The combination of a super luxury resort and a recreation of the magical grandeur of Rajasthan's past come together incomparably in the Oberoi properties in Rajasthan. Malavika Kamaraju visits three of their most stunning resorts. This week: Rajvilas in Jaipur
It's afternoon as we enter the innards of Jaipur. The driver of the car I am in chooses to take routes that alternate between sedate lanes and chaotic main roads full of people trying to get another day to work in their favour.
We go past at moderate speed watching the kaleidoscope of Jaipur turn by the second – temples, hoardings, shops, boutiques, smart houses, old homes, the usual order-defying traffic, people walking in every possible direction towards some place, somewhere, to someone; the masses seemingly stitched together at certain points by dazzling swatches of colour.
The swatches, as it turns out, are the extraordinary vibrant colourful sarees worn by women of Rajasthan. No one seems to have the time to stand and stare. But one thing seems to stare back at you from every nook and cranny – the eyes of history. They beguile, beckon and intrigue you. Fragments of it cling to practically every facet of Jaipur, and that is how it should be. It is after all, as leading travel writer and frequent visitor to India Louise Nicholson says, a "classic fantasy India at its best".
We move further through the city and drive up a narrow ribbon-road. Up to this point all is familiar, almost predictable. And then, the car takes a right turn and you enter a place that epitomises Louise Nicholson's words.
I have arrived at the Oberoi Rajvilas. It's the kind of place that makes jaw-dropping easy.
A stunning fort in blushing sandstone stands tall, proud and magnificent, perfectly capturing the legendary spirit of Rajasthan. Even in the glare of the afternoon light, the blush of the Jaipur sandstone does not fade a shade; rather it seems to turn rosier.
The front view of Rajvilas is sweeping, with a richness of architectural detail that is grand, but not complicated.
This is perhaps the most impressive aspect that connects the Oberoi's four Vilas properties – Rajvilas in Jaipur, Udaivilas in Udaipur, Vanyavilas in Sawai Madhopur (nestling against the harsh beauty of the Ranthambore National Park) and Amarvilas in Agra where every room has been built in a way that allows a glimpse of the famous Taj Mahal – the fine balance of opulence and understated elegance that leads to a luxurious paradox you can enjoy and feel at home in.
A retinue of staff arrives to greet you and escort you up the steps edged with the mosaic of Jaipur's famous blue pottery to two massive wooden doors studded with burnished brass orbs.
As if on cue, the doors open to reveal an expansive lush green courtyard that leads to the reception hall. The interiors of the hall are a magnificent ode to the grandeur of the Rajput era combined with modern sleek in a way that can only be captured in superlatives.
Pillars, artefacts, marble flooring, frescoes echoing a royal past, coat of arms, super lavish chandeliers, silk, velvet, polished wood, gold leaf detailing everywhere... Rajvilas is, to put it simply, the kind of place that stuns your senses.
Rajasthani history with Oberoi hospitality
Rajasthan's royal past has always held a special fascination for historians, history buffs, movie-makers and artistic minds. With its colour, the valour of its people, the legendary tales of its maharajas, princes and Rajput women, its vastly diverse topography and rich folk base, the state has a special brand of magic whose heart beats even today with the same force and vitality as it did during the Rajputana era.
The rhythm got to PRS Oberoi, son of MS Oberoi – who single-handedly brought to the world the impeccable Oberoi brand of hospitality. PRS decided to recreate the magic of Rajasthan's past and bring to the hospitality industry a new concept of luxury and leisure.
His love affair with Rajasthan had begun long before, when he developed an interest in restoring an old Rajasthani fort at Naila, near Jaipur. The combination of authentic restoration and tasteful interiors combined with the legendary Oberoi brand of hospitality worked its magic.
PRS decided to take the magic to the next level. He would, he decided, build a fort from scratch offering incomparable comfort and luxury to its 'residents'. The concept of a formidable structure that essentially thwarts one's entry yoked to the intrinsic nature of hospitality that invites you in and requests you to stay was unique. When he suggested the idea to his team of architects, planners and interior designers, he was told that it was an off-the-wall idea. But PRS was convinced it would work. After all, his emotional ties to the place were far too strong (he also owns a home near Naila).
Thus the 72-room, 32-acres vast Rajvilas resort and spa was born in 1997. I walk down the marble floor hallway from the beautifully appointed reception area to the Surya Mahal, the fine dining restaurant. It is lunch time. The restaurant is yet another paradox – like spaciousness cupped in the palms of artistic hands. A wealth of design details catches your eye – beautiful paintings, traditional Rajasthani motifs, exquisite silver service and lavish table arrangements.
After a sumptuous meal with Anand Chatterjee, F&B manager and Puneet Narula, Rooms Division Manager, I step out of a door-within-a-door (try opening even one of those massive doors; it's easier to cut a smaller one into the main one) to an expanse that takes my breath away.
Acres of property roll out, with so many design touches and such landscaped perfection, it takes a while to put all the pieces into a single ocular frame.
Meandering but measured walkways, energetic fountains, fields of manicured lawns where freshly fallen flowers are swept up quickly by teams of workers to keep the grass looking like a Pantone swatch, a large swimming pool with blue pottery tiles at the base like a ceramic canvas, and tucked away in strategic locations clusters of accommodation that range from luxury tents to premier rooms (in sets of four or six with their own courtyards, fountains and sandstone sculptures). The view is eye-popping.
The most unique feature of Rajvilas, however, is the rectangular yard near the swimming pool that houses a 250-year-old temple. Since the temple was already a part of the land on which Rajvilas was to be built, PRS Oberoi decided to build his fort around it.
Ode to luxury
Veering off the rectangle, turning right down a pathway, I head to my premier room, one of a set of four with its central private courtyard complete with fountain and sandstone figures. Pink steps lead to a solid door with beautiful detailing. Inside, the room is a vision in pure luxury. At its heart is a million-dollar four-poster that is an ode to luxury bed construction.
The Vilas beds are spectacular. Each resort has a touch that is unique to the bed furnishing.
At Rajvilas, the quilt at the foot of the bed is like a placement of crimson flowers on creamy silk – beautiful enough to make you want to pack it when you leave. I take the ethical route and ask the staff if I can buy it. I am led to Tijori, the boutique shop in the resort where it is available.
The quilts, each with a distinct design for the four Vilas respectively, are made exclusively for Oberoi by a Jaipur-based artist.
Shopping for treasures
After a brief nap, it's time to check out Jaipur's dazzling shopping opportunities. It is, unarguably, one of the most popular shopping destinations in India. But you don't have to go shopping. Just spend all your time in the resort.
You will have a fantastic vacation. Luxuriate in exploring the acres and acres of the resort's landscaping and its architectural wealth of design. There is so much to see and so many ways to relax. From your room to the outdoors, to the Library Room or sessions at the spa or by the pool reading a book and being attended to by staff who are unbelievably efficient and warm, Rajvilas is the kind of place that can lull you into days of bliss. This is one fort you don't want to escape from.
Rajasthan's fascinating past
In the evening, after a wonderful lie-in in the wonderful bed, I go to the Library Room to meet the famous historian and author of many history books on Rajasthan's fascinating past, Ranbir Sinh. His royal ancestry combined with his formidable knowledge makes him a delightful story-teller.
He visits Rajvilas three times a week to present a 20-minute slide show on the city's rich past. But my curiosity and impoverished knowledge on the Rajputana era probably piques his erudition and before you know it, it's been three hours and my tattered fabric of knowledge has been expertly repaired, and embellished too. Well, as much as can be achieved in three hours.
I thank him and leave with the memory of the rarest of rare photographs imprinted on my mind – a young, incomparably beautiful Gayatri Devi dancing cheek to cheek with her husband Maharaja Man Singh of Jaipur.
Quite simply, in her prime, she was Photoshop-proof. Clearly, for some people physical perfection needs no help from technology.
The next day, I have a cooking class with the resort's chef, Sahil Khullar. In the nearly finished Raj Mahal, the new restaurant of Rajvilas that is set to open soon, Sahil cooks, with easy grace and efficiency, delicious Rajasthani vegetarian fare.
Here too, the interiors are stunning. "It will only be open for dinner," says Sahil. "Raj Mahal will look like a wonderland." Despite the morning light streaming in, I can see why he is right.
Post lunch, it's time to check out the Oberoi spa. I opt for a Balinese hot stone therapy-massage. It is an hour-and-a-half of being fabulously toasted by the gentle but stress-relieving heat of basalt stones that contain volcanic minerals.
A concurrent massage is the perfect accompaniment. (All spas in the Oberoi chain have an excellent and consistent quality of spa treatments, as was borne out by the four I visited and the treatments I experienced. They are managed by the Banyan Tree in Thailand.)
The hot stone massage is so good, the rest of the evening is spent, in no particular order, doing the following: relaxing in the lovely interiors of my room and listening to music, taking a stroll along the landscaped gardens of Rajvilas as the lights turn the place into magic land, watching the Aravalli's undulating spine slither across the night sky and thinking about tiger tiger burning bright in the forests of the night.
It is a very special moment in a very special place and the grandeur of Rajvilas falls gently on your shoulders like a priceless pure silk shawl.
You draw it close, revel in its rich feel and tell yourself that you will return one day because you can never have enough of such special moments in life.
For more info on Rajvilas, log on to www.oberoihotels.com
(All flights to Oberoi resorts, international as well as domestic, were courtesy Jet Airways.)
Malavika Kamaraju is editor, Friday.
Next week: Udaivilas, Udaipur.
Fact File
Jaipur is known as the Pink City because of the warm pink colour of the buildings. The special lime plaster was
developed to imitate the expensive sandstone used by the ruling Mughals for their forts in Delhi and Agra. Rajvilas has used the same traditional lime plaster for the exterior finish of the fort.
The special lime plaster is made by mixing lime, a variety of locally available stones and minerals in huge pits dug in the ground. A huge stone wheel is used to grind the mixture (the wheel is roped to a camel which turns it). Straw is added to the mixture, acting as a binding agent. The process is time-consuming as only small quantities of the plaster are prepared to achieve perfection in colour and consistency.
To get the perfect finish, the plaster is applied four times with a minimum interval of two weeks between each application, allowing the plaster critical drying time between layers. The result is a finish with a natural hue, depth and a smooth texture far superior to conventional modern plaster.
Araish treatment
Araish is a finish found only in the interiors of the forts and palaces of Rajasthan. Although craftsmen are reluctant to share the exact details of the process for araish, it is known that various kinds of ground stones, marble, egg white
and tamarind are included in the mixture.
The final finish of araish has a smooth creamy ivory colour and like polished marble, reflects the characteristic smoothness and luminosity of the stone. At the Oberoi Rajvilas, araish is used inside the fort and at the entrances to the rooms and villas.
Blue pottery tiles
Jaipur's famous blue pottery tiles are the legacy of the
original blue pottery brought to India by Mughals from Iran. The craft nearly slid into oblivion till it was revived in the mid-19th century by Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh II.
Handmade doors
Each door at Rajvilas is handmade, handcarved, is 3 m wide and weighs approximately 230 kg. Every door is different and each takes about six months to craft.
Architecture details
The architecture for Rajvilas is by P.G. Patki of P.G. Patki and Associates, Mumbai. The landscaping is by the well-known American expert, Bill Bensley, and interior design by HL Lim of Singapore.
When in Jaipur
Here are a few sightseeing options...
The City Palace The spectacular City Palace is the residence of the former ruling family of Jaipur. The architecture combines elements of Rajput beauty with Mughal spaciousness and English linear planning.
Hawa Mahal In truth, the Hawa Mahal is all façade, an elaborate palace exterior complete with 953 windows and niches of inconceivable delicacy. However, behind this façade are no buildings, for it is a maze of corridors and resting points.
Jantar Mantar Literally "instruments for measuring the harmony of the heavens", the Jantar Mantar Observatory was built between 1728-1734. The Amber Fort The
17th-century fort complex at Amber occupies a steep hillside, overlooking the strategic pass that gave entry to the kingdom of the Kacchwaha Maharajas from the Mughal territories to the north. Surrounding the fort is an 18-km defence wall, which at its lowest measures 6 m.
Jaigarh Fort It towers above Amber like a watchful eagle. It was built by Jaisingh II in 1726. Jaigarh housed the legendary Kacchwaha Treasury. Nahargarh This small fort stands guard over Jaipur, on a sheer rock face about 2 km from the city centre, dominating the skyline. The immense walls and bastions are well preserved. Built by Maharaja Jai Singh II, this fort was used as his military base.
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The Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur Awards & Accolades include:
- Best Hotels in the World for Design: Amongst those with a score of 100 awarded by Condé Nast Traveler, USA, Gold List 2008.
- Second best hotel in the world awarded by Travel + Leisure, Readers' poll, 2007-8.
- Best Hotels in the World for Service: Amongst those with a score of 100 awarded by Condé Nast Traveler, USA, Gold List 2007.
- Top 100 Hotels in the World (Ranked 11th) awarded by Travel + Leisure, World's Best Awards, Readers' Survey 2007.
- Top Hotels in the World for Service (Ranked 8th) awarded by Travel + Leisure, World's Best Service Awards, Readers' Survey 2007.
- Top Hotels in the World (Ranked 18th) awarded by Condé Nast Traveler, Readers' Choice Awards 2007.
- Best Hotels for Location in Asia (Ranked 1st) awarded by Condé Nast Traveller, UK, The Gold List 2007.
- Best Hotels and Resorts in the World awarded by Forbes Traveler 400, The World's Best Hotel and Resorts 2007.
- Top Small Hotels in the World: With less than 100 rooms (amongst the hotels with 2nd highest score) awarded by Zagat Survey, World's Top Hotels, Resorts and Spas 2007-2008.
