Narain Niwas PALACE SOJOURN

Three kilometres from Jaipur's walled city, behind gates that open into ten acres of green, Narain Niwas Palace feels less like a hotel and more like an estate that slowly welcomed the world in.

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Built in 1928 by Major General Raja Bahadur Thakur Amar Singh of Kanota as a country residence, the palace was originally imagined as a retreat from courtly life. In 1978, Thakur Mohan Singhji Kanota and Thakurani Narendra Kanwar opened its doors to travellers as a modest four-room bed-and-breakfast, becoming early pioneers in India's heritage hospitality movement. Today, under the stewardship of the third generation of the Kanota family, the palace retains the intimacy of its beginnings while functioning as a full-fledged heritage hotel. The sense of space is immediate. Lawns stretch outward under tamarind and neem trees, and peacocks wander freely through the gardens as though they have always belonged here. Mornings begin quietly. Sunrise yoga sessions unfold on the grass, where the air carries the scent of leaves and distant flowers. The pace is unhurried, and the estate feels insulated from the city's tempo despite its central location.

The 52 air-conditioned rooms and suites are spread across the property, including 16 suites and 29 standard rooms, each reflecting Rajasthan's layered heritage. Garden-facing suites at the rear of the palace offer a particularly calm vantage point. Windows open to greenery rather than traffic, and birdsong replaces the sounds of the road. Modern amenities such as attached bathrooms, air conditioning, televisions, telephones and safety lockers integrate seamlessly into spaces furnished with authentic Art Deco pieces. The effect is comfortable rather than theatrical, allowing the architecture to remain the focal point.