A Stylish Reincarnation

Centuries of history make way for Padmaa, a quaint boutique hotel in Jaipur

- WORDS SHRUTI KEMBHAVI PHOTOS COURTESY PADMAA, JAIPUR

If you aren’t lost amongst honking tuk-tuks and colourful heaps of lacquer bangles at Kishanpole Bazaar, you will soon arrive at Padmaa Jaipur.

As you step off the main road, the narrow galli snakes in, away from the hustle bustle towards older streets and dilapidated havelis shrouding under their worn patinas. On Churkon ka Rasta, around one such corner, sits Padmaa – a charming boutique hotel breathing new life into a centuries-old haveli.

With its exterior, Padmaa is a fresh cream in contrast to the ageing pink structures that surround it. This 290-year-old quaint haveli belonging to the Shah family for generations, has now been converted into a 15-key, all-suite boutique hotel. As you step in through the rustic wooden doors, however, Padmaa looks like a painting come alive. With dusty pink interiors, white jaalis and mint accents, the hotel is a breath of fresh air amongst the saturated hues of the city. It’s also named after the beloved matriarch of the family Shrimati Padmaa Devi Shah, whose heirlooms can be spotted all over the property. At the reception, for example, guests will find her