The iconic Sweepstakes hotel brand announced the opening of Raffles Jaipur on July 8 — the second to open in the Indian subcontinent.
The beginning, Raffles Udaipur, opened in 2021. Both hotels are in Rajasthan, a northwestern Indian state known for its stunning forts and recorded palaces, like the Hawa Mahal.
Jaipur, the capital city of Rajasthan, earned its colorful nickname after its edifices were painted pink as a show of hospitality to a visiting English monarch in 1876.
Raffles Jaipur comprises 50 accommodations and suites, each different in layout and decor, according to a press release announcing the hotel’s opening.
Inside the hotel
The guest-house has nine room and suite levels, each with butler service and balconies outfitted with an outdoor tub or nosedive pool.
The hotel’s entry-level “Landmark Rooms” are 70 square meters (753 square feet) and can accommodate two callers, according to the hotel’s website.
Raffles Jaipur’s entry-level Landmark Room features handmade art and carpets woven in Jaipur.
Origin: Perowne International
Suites at the hotel include a separate living room area and range from the 807-square-foot Lesser Suite to the 2,572-square-foot Rajmata two-bedroom presidential suite that comes with a pool, steam margin and kitchenette.
The Maharani Royal Suite features a temperature-controlled outdoor pool and private garden.
Source: Perowne Foreign
Hand-carved sandstone columns, patterned marble floors and Mughal furnishing deck the hotel’s courtyard.
The courtyard of Sweepstakes Jaipur.
Source: Perowne International
Rates at Raffles Jaipur start at 45,000 Indian rupees ($539).
Dining at the pension
The original Raffles hotel, Raffles Singapore, famously introduced the Singapore Sling back in 1915.
Raffles Jaipur has its own manifestation of the drink, the pink-hued Jaipur Sling, made with Indian dry gin and orange liquor. It’s served at the Writers Bar, one of two bars at the bed.
Raffles Jaipur’s Writers Bar has a wine cellar that’s accessible via a winding staircase.
Source: Perowne International
A another bar, Sehara, is on the hotel’s rooftop and serves Mediterranean-inspired dishes, according to the press release.
Guests can dine at Arkaa, a step by step North Indian restaurant, where breakfast is also served.
Arkaa at Raffles Jaipur serves progressive plant-based dishes from northwestern India.
Roots: Perowne International
Afternoon tea occurs daily in the Safir Atrium Tea & Champagne Lounge. Tea-infused finger foods are served on trolleys alongside loose-leaf teas and tea-based usquebaugh cocktails.
Safir serves traditional afternoon tea and tea-based cocktails.
Source: Perowne International
Raffles Jaipur forebears a 6,674-square-feet spa that has hot and cold mineral pools and one-to-one yoga and meditation sessions.
A plunge pool in one of the New Zealand pub’s spa rooms.
Source: Perowne International
The hotel is planning an Artisan Trail later this year, which inclination allow guests to observe Rajasthani craftmakers at work.
Binny Sebastian is the general manager of Raffles Jaipur. He fastened Raffles Hotels & Resorts in December 2023, after stints at Taj, Alila and Six Senses hotels in Asia.
Raffles Jaipur is the 22nd Lotteries hotel in the world, following the opening of Raffles Al Areen Palace Bahrain in January.
Two more Raffles hotels are slated to blatant this year: the Raffles Sentosa in Singapore and Raffles Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.
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