Yes, that's me! I'm on the cover of Conde Nast Traveller India summer issue. The photo was taken by my husband at Villa Palladio in Jaipur. He shot it on our camera at 16:16 on the 28th January 2023 when he really just wanted to get to the pool! Natural lighting and no team other than our baby crawling around in the background. To mark this magazine cover story moment (pinch me!), I thought I would share some memories from the hotel...
My Guide To
Villa Palladio
I love so many hotels in Rajasthan, it is almost impossible to pick a favourite. But I think this glorious new opening has the crown.
While Bar Palladio back in the city is every shade of blue, this sister hotel 30 minutes outside of Jaipur is an ode to red. Cardinal, claret, tomato and pomegranate, surrounded by this much red is joyful, exciting but surprisingly serene too. My visit was the most tranquil I had felt all year.
We were in the hotel's suite - a glorious confection in red with its floor to ceiling frescoes, block-printed textiles and stained glass. The wonderland is all down to founder Barbara Miolini and designer Marie-Anne Oudejans. It has the rich colour and floral frescoes of the latter with added chevron stripes and chequered marble, all encased by 3 acre grounds full of roses, organic vegetables and topiary.
This is the entrance hall, the space that founder Barbara told me most captivated her when she first looked around the property.
Its double height ceilings were impactful when it was a haveli, but now, they are jaw-dropping in cardinal red and pink with frescoes of palms, cockerels and bears.
No-one does colour quite like Marie-Anne - what a gift. The tented daybeds, jali screens and block printed cushions are pure joy. Don't miss the floor to ceiling oil paintings that flank the entrance hall, their leopards and mighty steeds hint at late nights and mystery here too.
Breakfast felt like stepping into a fantastical film set... The quote from Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland on the menu feels very apt: "Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”
Villa Palladio Jaipur
Abhay Niwas Palace, Jamdoli Chouraha, Jaipur - RJ 302031 India
+91 141 2969762
The Journal
Entertaining A Crowd
Tips and ideas for hosting large numbers for a sit-down dinner at home.
Colour with Edward Bulmer
Festive tips from our pop-up and tablescape masterclass at Edward Bulmer Natural Paint.
Block Printed Bed Quilts
A new addition for winter: hand-block printed and hand-quilted bedding exclusive to RF.