Neglected palace is now one of the world’s most beautiful hotels

One of the owners and a current deputy chief minister of Rajasthan, Princess Diya Kumari, asked small Indian luxury lodgings company Sujan to take over.

It was closed for two years and Adil Ahmad, a Delhi-based designer famous for his maximalist approach was brought onboard to reimagine the property – and wow, did he imagine.

The Ahmad-designed Rajmahal Palace Sujan opened in 2015 and was instantly heralded as one of the most beautiful hotels in the world. It’s this design that persists today.

From the moment you arrive to see the rosy pink exterior and grand main entrance with a vintage Thunderbird parked out front, and pink-turbaned staff rush for your luggage, a story of whimsical beauty unfolds. Forty-five bespoke wallpapers feature throughout as do sparkling chandeliers, Mughal carpets and exquisite furniture upholstered in bright colours.

The gardens are meticulously tended and delightfully bird-filled – though the pool, restored to its former glory, is thankfully not.

The room

There are 13 rooms and suites. Only four are rooms in the classic sense, the rest are vast, ranging up to 244 square metres. Suites are named after the luminaries who once occupied them: Kennedy, Mountbatten, (Diana) Princess of Wales. The latter, and the sumptuous Queen Elizabeth Suite are accessed from the front verandah, so the occupants need not encounter other guests in hallways.

I stay one night in a room upstairs – it’s pretty with its egg-shell blue wallpaper, but the amount of stuff on surfaces makes it hard to find somewhere to put my bits and bobs. I fear they will get lost and/or forgotten. The second night I am upgraded to The Maharaja Suite and my only problem, if indeed I have one, is that there is too much space. It’s enormous, with its own entrance hall, full dining room, lounge with fireplace and super-sized bedroom. It’s full of antiques and stunning art and the bathroom, with two opposing vanities, two separate showers and a giant tub, all in gleaming chrome and marble, is heavenly. If this is how royalty lives, sign me up.

Food + drink

The Rajmahal excels in sustenance, starting with The Bar, a simply swellegant reception room off the hotel’s front verandah. It features gilded art deco stylings and sofas to sink into with an expertly tended tipple. The Tiffany-blue Polo Lounge is another spot for a refreshing drink surrounded by the royal family’s trophies and mementos, including photos of famous teammates and opponents, from the polo fields. The Colonnade, which takes its name from its architecture, is a glorious spot for breakfast, high tea and all day dining – you’re sitting under chandeliers with floor-to-ceiling windows affording a soothing outlook over the lawns. And the more formal restaurant, 51 Shades of Pink – no prizes for guessing the colour scheme – serves beautifully executed Indian and European dishes.

Out + about

You are right in the centre of Jaipur at the Rajmahal, though but for the distant toots and beeps of traffic, the serenity of the hotel and its gardens makes Jaipur feel a world away. It’s a short distance to many of the so-called Pink City’s marvellous attractions, including the City Palace and Rambagh Palace. For nightlife, the stunning Bar Palladio at Narain Niwas Palace Hotel is a taxi ride away.

The verdict

If you love vibrant design, a bit of pomp, exemplary service and the sense of a storied stay, then the Rajmahal Palace RAAS may just be the hotel of your dreams – it was mine.

The essentials

From $519 a night for a room; the Maharaja Suite is from $3660 a night. Rajmahal Palace RAAS, Sardar Patel Marg, Shivaji Nagar, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India; +91 141 414 3000; raashotels.com

★★★★½

The writer travelled as a guest of Qantas and Banyan Tours. See banyantours.com; qantas.com/au