs and 46 types of custom-made wallpaper have come together to create a glittering jewel of a hotel. The small palace has just 13 rooms in total, including two magnificent Royal apartments, meaning the exclusivity of this famous address remains true. The rooms are named after the palace's esteemed guests, and the Queen Elizabeth II suite is a glorious cool mint colour contrasting with the Indian heat. The two-bedroom Maharaja’s apartment comes with a drawing room that opens onto a private terrace, a dining room with seating for eight people and its own dedicated butler. Smooth but understated service, an art deco swimming pool, small spa and seven acres of lawns and gardens, all located in the very centre of Jaipur make this property one of favourites in the city.

Over the decades the royal family of Jaipur have hosted legendary parties and events at Rajmahal Palace; from royals, to polo players, fashionistas and famous dignitaries from around the world, this palace has welcomed the ‘jet set’ with style. Rajmahal Palace is also available exclusively for a private ‘book-out’ for weddings, parties, long or short stays, whether for a night or a week, for two people or for two hundred.

In 2016, the renowned Indian interiors store Good Earth, opened a flagship boutique at Rajamahal. Known for celebrating the subcontinent’s vibrant colour, craft and design, Good Earth is India’s leading sustainable luxury retail brand. Guests at the hotel can enjoy exclusive shopping at this store, which curates a collection to reflect the vibrant palette and rich history of the iconic palace and fabled Pink City.

My favourite thing is to go where I've never been.
Diane Arbus