AMBASSADOR OF LUXURY

Travellers seek meaningful experiences that let them develop deeper connections with the destination, and hotels are gearing up with personalisation options that provide significant gratification

- VINITA BHATIA

Some things are worth waiting for, even if they have been a decade in the making. Raffles Udaipur lives up to this maxim. Though scheduled to open in 2020, 10 years after it was first announced, the pandemic further postponed the brand’s debut in the country.

Designed by British architect Clive Gray of Bangkok’s Randolph Gray Design, who is also the creative mastermind behind Fairmont Jaipur, the hotel looks like an English countryside manor that became acquainted with Rajasthani royalty. It has 101 lake-facing rooms and suites with private pools and a 1,100 square meter spa, and Raffles' signature Long Bar and Writers Bar, besides a farm-to-table restaurant, ballroom, and banquet hall.

Over the past few weeks, Abhishek Sharma, General Manager of Raffles Udaipur spent several hours immersing himself in the brand's ethos and cultural values. He is confident it will become the go-to destination for the influential and intellectual community across India and will serve as a beacon for a plethora of projects.

Why domestic guests, you wonder? Well, not too long ago, most luxury hotels were dependent on foreign travellers. However, they are now attracting domestic travellers who have experienced luxury globally and are willing to pay for it. Sharma tells Vinita Bhatia how post-pandemic travellers want to experience peace and serenity and Raffles Udaipur, set on a 21-acre island in the middle of Udai Sagar Lake, will provide the oasis that many seek.

Has the definition of luxury altered since the pandemic struck?

The definition has not only altered, it was been redefined because of the pandemic. With the enhanced perception about wellbeing, luxury is now about experiences, authenticity and sustainability. A conscious living will be the focus of luxury hospitality.