Bindu Gopal Rao discovers that Zone Palace by The Park Jaipur blends traditional Rajasthani décor with a contemporary technology to give you a holistic experience.
A hotel that is social by design, the recently opened Zone Palace by The Park Jaipur is a taste of all things Rajasthan with a modern twist. The hotel designed on the lines of a palace has an all-white façade that houses ‘mini zones’ that will help you find your avatar whether you are an adventurer, foodie, shutterbug, networker or party animal. Incidentally this is the second Zone property by The Park Hotels in the city.
Design details
The hotel is located away from the hustle and bustle of the city and is off the highway so you can be sure to be secluded and away from any noise. The expansive hotel is designed on the lines of a palace inspired from the royal history of Jaipur and has large open spaces within the premises.
As I am driven into the porch, I am given a traditional song and dance welcome and entering the unique open-design lobby I have a choice of three welcome drinks – tender coconut water, buttermilk and a pineapple juice.
The hotel has three levels and 106 rooms in all that includes three suites, 36 standard rooms and 67 deluxe and premium rooms (the premium rooms have a bath tub as an addition). The rooms are spacious and have a large bathroom, separate dressing area as well as a window cove seating where you can soak in views of the lawns below.
The rooms are contemporary with a beige and gold hued colour scheme accentuated with a pop of teal. A study desk is also part of the room apart from standard amenities. As part of my welcome, the team had set up chocolates, macaroons, chocolate crusted fruits and nuts which added a nice personal touch.
Foodie diaries
The main restaurant at the hotel is Bazaar that is an all-day diner open 24 hours and serves multi-continental cuisine. The food here is inspired by the flavours of India and the world and has an open, free-flowing, interactive service design with live cooking stations.
When I was here, I had a fantastic lunch where chef dished out in house specialties that included an amuse bouche that had rice wrapped chicken dumplings topped with tobiko caviar and chilled orange sformato and followed it with starters like crunchy macadamia with crackling spinach, grilled and marinated cottage cheese, broken rice crusted fish and more.
There was also Basil Bushed tomato tea and Khao Suey (available in seafood and vegetarian versions) as well as broccoli and shitake mushroom with steamed bokchoy and Pollo Alla Garibaldi with tossed charcoal fettuccini. The dessert platter included water chestnut in coconut milk, honey cinnamon banana fritters and an Indian version of cheese cake.
The hotel also has Playa an outdoor seating area where dinner is a great idea. I also sampled an authentic meal for dinner that was complete with traditional Rajasthani dance and song as well as a puppet show. The Z-Bar is the in-house club lounge where you can enjoy drinks and cocktails.
Do more
When you are here do fix an appointment at the Vitalia Spa for a session of relaxation and rejuvenation. If you are health conscious check out the fully equipped Vitalia Fitness Centre as well as the swimming pool that are great option to exercise even when on holiday.
Else simply walk around the expansive property like I did, you will also spot a large number of birds like the hoopoe, red vented bulbul, sunbirds and lapwings. The hotel also has a child friendly zone that are sure to keep young guests occupied. Zone as a brand is all about differentiated experiences and the Zone Social Scale recommends experiences as per your interest at the destination you choose.
As Santosh Shekhawat, Director, Operations, says, “being outside the city, this is an ideal hotel for anyone who wants to have a relaxing holiday as we are away from the highway. We also can organize special events for our guests and also do pool parties. It is also ideal for team building corporate activities as well as destination weddings where people can book the entire property so they can use it according to their needs.”
When you are in Jaipur, do take time to see the vibrant city that has a royal history. Apart from mandatory stops at the Jantar Mantar, that is a UNESCO World heritage site that also houses the world’s largest sun dial and Hawa Mahal a stunning architectural marvel, do stop at the City Palace. This is now a museum that houses an ornate audience hall, arms gallery, textile gallery and painting gallery.
For an offbeat experience do stop at the Amrapali Gem Museum the only one of its kind in India that houses jewellery and silverware that have been collected by its founders for over 40 years. Jaipur is a potpourri of culture, heritage and tradition and a city that is seeped in royalty and you can experience all of this and more on your next visit to the Zone Palace by The Park. Check it out for yourself and you know you have made the right choice for your Jaipur sojourn.
Factbox
Address: Zone Palace by The Park, Vill, Ajmer-Jaipur Expressway, Narsinghpura, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302026.
Phone: 0141 665 5555
Website: zonebythepark.com
Photos courtesy of Zone Palace by The Park
