The Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur

Where do I begin? This was our second stay at The Oberoi Rajvilas and somehow, incredibly, it surpassed our first. We are a family of four, two adults and two teenage boys, and from the moment we arrived we were reminded of exactly why this place holds such a special place in our hearts. The welcome was everything, marigold garlands, warm smiles and the familiar feeling of coming home. That is genuinely how Rajvilas makes you feel. Our rooms were beautiful and we were so touched to receive an upgrade to a room with a private pool, a gesture so thoughtful and so unexpected. The grounds are immaculate, the recent renovation work and redecoration throughout the property is stunning and it is clear that this is a hotel that never rests on its laurels. The improvements to the bar area in particular were extraordinary. The bicycles are a wonderful addition and such a lovely way to explore the property, we all thoroughly enjoyed using them. The many special touches throughout our eight night stay were so moving. Personalised chocolates on arrival, flower petals and a birthday cake to celebrate my husband Owen’s 51st birthday, and the most magnificent surprise of a Kacchi Ghodi folk dance performance on our return to the hotel one afternoon. We were also deeply honoured to be invited to take high tea at Naila Fort by General Manager Mr Virmani, a truly once in a lifetime experience that our family will never forget. The setting, the hospitality, the sunset over the Aravalli hills. There are no words. Now to the team, because they are the true heart of this hotel. Every single person we encountered was warm, proactive, attentive and genuinely caring. In all our travels we have never experienced anything like it. The restaurant team and their hospitality at every meal was outstanding, led beautifully by Vivek, Food and Beverage Manager, and his assistant managers Novesh and Soham. The food throughout our stay was exceptional and we would like to extend our particular thanks to head chef Sivakumar and his team who were so accommodating around our dietary requirements, everything was perfect for us and every meal or snack was delicious. Ayushi always gave us the most wonderful welcome into the restaurant, her warmth set the tone for every meal. It was such a pleasure to see Ruchi again this year, so hardworking and always a delight to chat with. Nandini, a special soul, was calm and caring towards our family and we were so happy to see her again. Sandeep was literally always smiling and so kind. Arpit, who also worked at the pool on occasion, was so welcoming and gentle and Charvi, working across both restaurant and bar, is mature beyond her years, so kind and attentive we have no doubt she has a bright future ahead in hospitality. At the pool, Vishvjeet and Daulat were both so hospitable and hardworking throughout our stay. Lokesh deserves a special mention, he worked tirelessly, monitoring everything from the birds to the towels, always proactive, always smiling and always such a pleasure to see. He is a real asset. The high tea at Naila Fort was made all the more special by Nural and Dharam whose hospitality was outstanding during our special afternoon. Shardul, the caretaker of this extraordinary property, made us feel so welcome and looked after throughout our visit. Nural is a wonderful member of the Oberoi team and we wish her well as she returns to Indonesia, we very much hope to see her at an Oberoi property there one day. Dharam, who we were so happy to see again having met him in the bar last year, has grown so much in confidence over the past year and is flourishing in the restaurant. He remains a talented mixologist and is truly a huge asset to this team. Our rooms were always immaculate thanks to the lovely Sweta and Anisha in housekeeping. We are so grateful to these ladies. The entire front of house team were exceptional, too many to mention individually but every single member went out of their way to help with anything and everything we needed. Our queries were always dealt with promptly and the welcome back to the hotel each day, complete with those beautiful scented cold towels, was something we looked forward to every single time. I have to also mention Lokesh, the gentleman who was always there to welcome, wave us off and welcome us back each day we went out, helping us with doors, bags or cameras all at once sometimes, always with a heartfelt smile. Mr Virmani, your leadership is evident in every corner of this hotel and in every member of your team. We always enjoyed our conversations with you and the fact that you came out personally to wave us goodbye on our departure, on what we know was an exceptionally busy day, was so touching. Saying goodbye was emotional, because this is quite simply one of our favourite places in the world. Thank you to each and every person who came to wave us off. Finally Ashok, our chauffeur our entire time in India. Safely navigating us everywhere from our arrival in Delhi, to every place that we requested to go all over Jaipur. Patient, calm, kind and utterly brilliant with our boys. So many more special conversations, following on from our time with you last year. Thank you most of all for allowing us to feed the cows with you one day, we have learnt that this is an important part of your daily life in Jaipur and it was a moment we will treasure. If you get the opportunity to stay at this extraordinary property, jump at it. Make sure you allow yourself enough time to explore all that Jaipur has to offer, as well as enjoying the tranquility of Rajvilas. This trip came at exactly the right time for our family and we left feeling rested and restored. We are already counting the days until our return. To the entire team at The Oberoi Rajvilas, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Sally, Owen, Danny and Bobby Thomas

I had an exceptional stay at The Oberoi Rajvilas in Jaipur. From the moment I arrived, everything was handled with remarkable attention to detail and genuine hospitality. I was generously upgraded to a suite with a private pool, which was simply outstanding — a true oasis of comfort and elegance. The property itself is magnificent, but what truly sets this hotel apart is the quality of its people. Every member of the staff was not only warm and courteous, but also highly professional and efficient. One particular detail speaks volumes about their level of care: after I had already left for the airport, the team contacted me to inform me that I had accidentally left behind my iPad, Kindle, and headphones in the room. Without hesitation, they arranged for these items to be delivered to me immediately by car, ensuring I received them in time. This level of service is rare and deeply appreciated. A truly memorable experience. Jaipur offers many fine places to stay, but The Oberoi Rajvilas is, in my view, in a class of its own.

Amazing experience home away from home thanks to gm vishal Ji all front office team especially miss Shariya and the spa as well it’s very relaxing the food is amazing chef shiva Exceptional hospitality by mr vivek Also dharam Ji at restaurant And miss Anisha…housekeeping she gave us so many gifts Sitaram Ji assisted with buggy

Truly magical experience, from the arrival and the beatiful garden with the peacocks, can’t ask for a better setting.

We had been on a tour of the Golden Triangle a few months ago and loved it so much but felt we hadn't had enough time in Jaipur and so returned last minute for six days over Easter and booked the Oberoi Rajvilas so we could both relax and enjoy the facilities and sunshine but also use as a base to visit the city itself. It was totally perfect! The hotel is stunning - the grounds and pool are beautiful with stunning peacocks wandering around. The restaurant and food it amazing and it's a wonderful calm and peaceful contrast to the fun and chaos of Jaipur city itself (which we did still up visiting most days!) What makes it stand out even more is the incredible service and the loveliest, kindest staff ever! Nothing was too much trouble but they also went out of their way to notice what the guests were enjoying and tailor meals, experiences, little touches etc. around those. Particular mention to chef Krishdeep who was so kind and loved his food and ingredients so much and created some really special dishes for us based on what we had loved the previous day... (he also kindly gave us his secret receipe/ingredients for the most sublime tomato soup we have ever had!!) Sandeep and Dev in the restaurant were just the best!!! So so lovely - we would come back to the hotel just to be served by them again - they were so happy and enthusastic and always went out of their way to think of things we might like that we might not think of ourselves - we were totally spoilt by them! I loved the amazing lac bangle man (Ehateran sp?) who visits each evening - he made me some stunning lac bangles and sitting there watching him work surrounded by cheeky peacocks and the sun setting was a really special experience! Also thank you as well to the incredibly kind and sweet Sneha who helped me on our very last day track down the suppliers of the lovely marble bulls in each of the rooms and around the hotel and somehow within a few hours had managed to source me my very own bull to bring back with me to the UK and helped with getting me to ATMs and packing it etc. - she was so very kind!