My New Home Away From Home is a Palace in Jaipur, India

The Raj Palace hotel in Jaipur, India outshines any available adjectives. Stunning. Luxurious. Elegant. Memorable. Tranquil. Historical. Regal. Those are all accurate, but hardly sufficient.

It’s no surprise that Raj Palace was named the best heritage hotel in India. Of course it was, because it earned the top mark in the whole world for seven consecutive years. And even that distinction doesn’t convey the magic of the place.

Built in the 1700s as a true royal palace, and to this day run by descendants of the original inhabitants, Raj Palace is the perfect blend of old and new. Stepping through the front gate is like stepping back in time and taking with you all of your modern conveniences. Think old-world charm with plenty of electrical outlets.

I stayed in one of the “ordinary” rooms:

with an “ordinary” tea corner:

There are also fancy rooms available, and suites.

I dined variously in the cozy cafe and the formal dining room:

I was particularly struck by the almost unbelievable symmetry I saw. Here’s one more example:

The cuisine is exceptional. Good food is surprisingly common in India, so it’s unusually difficult for a restaurant to stand out. But Raj Palace pulls it off. Even the honey-lemon ginger tea I asked for — which wasn’t even on the menu — was better than any other I’ve tasted. (I mean, really, how did they improve so significantly on a three-ingredient herbal tea?)

Even more than the grounds and the food, the staff are what make Raj Palace a true royal gem. Everything happens flawlessly, seamlessly, practically invisibly, and almost immediately.

Jaipur of course is the ideal location for a home away from home. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage City, and part of India’s famous Golden Triangle. And it’s the modern capital of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Both the old and new cities are steeped in history, teeming with life, and awash with the pulse of a 5,000-year-old civilization. Step out of Raj Palace and you have the old city to your left, the new city to your right. Drive a few hours east and you’ll get to the Taj Mahal. Or drive north to India’s capital city of Delhi.

The original power center of Jaipur was Amer/Amber (both spellings are in use), and the 1592 Amber Fort — a 15 minute drive from Raj Palace — is so impressive that it remains one of India’s most popular tourist sites. In 1727 a prince of the Amer royal family built a place called the Chaumoo Haveli, which was renamed the Raj Palace. The Raj Palace is as old as Jaipur itself.

As part of an ongoing debate, the 26th Amendment to the Constitution of India, passed in 1971, ordered that royalty shall “cease to be recognised [sic] as such.” The Kerala high court clarified in 2013 that there’s nothing unconstitutional about using (now unrecognized) titles like “king” and “prince.” But in 2022 the Rajasthan high court countered that the titles cannot be used in formal court filings. This troubling state of affairs makes it all the more important to have jewels like Raj Palace, which preserves the glorious history of Rajasthan.

Though it’s an ideal starting point, you may also want to make Raj Palace the last stop on your trip, because anywhere else you stay just won’t be able to measure up.

I was naturally sorry to leave. As I enjoyed my final meal there, I remember looking at the magnificent chutney bowls and thinking: The food at Raj Palace is served on pure silver, but her soul is pure gold.