Porte cochere of the Rambagh Palace hotel

There was a long driveway before we arrived at the porch where a doorman on duty opened the door for us. From the moment you arrive, you can immediately tell this is a true luxury hotel. Prior to heading here, I made no dining reservations and I was able to enter with no problems. There was also no questions asked. If the Fairmont Jaipur is a reminiscent of a Fort, this one makes no pretence of being a palace. There was grand marble tiles, chandeliers and windows with ornate detailings all around the lobby which makes it bright and inviting. It was colourful and subtle at the same time, and has a very nice ambience to sit down and read a book!


Lobby ornament and chandelier


Rambagh Palace lobby

Across the lobby are another set of glass-panelled doors that leads to a fountain courtyard. The gardens of the courtyard was perfect in all senses with beautifully manicured lawns and polished tiles that gleam in the sunlight.


Fountain courtyard of the hotel

From there I made my way to the building facing the polo grounds where the restaurants are all located at. The hotel basically has 3 dining venue that day which was open, the first one being Suvarna Mahal, the hotel's Indian fine dining restaurant, the second being the Rajput Room which is a more informal all-day dining restaurant and finally the last being the Verandah located along the terrace and lawn serving afternoon teas and light meals throughout the day.


Inside the grand Suvarna Mahal

I picked Suvarna Mahal since it serves a variety of Indian dishes that was classified in terms of their origins and was surprised to find a very ornate dining room reminiscent of French chateaus. The table setting involves a lot of bling and was definitely fitting for a Maharaja. But I was very much drawn outdoors towards the Verandah that has a nice tea time ambience on the outdoor terrace and was perfect for the cool sunny winter in Jaipur. Which is why I asked the server if I could have my meal on the terrace outside instead.


Table setting at the patio

With that I got seated in patio and enjoyed the afternoon lounging outside and enjoying the flocks of pigeons that seems to be everywhere in India.


Afternoon tea at the Rambagh Palace

The lunch was fine though if I were to compare I think I liked the one at the Fairmont Jaipur a bit better. The server recommended me the corn bread which is a new variety of bread I had while in India. This was slightly sweet and was grilled to a nice crispiness that I enjoyed.


Laal maas and corn bread

After the lunch, I took a walk around the polo grounds and there was actually a horse carriage with an attendant at its helm. Not sure if guests could take the carriage ride, but I preferred to walk around and take photos of the hotel grounds. There are also some peacocks in the polo grounds.


Horse-drawn carriage at Rambagh Palace