28 Kothi
Jaipur gemstone
Leafy Civil Lines
Gemstone-inspired guesthouse 28 Kothi bucks Jaipur’s traditionalist trend with its mid-century furniture, Rousseau-esque murals and urbane, in-the-know staff. Knowing that a stay in a stiff-collared palace isn’t for everyone, the hotel’s owners – a jeweller and seasoned restaurateur – enlisted their design-savvy contacts to create a modern, minimalist hotel that chimes with the 21st-century traveller. Having spent the day wandering the Pink City’s best boutiques, art shops and fabric dealers (all recommended by the cosmopolitan staff), hit the Ayurvedic-influenced spa before settling into a dinner of fragrant thali in the lush, lantern-lit garden.
Facilities
Rooms
Five, including two suites.
Checkout
11am, but flexible, subject to availability. Earliest check-in, 3pm.
More Details
Rates include an à la carte breakfast with western and Indian options. There’s fresh fruit, toasted millet muesli, eggs (they do everything from classic sunny-side-up to masala omelets) and Rajasthani dishes like split-pea pancakes.
Also
All of the common areas are wheelchair accessible, but there are no specially adapted rooms.
Free Internet Access
Laundry
On-Site Restaurant
Room Service
At the Hotel
Gardens with lounge and alfresco dining areas; library; free WiFi throughout; laundry. In rooms: Bluetooth speaker; air-conditioning; free bottled water; Kama bath products.
Our Favourite Rooms
Try the Moonstone suite for size, a bright, calming room with the hotel’s only freestanding bath tub. When the sun’s out, the lattice windows throw patterned shadows across the floor, making for an inspired soak. Another winner is Sapphire, the only room on the top floor, which is full of furniture swirled with deep blue patterns.
Spa
The one-room Kothi Spa is a collaboration with organic beauty brand Pahadi Local, who make their oils from plants and fruits native to the Himalayas. Their signature product is the skin-softening gutti ka tel, or pure apricot kernel oil. The therapists are also dab hands at Ayurvedic-influenced reflexology and neck, shoulder and foot massages.
Packing Tips
t’s not so much about what to bring as what to leave, to save space in your case: the design-conscious staff are all too happy to share insider tips on where to buy the best fabrics, clothes and Rajhastani art, so don't overpack.
Also
All five rooms have a colour scheme that matches their name; pick from Moonstone, Sapphire, Topaz, Peridot and Spinel (which looks like a fiery pink ruby).
Children
All ages are welcome. Children will love the garden and the library, which is where the staff set up games and puzzles.
Gallery
Food & Drink
Top Table
Unless its raining, the staff will set up a table in the fragrant garden.
Dress Code
An outfit from nearby block printers Anokhi.
Hotel Restaurant
One of the hotel’s co-owners is veteran restaurateur Abhishek Honawar, who’s already shaken up New York and Mumbai’s Indian dining scenes. At 28 Kothi, his expertise makes itself known at laid-back Cafe Kothi, which serves a vegetarian menu with an Indo-Mediterranean lean. Quality, seasonality and provenance are all championed here, with all the ingredients coming from tried-and-trusted suppliers, most of whom grow things the old-fashioned way. Breakfast and an all-day menu are served daily, while dinner is on request: guests choose from a delectable three-course supper (which changes regularly depending on the chef’s finds at the local markets) or thali, sharing platters loaded with curries, rice, flatbreads and homemade dips.
Hotel Bar
There’s no bar as such, just two house wines and beer. If you’re after cocktails, many of the city’s best watering holes are a short rickshaw ride away.
Last Orders
Breakfast is served from 8am to 10.30am; Cafe Kothi is open all day from 9am to 9pm. You’ll need to request dinner in advance, which is served from 7.30pm.
Room Service
The full menu can be served in-room while the restaurant is open.
Planes
Jaipur International Airport is the one to aim for; you can fly direct from Delhi and Mumbai, or from other Rajhastani cities like Jaisalmer and Udaipur. It takes 25 minutes to drive from the airport to the hotel; transfers are available from INR1000.
Trains
Jaipur Junction Railway Station is a 10-minute drive from the hotel. If you’ve got a taste for the track and don’t mind the longer journey, you can catch services from Delhi (a six-hour trip), Jodhpur (five hours) and Agra (four-and-a-half hours).
Automobiles
Famously chaotic to westerners, India’s roads aren’t for the faint of heart. Driving is best left to someone who grew up with the gung-ho approach that dominates the roads.
Worth Getting Out of Bed For
It would be all too easy to while away your days at the hotel, switching between a day-bed beneath the stirring trees, sampling Ayurvedic treatments in the spa and getting lost in a book in the peaceful library. But even if you have seen the Jaipur’s main sights before, be sure to take advantage of the connections that the owners and staff have fostered with the city’s artists, designers and boutiques. Do so and you’ll bypass all the tourist traps, cutting right to the glittering heart of the city’s craft and design scene. One favourite is traditional block printers Anokhi, who've been in business for more than 40 years, perfecting the colourful patterns and designs that they use on dresses, jumpsuits, trousers, scarves and more. Another insider spot is Teatro Dhora, a hip concept store (probably the city’s first) full of local artwork, Indian fashion, leathergoods and homeware. Set your eyes heavenward at Unesco-protected Jantar Mantar, a collection of 20 enormous astrological instruments built in the early 18th century, then check out the Panna Meena ka Kund, a 16th-century stepwell that served (and still does) as a place to swim, collect water and socialise. The zigzagging staircases make a striking background for capturing a diver mid flight, so don’t forget your camera…
Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt
This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .
