Travel

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to stay in a 300-year-old palace, His Highness Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh is making that dream come true as he opens the doors of the Gudliya Suite at Jaipur’s City Palace to the public for the very first time. From 23 November this year, the luxurious suite will be available for bookings on Airbnb.

A complex of courtyards, gardens and buildings, Jaipur’s impressive City Palace situated in the centre of the Old City is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Rajasthan region. It is home to Jaipur’s royal family and has hosted numerous guests over the centuries including the likes of Prince Charles, Oprah Winfrey, Jackie Kennedy and Bill Clinton.

The sizeable suite is fitted with its own lounge, kitchen, luscious bathroom and a striking private indoor swimming pool. Aside from an exclusive stay, guests will be able to immerse themselves in the rich history, cultural heritage and artistic traditions of Jaipur’s royal family. They will also be pampered to no end as they wouldn’t need to lift a finger to plan where they will be visiting as they will be attended to by a private butler and personal guide who will arrange curated city experiences including shopping tours, guided walks through local museums and other excursions.

Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh is the first Maharaja to offer stays at his palace on Airbnb in support of the women’s empowerment initiatives of the Princess Diya Kumari Foundation (PDKF), a nonprofit organisation dedicated to supporting rural women and artisans in the Rajasthan region. Proceeds from each booking will go to the foundation, and for the remainder of 2019, the Gudliya Suite, priced at US$8,000 per night, will be available to book on select nights at a special offer of just US$1,000 a night, with Airbnb paying the balance for each booking as their contribution to the foundation.

Read UNRESERVED’s full royal experience of Jaipur in our upcoming January/February 2020 issue.