In The Grand Scheme Of Things

Be It A Candlelit Restaurant With Glasswork Or Meals With A Whiff Of Tradition, Jw Marriott Jaipur Resort And Spa Hits All The High Notes

- Anubhuti Krishna

I have always been fascinated by the tales of Rajasthan’s maharajas and their opulent lifestyles. I have also always nursed a secret desire to experience that life, even if for a while. Luckily, a recent three-day stay at JW Marriott Jaipur Resort and Spa ticked both these boxes.

On a pleasant September morning, a 4.5-hour drive from Delhi takes me and my two daughters to the resort, which lies in the town of Kukas, on Jaipur’s outskirts. Spread over 12 acres, its soaring, curved lines are a study in white—the facade is new but evokes traditional Rajasthani architecture, and its chhatris glint from afar, carving the skyline. We enter a glistening lobby, where the dome and some walls are adorned with exquisite gold and silver thikri (mirror inlay) work. A chandelier shimmers above a small fountain set amid marble inlay. Even the wooden maharaja chairs in the lobby flaunt mother-of-pearl inlay work. A heady scent of neroli wafts in the air, and flautists serenade visitors walking in through the doors. The space looks right out of a glossy coffee-table book, and it isn’t hard to imagine a modern-day maharaja living here.