Why book?
The Leela Palace Jaipur lives up to its moniker and is designed as a modern-day royal retreat complete with sumptuous rooms, hand-painted art, pool villas, marble fountains, live Rajasthani folk performances, and if you feel you are missing the elephants, there are several intricately carved marble statues of the pachyderms, playing their part in the overall theme. A profusion of beautiful frangipani and lotus scent the air as you walk around while water features add to the soundscape, leaving the highway far behind. Leela’s location right within the ecosystem of the Aravallis is an added plus making this a self-contained retreat from the city bustle but with easy access to Jaipur’s museums and markets.
Set the scene
The terrace is called Hawa Mahal after one of Jaipur’s most famous landmarks and just like its counterpart is a perfect vantage point to take in the surroundings. The property stretches across 9 acres in a profusion of white buildings with silver-tipped domes, frangipani trees, potted palms, ponds, marble sculptures, and fountains. Behind, extends the age-old Aravallis rendered green by the monsoon showers. While we were there, a wedding party was setting up the terrace for the haldi (a pre-wedding ritual where the bride and groom are anointed with turmeric) and the whole place was awash with marigold garlands and yellow chiffon awnings; dholki (folk drum) players kept up a steady beat setting the mood for the festivities to follow. This seems serendipitous for The Leela Palace Jaipur is a resort property geared for western travellers, grand destination weddings, and anyone who wants a taste of Rajasthan’s culture and art albeit in a contemporary format with mod cons like a plunge pool and spa. The suites are arranged such that it is easy to book an entire set of rooms for groups of families or friends with easy access between them. And if that is not enough, the dinner-only Rajasthani speciality restaurant lit by candles reflecting off its glittering mirrored walls is enough reason to check in.
The backstory
Leela Palace marked its debut in Jaipur in 2021, in the midst of the global pandemic, taking over from the JW Mariott Resort & Spa. While the overall structure remained intact, the all-white buildings got new pops of colour with a new coat of silver on the gumbads (domes), handpainted Rajasthani murals and art on the walls, and plush decor accents from acclaimed designer Sabyasachi. Leela signatures were added including the lotus pond (which is a feature across all their properties), a profusion of lilies as the chosen bloom across the hotel, an excellent butler service, and a rehaul of the F&B programming. Since its inception, the Leela properties have always been associated with luxury with a very strong Indian core and each hotel has its unique identity and sense of place. Over the last three years, this hotel has created an identity for itself in a city that has one of the highest concentrations of luxury properties in India. Through a roster of exclusive experiences and cultural programming ranging from the Jaipur Literature Festival to the much-awaited Polo Season.
The rooms
The 200-key property has eight categories of rooms spread across the hotel from the palace rooms to the grand Maharaja Suite complete with its own private pool and a massive living and dining room and a private butler. My living quarters—the Royal Villa with a plunge pool was a gorgeous space where the inside and outside meld into one cohesive living space. The outside is a walled courtyard with a garden with frangipani trees, a generously apportioned temperature-controlled pool, a canopied day bed, a seating area. The bedroom and the freestanding tub in the bathroom are enclosed by glass which opens up to the outside. The walls are a treat with walls covered in the traditional araish finish comprising marble dust and hydraulic lime, which was traditionally used across the forts and palaces of Jaipur to lend the walls a smooth finish and also increase longevity and improve waterproofing capabilities. There are handpainted murals of scenes from life in Rajasthan, blue and white floral designs and miniature-style paintings in niches. By night, mood lighting transforms the space into a dreamy intimate space where you can settle in for a bottle of bubbly and room service by the pool, never needing to step out. Inside, a cosy sleeping area gives way to the sprawling all-marble bathing area, complete with a freestanding tub. The best part—Leela’s range of inhouse toiletries Tishya, which feel fab on your skin and hair and carry the hotel’s signature perfume. Distilled from kumud (lotus) and neelakurinji (a flower that blossoms once in 12 years), this delicate floral note scent lingers on your skin, the room, the spa and across the hotel’s lobbies.
Food and drink
Rajasthani ingredients, traditional recipes and influences appear across the hotel’s f&b offerings in addition to the hotel’s newly launched Aujasya food programme designed as part of The Leela’s overall approach to wellness. Aujasya draws from the Sanskrit term which means vigour of life and this translates into healthy menu options across breakfast, small plates and meals and is available at all Leela restaurants. Think: alternative grains, good fats like organic ghee, unrefined sugars like jaggery, seasonal ingredients, and calorie-counted portions, all of which go into the making of creative dishes that are good for you and also taste really good and include a substantial number of Indian dishes rather than the standard salads and grills. At All-day diner Sukh Mahal, a Rajasthani buffet is there for the taking together with an a la carte Aujasya lunch with an aromatic Chicken broth with a 65-degree poached egg and a Barley and Beetroot Quinotto which is filled with rich earthy flavours and is a lighter take on the traditional risotto made with barley, quinoa and low-fat cheese. Dessert cravings are taken care of with a delicious popsicle packed full of jamun berries. What is also surprising is that there is an Aujasya menu for cocktails with low sugar, fresh ingredients, spices, and herbal tonics, available at the Jharokha Bar. Executive chef Varun Parashar has also created an alternative for a Rajasthani thali, which is a challenge for most chefs as this cuisine is high in its spice-fat content. This is available at the hotel’s star restaurant—Mohan Mahal. The latter is a spectacularly beautiful dinner-only restaurant, whose design is inspired by the grand Sheesh Mahal (palace of mirrors) at the nearby Amer Fort. Every inch of the wall and roof is covered in Thikri work—a Rajasthani style of embellishment where artisans use small pieces of mirror to painstakingly create intricate patterns by hand. The entire restaurant is lit just by candles; a long fountain runs through the centre and is fringed by a line of earthen lamps which reflect in the water. There is live instrumental Hindustani classical music performed by artists every evening and the menu is a lavish royal thali with an array of Rajasthani specialties.
The service
Attentive and unobtrusive, from the spa to the restaurant. While I was there, my butler Sudeshna was there to attend to all my requirements including a request for a simple off-the-menu homestyle meal, pillows to suit my shoulder pain, and finding a suitable slot for a spa appointment. She was also at hand for conversations, a walkthrough of the property, and also left thoughtful little gifts on my bed every night including the hotel’s trademark incense sticks and a Rajasthani puppet-inspired set of pencils.
Experiences
One of the highlights of The Leela Palace Jaipur is its special curation of unique experiences in Jaipur and its complete immersion in the city’s cultural fabric. Sawai Padmanabh Singh, the current maharaja of Jaipur, is part of the group’s Icons of India programme. The hotel is also associated with one of the city's most well-known events, the Jaipur Literature Festival where it manages the culinary programme and hospitality at the Speakers’ Lounge at the festival site and also hosts the much-feted grand Writer’s Ball at the hotel’s sprawling banquet hall and garden. With two successful editions of the Leela Maharaja Sawai Man Singh Polo Cup, the hotel has also brought one of the city’s most iconic sports within its fold. It also has a regular roster of events including high fashion showcases, music performances, and culinary pop-ups by star chefs (their recent collabs included a Himalayan table by celebrated chef Prateek Sadhu of NAAR). Apart from an annual calendar of events, guests at the Leela can also book regular experiences including a sunrise yoga session and an Aujasya breakfast at the 18th-century Jaigarh Fort before opening hours. This private access to the fort offers an unbeatable vantage over the Aravalli hills and a moment to enjoy the grand monument minus the crowds. Other immersive experiences include a guided conservation walk through the City Palace followed by a sundowner on the terrace of Chandra Mahal, which remains a private residence for the royal family. One of the highlights of Jaipur’s social calendar is the city’s love for polo and the hotel has put together a short lesson, a tour of a stud farm followed by a high tea.
Eco effort
The Leela checks sustainability boxes through its engagement with the local communities by promoting artisans and local performers, ethical sourcing practices, and an onsite bottling plant. This apart, their collaboration with incense brand Phool ensures that all the floral waste from the property has a second life repurposed into incense sticks, infused with the signature Tishya fragrance and used across the property and as special gifts for guests.
Accessibility
The hotel’s entrance, lobby, restaurants and the rooms in the palace wing plus some of the villas can also be accessed by those with limited mobility.
Jaipur-Delhi Highway, NH 11, Kukas, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302028
https://www.theleela.com/the-leela-palace-jaipur