For all travel-obsessed princess devotees with a flair for royal girly aesthetics and intriguing narratives, we’ve found the ultimate staycation and it lies within the Pink City! Add in its dreamy monsoon-charged greenness, over 200 free-roaming peacocks and voila — you’ve got your very own Indian Disney princess reverie unfolding right before your eyes.
Check into Jaipur’s Taj Sawai Man Mahal — a tribute to Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II, Jaipur’s last ruling maharaja and former ambassador to Spain — and suddenly every corner becomes engaging and appears equally, if not more, aesthetic. The rose peal shower and folk dance welcome aside, enter the palace and you will be marvelling at the restored red sandstone fortlike walls, golden gate and weapons wall art in the lobby — an architectural nod to the grandeur of Amber Fort.
With only 51 rooms, this property offers quiet intimacy that grand resorts often lose. Oh and don’t be alarmed if you run into peacocks and peahens every 10 steps or find them perched on the rooftop of your palatial suites, because there are over 200 of them roaming free.
Jewel of Jaipur
Speaking of our Deluxe Suite, it was an elegant setting inspired by royalty, with a private courtyard ideal for stargazing. The suite’s contemporary design seamlessly juxtaposes the culturallyinspired objets d’art, murals and décor with tall walls and rustic wooden fixtures.While the luxury rooms, heated swimming pools, gym, Ayuspa treatments (J-Wellness Circle), folk performance (like ghoomar, kalbeliya and bhavai), 1835 — a cocktail lounge steeped in literary history and free activities like morning yoga do a convincing job but neither hold a candle to the star attraction — a whimsical hunt to find the peacock hidden around the grounds and to befriend and feed them.
Stroll through the verdant gardens linked to the heritage Rambagh Palace, often referred to as the Jewel of Jaipur, which has one of the most fascinating royal histories in India. Today, it functions as a luxury heritage hotel managed by Taj Hotels, but its story stretches far beyond hospitality — it is woven deeply into the fabric of Rajasthan’s regal past. Rambagh Palace began its life in 1835 as a modest garden retreat for the wet nurse of the infant Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh II.
Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II
At the time, it was located on the outskirts of Jaipur, surrounded by what was then nothing but wilderness. Later, as the young Maharaja grew up and sought grandeur, he converted this garden house into a hunting lodge. Located within a forested area teeming with wildlife, Rambagh was a convenient escape for royal hunts and countryside leisure, all while maintaining proximity to the Pink City.
The most significant transformation occurred in the early 20th century, when Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II, the last ruling maharaja of Jaipur, converted Rambagh into a full-fledged royal residence. Between 1925 and 1931, the palace was redesigned with European-style gardens, Indo-Mughal architecture, marble corridors and sandstone pavilions, lavish interiors with chandeliers, Italian tiles and Rajasthani mirror work. The palace then became the primary home of the Jaipur royal family.
Luxury and heritage
After Indian independence and the dissolution of royal privileges, the palace was handed over to the Taj Group in 1957 and became one of India’s first luxury heritage hotels. Stationed by a large restored fountain in the royal lawns featuring a small polo ground, garden furniture, peacocks dancing and attracting mates in the light drizzle — all set against the grand view of the palace — the scene felt like we were living in an oil painting.
So, we simply sat there and admired the view while holding out a palm filled with corn kernels to attract some feathered friends because feeding them by hand is not only allowed — it’s encouraged here. Hand-feeding vibrant peacocks and fluffing through green courtyards evoked imagery straight from Jodhaa Akbar. Having had our fill after meeting and greeting about ten peacocks, we headed to play some polo and check out the array of shops on the palace grounds.
On our way there, we also stumbled across the parking area that stationed vintage royal horse carriages and luxury vintage cars like the Mercedes. But nothing surprised as much as seeing a train nearby. Steam, a lounge & bar at Rambagh Palace, set in a restored Victorian-era steam engine and platform, right within the palace grounds. Head over for a charming meal-perfect moment.